Ashley Page, born in Rochester, Kent, began his dance training locally before continuing his studies at the Royal Ballet Lower and Upper Schools. He joined the Royal Ballet in 1976, and during his formative years with the Company, he collaborated closely with Sir Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan, creating numerous roles in their new ballets. He also worked with esteemed visiting choreographers, including Glen Tetley and, most notably, Richard Alston, who would play a pivotal role as a mentor in Page’s development as a choreographer.

In 1984, he was promoted to Principal and choreographed his first professional work, A Broken Set of Rules. While continuing to dance, he developed his choreographic style, creating 17 works for the Company and receiving commissions from the Rambert Dance Company, the Dutch National Ballet, and others. Known for bold collaborations and exploring new contexts for dance, his 1994 Fearful Symmetries at Covent Garden, starring Irek Mukhamedov, became a defining work.

In 2002, after 27 years with the Royal Ballet, he became Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet. Over the next decade, he transformed it into a leading modern ballet company, creating acclaimed full-length ballets such as The Nutcracker, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, and Alice, alongside contemporary pieces and new commissions that revitacompany’s company’s profile. He premiered Guide to Strange Places with San Francisco Ballet in his final year there. Now a freelance choreographer and director, he continues to work with major companies worldwide, including Rambert, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Joffrey Ballet, and Polish National Ballet.

Awards include the Time Out Award for Best New Dance Production Fearful Symmetries 1994; Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for Fearful Symmetries 1995; TMA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance 2004 (Scotti”h Ballet “for surefooted modernisation under Ashley Page and dynamic pe”formances”); Herald Angel Award for Scottish Ballet Dances Balanchine, Edinburgh Festival 2005; OBE (Order of the British Empire) 2006; Critics Circle Award – Scottish Ballet for Outstanding Repertoire / Classical 2007; Herald Archangel Award for his long association with the Edinburgh Festival through Scottish Ballet, 2011; De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement, National Dance Awards 2012; Honorary Degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 2012.