American choreographer Glen Tetley, who broke barriers by blending modern dance into classical ballet in his creations for the National Ballet of Canada and other companies worldwide, has died at age 80.

Acclaimed choreographer Glen Tetley served as artistic associate at the National Ballet of Canada from 1987-1989.
(National Ballet of Canada)

Tetley died of cancer on Friday in West Palm Beach, Fla., about a week shy of his 81st birthday on Feb. 3.

"Glen's association with the National Ballet of Canada goes back many years and the company has been enriched with his work," artistic director Karen Kain said Monday.

"Most of all, we will miss the kind and gentle man himself — especially for his compassion, generosity and his ability to articulate the mysteries and complexities of our art form."

Late start in dance

Born in Cleveland in 1926, Tetley started his career in dance late, first serving a stint in the navy and studying medicine. Always interested in dance, he then attended George Balanchine's School of American Ballet and studied under contemporary dance pioneers Martha Graham and Hanya Holm.

In addition to performing with Graham's company and in Holm's productions, Tetley was also one of the original members of the famed Joffrey Ballet, danced with Jerome Robbins and, from 1962 to 1969, had his own dance company.

After financial problems forced the closure of his company, Tetley shifted into what would become a prolific, three-decade career as a freelance choreographer, creating ballets for dance companies primarily across Europe, but eventually the world.

Members of the Australian Ballet, seen here in 2003, performing Voluntaries, one of Tetley's signature works.
(Mark Dadswell/Getty)

Dubbed "Europe's favourite American choreographer," Tetley created new works — set to modern music — that were performed by the Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Australian Ballet and Canada's own National Ballet.

From 1987 to 1989, Tetley served as artistic associate at the National Ballet, where he created several works, including La Ronde, Oracle and the popular Alice, a reflection on author Lewis Carroll and a ballet that won the Canadian company wide acclaim throughout Europe and the U.S.

After the death of his longtime partner Scott Douglas in the mid-1990s, Tetley created his final dance piece, the elegiac Lux in Tenebris, for the Houston Ballet in 1999.

The National Ballet of Canada company will continue with plans for a tribute to Tetley — including a performance of Voluntaries, a signature work he created after the death of choreographer John Cranko in 1973 — at its Erik Bruhn Competition on March 3. The tribute was one of a series of events honouring the influential choreographer that began last year on his 80th birthday.