1. Dame Monica Margaret Mason was born on 6 September 1941 and is a former ballet dancer, teacher, and director of The Royal Ballet.
10 Facts About Monica Mason
1. 2.
Monica Mason studied ballet from a young age with Ruth Inglestone, Reina Berman, and Frank Staff in her home city and, later, with Nesta Brooking in London.
3.
Monica Mason caught the eye of choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, who had been commissioned to create yet another dance version of The Rite of Spring, set to Igor Stravinsky's score that had caused such a ruckus at its premiere with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1913.
4.
Monica Mason scored a marked success and thereafter became a particular favorite of MacMillan.
5.
Monica Mason was dramatically effective in such disparate roles as the ruthless Black Queen in Checkmate by Ninette de Valois, and the gentle Lady Elgar in Enigma Variations, by Frederick Ashton.
6.
Monica Mason displayed warmth, charm, and grace in such evocative works as Liebeslieder Walzer by George Balanchine, and Dances at a Gathering by Jerome Robbins.
7.
Monica Mason was appointed principal repetiteur for MacMillan's ballets in 1980, when she began teaching classical variations to senior girls at the Royal Ballet School.
8.
Monica Mason became the company's principal repetiteur in 1984, assistant to the director in 1988, and assistant director, to Anthony Dowell, in 1991.
9.
Monica Mason has received numerous accolades, awards, and honours for her accomplishments during her long career.
10.
Monica Mason was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2002 and elevated to the rank of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2008.