Norman Morrice

Norman Morrice was a former artistic director of the Royal Ballet and Ballet Rambert, who mentored young talent and supported modern-dance choreography. Morrice started out his career as a dancer and choreographer at the classical ballet troupe, Ballet Rambert in London. During 1961-62, he won a Ford Foundation fellowship to study in New York under Martha Graham, who deeply influenced him. Morrice became associate director of Ballet Rambert in 1966 and co-director in 1970. In 1977, he became artistic director of the Royal Ballet and stayed there until 1986. Although he gave up choreography when he worked at the Royal Ballet, he had already created 30 works since 1958.