News has been sent to the Dance UK office that Marion North, principal and Chief Executive of Laban from 1973-2004, sadly passed away on 3 May after a brief spell in hospital.

Trinity Laban is currently speaking to lots of Marion’s colleagues and artistic collaborators to compile a full picture of Marion’s life and vision in order to arrange a celebration of Marion’s life later in the year to honour her achievements.

Messages of condolence can be sent to Rebecca Patchett, Administrator (Dance), Principal’s office, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Creekside, SE8 3DZ, or email r.patchett@trinitylaban.ac.uk.

Professor Anthony Bowne, Principal of Trinity Laban Conservertoire for Music and Dance paid the following tribute:

“Marion’s vision, persuasiveness and sheer determination have made an enormous contribution to developing the profile of contemporary dance education and training in this country. Her belief that creative work should be at the heart of every dance student’s experience continues to be a guiding principle in the development of all our dance courses and activities, and her conviction that Rudolf Laban’s work should form a significant dimension of studies here has secured us a unique place in the dance profession.

“Marion leaves us with a wonderful legacy, including our stunning dance building – her ultimate vision realized. We are now the guardians of this legacy, charged with responsibility to look always for innovative ways forward and creative solutions to the challenges facing us.

“Despite her more fragile health in recent years, Marion’s tenacity and resilience won through and she remained connected with all our activities here. As recently as March, Marion joined us at London’s South Bank for our contribution to the Cultural Olympiad, a showcase of work developed in response to Heiner Goebbels’ Surrogate Cities, enjoying both the performance by our Undergraduate Dance Students and then by our Symphony Orchestra in the Royal Festival Hall. Her absence will be an enormous loss.”