Francis John Hart

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(4 July 1921 – 8 February 2015), was an English ballet dancer, choreographer and artistic director of

Ballet West Ballet West is an American ballet company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was founded in 1963 as the Utah Civic Ballet by Willam F. Christensen, the company's first artistic director, and Glenn Walker Wallace, who served as its first president. ...

from 1986 to 1997.

Early life

Francis John Hart was born in London on 4 July 1921, the son of Frank L. Hart and Ivy Hart. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dancing with Judith Espinosa. He was awarded the RAD Adeline Genée Medal. In 1938, he joined the

Vic-Wells Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in ...

, dancing lead roles by the age of 21.

Career

He created a role in

Ninette de Valois Dame Ninette de Valois (born Edris Stannus; 6 June 1898 – 8 March 2001) was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director of classical ballet. Most notably, she danced professionally with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, ...

' 1940 ''

The Prospect Before Us ''The Prospect Before Us'' is a British folk rock album, by The Albion Band, The Albion Dance Band, which was released in 1977 on the Harvest Records, EMI Harvest label. The album was produced by Ashley Hutchings and Simon Nicol and was engine ...

'', before leaving to serve in the Royal Air Force from 1942 to 1946. He returned as a principal dancer, creating roles in

Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositi ...

's '' Sylvia'' (1952) and ''

Homage to the Queen ''Homage to the Queen'', Op. 42, by Malcolm Arnold was written as the official coronation ballet in 1953, commissioned by the Sadler's Wells Ballet in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, the ballet company's musical adviser Humphrey Searle having reco ...

'' (1953). In 1955, Hart was appointed ballet master, and was assistant director of the Royal Ballet from 1962 to 1970. He resigned in 1970, and took up a position as head of the dance division of the

United States International University United States International University (USIU) was a nonprofit university based in San Diego, California that was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. At its peak, it had two additional American campuses and three inter ...

. In 1972 he served as artistic director of PACT Ballet. His last major position was as artistic director of

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

’s

from 1986 to 1997.

Honours

Hart received the

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award is an honour presented annually by the Royal Academy of Dance, to people who have made a significant contribution to the ballet and dance industry. The award was instituted by Dame Adeline Genee in 1953, t ...

of the

Royal Academy of Dance "Health and happiness" , predecessor = , successor = , formation = 1920 , extinction = , type = NGO , status = Registered charity , purpose = Examination board – dance education and training , headquarters = 36 Battersea SquareSW11 3 ...

in 1970, and was made a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(CBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours.United Kingdom list:

Personal life

Hart married Ann Howard, a former coryphée of the

Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in ...

. He enjoyed fine art, collected stamps, and had a "fondness for epicurean delights". He died in Salt Lake City on 8 February 2015.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, John 1921 births 2015 deaths 20th-century British ballet dancers Administrators of The Royal Ballet Artistic directors British arts administrators Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Dancers from London English choreographers English male ballet dancers British philatelists Principal dancers of The Royal Ballet