Beloved New Zealand dancer Rowena Jackson died on Thursday at the age of 98 at her home on the Gold Coast, of natural causes.
The legendary dancer was born in Invercargill in 1926 and began her dance career as a teenager in 1940.
The passionate artist worked tirelessly to promote ballet in the 1950s and 1960s in New Zealand, and gracefully danced her magic on stage hundreds of times.
She toured England in the late 1940s and became a member of the Royal Ballet, then known as Sadler’s Wells Ballet, performing on stage in front of thousands of fans.
Some of the acclaimed productions she danced in include Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Giselle.
In 1961, Rowena was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to dance, the first person to receive such an honour in that category.
She married British dancer Philip Chatfield in 1958 and had two children with him; the couple were together until her death in 2021 at age 93.
Jackson and her husband moved to New Zealand in 1959 and became co-directors of the New Zealand School of Dance.
Beloved New Zealand dancer Rowena Jackson (pictured) died on Thursday aged 98 at her home on the Gold Coast from natural causes.
In addition to being a dancer, Rowena was also a choreographer, director and teacher in the field.
The Royal Ballet paid tribute to Jackson in an emotional statement: “We were deeply saddened to hear of Rowena’s passing.
‘She was an integral part of the flourishing of the Royal Ballet and inspired everyone with her virtuoso technique, energy and agility.
‘We have fond memories of hosting Rowena and Philip as special guests on our tour in Brisbane in 2017, both so vibrant as performers and full of enthusiasm for the performance they saw.
The legendary dancer was born in Invercargill in 1926 and began her dancing career as a teenager in 1940.
“As her dance fans in New Zealand and on the Gold Coast would attest, we were fortunate to have Rowena’s artistry on our international stages.”
He retired to the Gold Coast, Queensland, where he lived out his final years, where he died.
Rowena is survived by her son Paul and daughter Rosetta.
The passionate performer worked tirelessly to promote ballet dancing in the 1950s and 1960s in New Zealand, and gracefully worked her magic on stage hundreds of times.