English choreographer, one of the leading Western European choreographers of his time. Ashton went down in history as the founder of the English psychological ballet. Along with K. McMillan — the Creator of the English ballet repertoire, the author of the first national English ballet "Tragedy of fashion" (1926). From 1963 to 1970 he directed the Royal ballet company.

His best performances – "Cinderella", "Daphnis and Chloe, "Sylvia", a romantic ballet "Ondine" and the comic ballet "vain precaution", "Sleep" in the plot of "Midsummer night's Dream" by Shakespeare (1964). In 1963 Ashton, on the basis of the plot of the Opera La Traviata, staged the ballet "Marguerite and Armand" for specially formed shortly before a pair of Margot Fonteyn - Rudolf Nureyev. In 1976, the choreographer even created the ballet "Month in the village" based on the play by I.S.Turgenev.

In 1959 he was awarded the Elizabeth II prize from the Royal Academy of dance, in 1962 he was knighted for his services in the field of ballet, received the French Legion of Honor, and in 1963 - the Swedish order of Danebrog.