Van Praagh, Dame Peggy (1910-1990), was an English ballet teacher, choreographer, and dancer. She served as artistic director of the Australian Ballet from 1962 to 1965 and co-artistic director from 1965 to 1974. She is considered one of the most important influences in the development of Australian classical ballet.
Margaret Van Praagh was born on Sept. 1, 1910, in London and was educated there at King Alfred School. She made her debut as a ballet dancer in London in 1929 in a company formed by dancer Anton Dolin. She danced with the Ballet Club/Ballet Rambert from 1933 to 1938, working with the famous choreographers Antony Tudor and Frederick Ashton. She was ballet mistress of the Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet, in London, from 1946 to 1951, when she became assistant director. She left Sadler’s Wells in 1955 to free-lance. Van Praagh went to Australia in 1960 as guest director of the Borovansky Ballet. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1970. She died on Jan. 15, 1990.
