Peggy Sager was born in Auckland in 1924. In 1941 she moved
to Sydney because there were no ballet companies in New Zealand.
She was principal dancer of the Kirsova Ballet in Sydney and the Metropolitan Ballet
in the UK. She was also Premiere Danseuse of
the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, Prima Ballerina of the Borovansky Ballet, and soloist in the film The Red Shoes. Her performances in Swan Lake were legendary.
She and her first husband, Paul Hammond, opened a ballet school in Melbourne in 1953. After retiring from
dancing, she ran a ballet school at Mt Eliza. Together with Kathleen Gorham, Peggy also ran an annual Summer School on the
Gold Coast. Employing some of Australia’s greatest dancers, Peggy continued running the Summer School alone after
Kathie’s untimely death. In its 13 years, 965 students attended.
She was on the Board of Directors of the Australian Ballet and a member of the Royal Academy of Dancing Advisory Committee
of Australia.
Peggy, her second husband, Ken Taylor, and their two children, moved to Coffs Harbour in 1988. She adjudicated
for eisteddfods and competitions throughout Northern NSW.
She was very active until
her health began deteriorating in 2000. She passed away on 27 July 2002.
