D’Amboise, Jacques << dahm BWAZ, zhahk >> (1934-2021), was an American dancer who won fame as a featured performer with the New York City Ballet. He earned particular recognition as the male lead in George Balanchine’s ballet Apollo. Athletic jumps and a sparkling stage presence marked his style.
Joseph Jacques Ahearn was born on July 28, 1934, in Dedham, Massachusetts. He later took d’Amboise from his mother’s maiden name. He trained under George Balanchine, a Russian-born choreographer (creator of dances), at the School of American Ballet. D’Amboise is especially remembered for roles in the ballets Western Symphony (1954), Movements for Piano and Orchestra (1963), and Meditation (1963). As a choreographer, d’Amboise created Irish Fantasy (1964) and other ballets.
D’Amboise directed or choreographed several Broadway musicals. He also appeared in a number of motion pictures, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) and Carousel (1956). In 1976, he established the National Dance Institute to introduce children to the arts through dance. D’Amboise wrote an autobiography, I Was a Dancer (2011). He died on May 2, 2021.
