Marilyn Rowe

Marilyn Rowe OBE (born 20 August 1946) is the first graduate of the Australian Ballet School to be appointed its director, in 1999.

Dancing career

Rowe was born in Sydney, New South Wales and became a principal artist with the Australian Ballet, at the express wish of the founding artistic director of the Australian Ballet, Dame Peggy van Praagh, after a relatively short time as a student in the Australian Ballet School. Rowe talked about her association with the Australian Ballet and van Praagh,

"I grew up as it were, in the cradle of Australian Ballet – it is my family and I love it warts and all. I have been part of its highs and lows, which at times seemed to be reflected in my own life. I was there through its darkest hours and then helped to pick up the pieces. I have a great passion and loyalty for my company and its school, instilled in me by Peggy. She herself possessed these qualities in abundance."^[1]

Rowe had an acclaimed partnership with dancer Kelvin Coe. With Coe she won a silver medal for the most outstanding couple at the second International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 1973. Roles were specially created for her in Glen Tetley's Gemini, Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow and André Prokovsky's Anna Karenina. Rowe also had successful partnerships with Australian Ballet dancers Gary Norman and John Meehan.^[2]

Director, Teacher and the Australian Ballet School

After a career where she danced all the major roles in the company repertoire, she ballet director, deputy artistic director and in 1984 director of the Dancers Company. Rowe continued with the Dancers Company until 1990. She was appointed to the Board of the Australian Ballet in 1994. She has been responsible for directing many of the leading dancers of the Australian Ballet. In addition she been responsible for bringing into the repertoire a large number of modern and classical ballets. Rowe was appointed Director of the Australian Ballet School in 1999.

Honours

To mark her contribution to ballet in Australia, Rowe was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1979.

References

Books