Ashley, Merrill (1950–)

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Ashley, Merrill (1950–)

American ballet dancer Name variations: Linda Merrill. Born Linda Michelle Merrill, Dec 2, 1950, in St. Paul, Minnesota; raised in Rutland, Vermont.

Graduated from New York City Ballet school and joined the company (1966); performed in numerous Balanchine repertory works including Square Dance, Divertimento No. 15, Symphony in C and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto; created roles in Requiem Canticles (1972), Coppélia (1974), Cortège Hongrois (1973), Ballade (1980), and others; also performed roles choreographed for her by Jerome Robbins and Twyla Tharp; retired from performance career (1997) to teach at New York City Ballet.

See also autobiography Dancing for Balanchine (1984).

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