Australian Ballet Dancer Garth Welch was born on 14 April 1936. His first professional job was in the J.C. Williamson production Call Me Madam in 1953. Brought to the attention of Borovansky, he joined the Borovansky Ballet the following year and went straight into the role of Principal Dancer. Garth also danced with the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas.
Dame Peggy van Praagh invited him to join the newly formed Australian Ballet in 1962 where he remained as Principal Dancer until 1973, dancing lead roles in most of their productions, both classical and contemporary.
In the 1970s he worked for Ballet Victoria as both choreographer and Assistant Artistic Director. He also worked as Artistic Director for The Western Australian Ballet from 1980 until 1982. As guest artist with The Sydney Dance Company he created a number of key principal roles and in the 1990s returned to Musical Theatre, performing in The Game of Love and Chance in 1990, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying in 1993 and Nijinsky by Night in 1998.
He married Australian Prima Ballerina Marilyn Jones and together they had two sons, Stanton and Damien who both became dancers and choreographers of note in their own rites, both here in Australia and abroad.
Garth Welch passed away on 2 September 2025.
