Ray Powell

Joanne · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2003 2:35 am

Obituary from The Independent.

Quote:

For someone who had originally intended to follow in his father's trade as a tailor, Ray Powell's achievements were not only unlikely, but far-flung and far-reaching. When the Australian Ballet's founder Peggy van Praagh invited him to come and work for her new company's first-ever season in 1962, he went out from Britain on a three-month contract. But he stayed for good, as ballet master and (from 1972) as associate director, to become, with van Praagh, one of the pioneers of a national company that has since become internationally respected.

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Azlan · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2003 5:03 am

Sad news.

Thanks for posting this, Joanne. I will move it to Ballet per our current policy on obituaries.

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Sat Oct 25, 2003 1:35 am

Ray Powell
Dancer and ballet master who helped to found the Australian Ballet and stayed there for 40 years

IF HIS career had concluded as it began, dancing with the Royal Ballet, Ray Powell would have been remembered for his strong personality and vivid expressiveness in character roles. But after 20 successful years in London, he made a sudden switch, moving to Australia to help to found a national ballet and became, in the words of its present director, David McAllister, the backbone of the company.

Ray Powell was born in Hitchin with no family connections to the theatre. He was expected to follow his father into tailoring but showed no aptitude for that.

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Ray Powell

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