Ardell, Anita (1934 - 2007)

Burden, Peter: Anita Ardell as Toinette the chambermaid in Gertrud Bodenwieser's 'Imaginary Invalid', Bodenwieser Ballet, 1950

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Anita Ardell was born Anita Altshuler in Brisbane, Queensland, of Russian Jewish decent. She received her early dance training in 'modern interpretive movement' from Nell Johnson in Brisbane, and performed in Johnson's recitals and garden parties from the age of eight. Ardell was also influenced by a period of short study with Indian dancer Shivaram, who visited Brisbane with Louise Lightfoot and Ruth Bergner in 1948, and by the Bodenwieser Ballet, which she also saw in Brisbane.

At the age of seventeen Ardell moved to Sydney where she took dance classes at the Bodenwieser studio, and acting classes with John Alden and Doris Fitton. In 1954 Ardell joined the Bodenwieser Ballet and toured with the company throughout Australia. She danced roles in many of Gertrud Bodenwieser's works including Demon Machine, Pilgrimage of Truth, Gossip, Israeli Dance and Waltzing Matilda, in which she played the narrator.

Ardell joined Katherine Dunham and her company in 1956 and both toured with them to New Zealand and performed in two seasons in Sydney. In 1959 Ardell left Australia for London where she studied ballet with Audrey de Vos. While abroad, she also worked in Rome in various television and dance productions.

After returning to Australia in 1963, Ardell taught movement and dance for wide range of people and organisations, including the Department of Education in New South Wales, the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre, Sydney Dance Company, and the acting school attached to the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney. She also worked as dance resource teacher with Stanford University, and with the San Francisco Bay Area Women's Resource Centre.

See also: Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre ; Bergner, Ruth ; Bodenwieser Ballet ; Bodenwieser, Gertrud ; Demon Machine ; Lightfoot, Louise ; Shivaram ; Waltzing Matilda

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Research Materials

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Find more about Ardell, Anita in:

• Internet - Google
• Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
• Pictures - Picture Australia