Jon Trimmer

Trimmer was born on 18 September 1939 in Petone, New Zealand. He started learning ballet at age 12 at his sister's ballet school.

In 1958, he joined the New Zealand Ballet Company where he worked until he left to study overseas.

While overseas between 1959 and 1970 he:

• attended the Royal Ballet School from 1960 to 1961
• toured with the Sadler's Wells Ballet from 1962 to 1964
• danced with The Australian Ballet from 1965 to 1966
• danced with the Royal Danish Ballet from 1968 to 1969

Trimmer danced with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev.

In 1970 he returned to New Zealand to help revive the New Zealand Ballet and became the principal male dancer in that company. He was with the company, now known as the Royal New Zealand ballet, from then on.

Among the many roles he danced were Petrouchka and the role of Albrecht in Giselle.

In later years he danced character parts such as Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

Trimmer played the part of Edgar Marwick in Peter Sharp's 1986 movie Undercover Gang.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0224876/ IMDB] Also in 1986, he appeared in the TV series Fireraiser and was nominated for the best actor award.[http://www.centastage.co.nz/whojon.htm Centastage patron] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928034059/http://www.centastage.co.nz/whojon.htm |date=28 September 2007 }} In 2002 and 2003, he performed with Helen Moulder in her play Meeting Karpovsky.

Trimmer was patron of the Centastage theatrical company as well as Te Raukura ki Kapiti.{{Cite web|title=Doors open to Te Raukura - Kāpiti's Performing Arts Centre - Kāpiti Coast District Council|url=https://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/whats-on/news/2020/doors-open-to-te-raukura-k%C4%81piti-s-performing-arts-centre/|access-date=11 May 2021|website=kapiticoast.govt.nz|archive-date=28 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228043506/https://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/whats-on/news/2020/doors-open-to-te-raukura-k%C4%81piti-s-performing-arts-centre/|url-status=dead}}

At the 1971 Feltex Television Awards in February 1972, Trimmer won the performers' award for his dancing in the ballet Façade that was staged for television and broadcast by the NZBC in 1971.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19720202.2.39 |title=Finalists in the Feltex awards |date=2 February 1972 |work=The Press |volume=112 |issue=32830 |page=4 |access-date=26 October 2023 |via=PapersPast}}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19720208.2.131 |title="Happen Inn" wins television award |date=8 February 1972 |work=The Press |volume=112 |issue=32835 |page=14 |access-date=26 October 2023 |via=PapersPast}}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710209.2.38.5 |title=TV production by the N.Z. Ballet |date=9 February 1971 |work=The Press |volume=111 |issue=32526 |page=4 |access-date=26 October 2023 |via=PapersPast}}

In the 1974 New Year Honours, Trimmer was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to ballet.{{London Gazette |issue=46163 |date=1 January 1974 |page=37 |supp=2}} In 1982, he was awarded a Fulbright Cultural Grant.[http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-DruFulb-_div2-N16EFC.html NZETC] In 1991, he was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for services to entertainment and dance.

In the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours, Trimmer was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to ballet.[http://www.nzballet.org.nz/staff-jon-trimmer.html NZ Ballet Staff information] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001042006/http://www.nzballet.org.nz/staff-jon-trimmer.html |date=1 October 2006 }}{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-1999-including-niue |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 1999 (including Niue) |date=7 June 1999 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=5 July 2020}} In 2009, Trimmer was named Wellingtonian of the Year.{{cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/707439/John-Trimmer-Wellingtonian-of-the-Year |title=John Trimmer Wellingtonian of the Year |date=31 January 2009 |work=Stuff |access-date=26 October 2023}}

Trimmer met his wife, Jacqui Oswald, when they both joined the New Zealand Ballet Company as dancers on the same day in 1958, and they married in 1963.[http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Kids/FamousNewZealanders/Jon.asp Christchurch City Library]{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19780321.2.53 |title=Trimmer 'still has much to give' |date=21 March 1978 |work=The Press |page=6 |access-date=26 October 2023 |via=PapersPast}} In the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours, Jacqui Trimmer was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to ballet.{{London Gazette |issue=51367 |date=11 June 1988 |page=34 |supp=3}}

On 26 October 2023, Trimmer died of cancer at the age of 84.{{Cite web |date=26 October 2023 |title=Mainstay of New Zealand ballet Sir Jon Trimmer dies aged 84 |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/501027/mainstay-of-new-zealand-ballet-sir-jon-trimmer-dies-aged-84 |access-date=25 October 2023 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061001042006/http://www.nzballet.org.nz/staff-jon-trimmer.html Royal New Zealand Ballet]
• {{IMDb name|1395777}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Trimmer, Jon}}

Category:1939 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:People educated at the Royal Ballet School

Category:New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Category:New Zealand male ballet dancers

Category:People from Lower Hutt

Category:People educated at Wellington High School, New Zealand

Category:21st-century New Zealand dancers

Category:20th-century New Zealand dancers

Category:20th-century ballet dancers

Category:Deaths from cancer in New Zealand