BARBARA ANN ELLICOTT

ELLICOTT--Barbara Ann. Barbara Ann Remington was born on December 29, 1936, in Amherstburg Ontario, Canada to Lillian and Wilbert Remington. Her childhood summer days were often spent running down sandy lanes to her grandmother's house and the beaches of Lake Erie. At age seven, her family migrated to Detroit, Michigan while she maintained her Canadian citizenship. Recovering from Scarlatina doctors recommended a strengthening program, she chose dance. At the age 17, she received her first contract, leading to soloist and principal roles with American Ballet Theater, The Joffrey Ballet, the Royal Ballet of England, The Harkness, and Netherlands Dance Theatre. Her noteworthy roles included: Scotch Symphony, After Eden, Raymonda Variations, Moves, konservatoriet, Facade, and The Three Cornered Hat. She appeared opposite Margot Fonteyn in The Sleeping Beauty. The renowned New York critic, Clive Barnes wrote of her "She is a dancer you will know". Some performers have the ability to reach across the footlights and into the imagination, soul, and hearts of the audience. You experience this when the performer captivates your spirit, mentally bringing you into the action they have created. You find yourself completely involved, following the story and every step to the sound and music. Then the lights go out, the performer is gone. The house lights come on, and awaken you realize you are back in the audience and overjoyed, by a memory lasting forever. Ms. Remington possessed that unique skill in her artistry, a true entertainer once experienced, never forgotten. She was fortunate to have been coached by eminent artists such as Dame Margot Fonteyn, Erik Bruhn, Jerome Robbins, Robert Joffrey, Serge Grigoriev, and Sir Fredrick Ashton. Ms. Remington in the mid 1960's debuted as Prudence Comming in Alan J. Lerner's Broadway show, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, choreographed by Herbert Ross. Upon marriage and leaving the theater she began a teaching career at universities, colleges and schools in Oregon and Washington. She served as school director for Pacific Ballet Theatre and later served as ballet mistress for Spokane Ballet from 1987-1989 and she taught throughout the United States. She is survived by her husband, brother Robert, nieces Allison, Lauren, Jennifer, Sonja, Celine, and nephew David, grandnephews Remington, Roman and Spenser. In sympathy send donations in memoriam of Barbara to Oregon Ballet Theatre.