Rowena Othlie Jackson MBE (born 1926) is a New Zealand prima ballerina. Jackson was born in Invercargill, to William Ernest Jackson and Lilliane Jane, née Solomon. She attended Epsom Girls' Grammar School, in Auckland, and in 1941 won the first Royal Academy of Dancing Scholarship in New Zealand. In 1946 Jackson joined the Saddler's Wells Ballet in London. She was later prima ballerina like Darcey Bussell, Antoinette Sibley and the great assoluta...
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Rowena Othlie Jackson MBE (born 1926) is a New Zealand prima ballerina. Jackson was born in Invercargill, to William Ernest Jackson and Lilliane Jane, née Solomon. She attended Epsom Girls' Grammar School, in Auckland, and in 1941 won the first Royal Academy of Dancing Scholarship in New Zealand. In 1946 Jackson joined the Saddler's Wells Ballet in London. She was later prima ballerina like Darcey Bussell, Antoinette Sibley and the great assoluta Margot Fonteyn in the Royal Ballet for many years. She was notable for her role as Swanhilda in the ballet Coppélia, and danced with Robert Helpmann and her husband Philip Chatfield.
In 1959 Jackson held the world record for multiple fouettés performed sur place, and was awarded MBE in 1961.
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