"When I was a student working for the Company, I was lucky enough to see Frederick Ashton at work on La Valse and it left an indelible impression on me. His style was so giving and warm, with his extraordinary musicality and use of full body movement which enormously enriched the classical ballet world. Sir Fred would always ask for more bend from the waist and the full use of port de bras. I knew that being a tall dancer performing wonderful ballets like his Cinderella, Sylvia or Birthday Offering, to give true value to all the combinations of his steps, it was so very important to bend more and to use the music to its fullest extent. Even though this was incredibly difficult, when you responded to his instruction, both you and the audience would suddenly warm to the true beauty of his choreography."

"As a member of Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, I had the great privilege of working with Sir Frederick Ashton on numerous occasions throughout my career, as many of his ballets were regularly in SWRB's touring programme. He was not particularly 'vocal' in rehearsals, but with one small move or gesture was able to transmit exactly what he was after (usually more body and speed!). Today Birmingham Royal Ballet still maintains many Ashton ballets in the staple repertoire. As I find myself responsible for passing on some of the wonderful roles in his ballets, it has become apparent to me that today's young dancers find the "Ashton style" quite hard to master - the musicality, the use of epaulement, the speed of footwork - all are great challenges to their technique. Ashton's ballets never rely on athleticism, but require a sound technique, one that can be 'manipulated' to show every nuance of style."

"I have always been in love with the mellifluous phrasing of Ashton's language - the rise and fall of his movement, the rhythmic intricacy of his small linking steps. I especially love the sensual give in the shoulders and back, which makes the Ashton body so sculptural in three-dimensional space and, enriching all of this, the quality of humanity which imbues every ballet of his with such warmth and character. This human touch perhaps reaches its height in small moments of a breathtaking simplicity, and in the great singing arcs of Ashton's glorious pas de deux which again and again celebrate the deeply-felt tenderness of love. Yes, I have had other teachers and other influences, but none more important to me than Sir Fred."

"I always knew how fortunate and privileged I was to dance so many of Sir Fred's ballets and be coached by him, and now I feel honoured to be staging several of his ballets. Each time I see his ballet come to life, I realise more and more what a genius he was and what a loss it is that he is no longer with us, to enrich our lives with his moving, amusing or pure abstract ballets. There is such diversity to his choreography, but what his ballets all have in common is his infinite musicality, elegant and beautiful movement, quick and tricky footwork, his love of epaulement and the use of body, together with his eloquence in etching the character of each role, which can make the audience laugh or cry."