ARTS

Myles Marsden, founder of State Ballet of Rhode Island, dies at 83

Jack Perry
jperry@providencejournal.com
Herci Marsden and Myles Marsden in 1978.

Myles Marsden, a founder of the State Ballet of Rhode Island, died Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee, according to his wife, Linda Marsden.

Marsden, who was 83, began his dance training at the age of 7 and was still dancing at the age of 67, when in 2003, he told The Providence Journal, "Dancing is a way of life. You simply keep going. What motivates me is inside. I don't know what would make me stop. I haven't had enough. I still have something to say."

In a telephone interview Saturday, his wife, Linda, said, "He loved all of it. He loved the dance. He loved teaching, and his students loved him."

Born in Rhode Island, Marsden left during his teens to study dance in London and then Yugoslavia, according to his wife. He was given the title of Premier Danseur by the Yugoslav National Government, she said.

Returning to Rhode Island with his then-wife, Herci, Marsden helped bring the beauty of ballet to residents of the Ocean State and beyond. Also a founder of the Brae Crest School of Ballet, Marsden served as the original artistic director and chief choreographer for the school and the State Ballet of Rhode Island, both in Lincoln, from 1958 until 1976, his wife said.

After that, Marsden lived for a while in California, where he founded the Myles Marsden Dance Studio/Theatre, according to his wife. Marsden had to retire from dancing in 2007, but he found another outlet for his creativity: drawing.

"He drew these wonderful little characters," Linda Marsden said. "People loved them."

Although he'd been ill for several months, Marsden continued his artwork until about two weeks ago. He'd been diagnosed with dementia in November and suffered a stroke last week, his wife said.

For the last six years, Marsden lived in Nashville so that he could be closer to his youngest son, Jason, his daughter-in-law Christy and grandson Clark.

Marsden also leaves three children from his marriage to Herci: Ana Marsden Fox, Richard Anton Marsden and Mark Marsden.

Jason Marsden, an actor, wrote about his father on Facebook, "Growing up around ballet, I am most certainly no expert, but I will say with little bias, he was one of the best I’ve ever seen. He could be graceful, malevolent, and even hysterically funny. I confess that there are bits of his humor and movement that seeped into my work as an actor."

Linda Marsden said a memorial service will be held at a later date.