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Jun. 06, 1972 - Semi-Final Fling For Ballet Master: At 65, and not looking any younger, British ballet master Sir Frederick (Fred to his friends) Ashton, is just about ready for the super-annuated entrechat. But not quite yet - next year, he said in Melbourne, he will definitely swap ballet slippers for the fireside kind. In the meantime, he will stage the Australian Ballet's production of his own work, Cinderella, and dance one of the principal roles as well. Sir Frederick will take the role of one of the Ugly Sisters - the other will be danced by Sir Robert Helpmann, himself 62 going on 63. They are old friends. Sir Frederick originally choreographed Cinderella for Sir Robert and him only in 1948. Neither of them could have exactly been called pups even then. He officially retired, and hung up his pumps, in 1970 when he was director and chief choreographer of the Royal Ballet. His appearance withe the Australian Ballet will be a sort of semi-farewell fling, and probably his last major performance. After the Sydney season he goes home to London, there to gather energy for what really will be his last, absolutely final performance. Photo shows Sir Frederick Ashton demonstrates the master's touch when doing a step for members of the Melbourne Ballet Company recently

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Absolutely Ashton Ballets Choreographed Choreographer Cinderella Danced Definitely Demonstrates Doing Exactly Fireside Fling Gather Helpmann Hung Meantime Melbourne Neither Officially Pumps Pups Quite Really Retired Roles Semi-final Slippers Sort Swap Ugly Withe

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