British choreographer Lindsay Kemp, mentor to David Bowie and Kate Bush, dies suddenly at 80

Groundbreaking British choreographer, mime artist and dancer Lindsay Kemp has died at 80, at his home in Italy.

Kemp – who once famously said, "For me dancing has always been a shortcut to happiness" - died suddenly, minutes after telling friends at a party he was not feeling well.

He was preparing for a tour and writing his memoir and was in an upbeat part of his life.

Born near Liverpool and intriguing neighbours as little boy dancing on the kitchen table in full make-up, Kemp met a 19-year-old David Bowie in 1966 after his show in Convent Garden.

"He came to my dressing room and he was like the archangel Gabriel standing there; I was like Mary," Kemp said. "It was love at first sight."

Bowie became his student and his lover, performing in Kemp's show, Pierrot in Turquoise and gaining the theatrical and mime inspiration for Ziggy Stardust.

In turn, Kemp staged and performed at Bowie’s Ziggy concerts at London's Rainbow Theatre in August 1972, and, with Jack Birkett, appears in the video for Bowie's single John, I'm Only Dancing, directed by Mick Rock.

Kate Bush, whom he taught to dance, said as a farewell, “To call him a mime artist is like calling Mozart a pianist.

“He was very brave, very funny and above all, astonishingly inspirational.

"There was no one quite like Lindsay. I was incredibly lucky to study with him, work with him and spend time with him.

"I loved him very much and will miss him dearly. Thank you, dear Lindsay."

Bush later wrote the song Moving on her debut album The Kick Inside, as a tribute to Kemp, slipping a copy of the record under his front door.

Kemp would later say he was stunned because he had not realised that Bush was a recording artist.

Kemp’ appeared in Bush’s short film The Line, The Cross & The Curve (1994).

Another movie he appeared in was Velvet Goldmine (1998), set in Britain’s glam-rock scene in the early ‘70s.

Bush also sang on Zaine Griff's song Flowers, which also is a tribute to Kemp.

Boy George called Kemp a “genius”, writing: “I met him when I was 17 and he was like a beautiful gay wizard buddha.”

Kemp’s spectacular and revolutionary touring production in Australia in the mid-'70s of French playwright Jean Genet’s Lady Of The Flowers went on to inspire Iva Davies to call his punk band Flowers, which of course later changed its name to Icehouse.

The Kemp shows in Sydney and Melbourne completely transformed Australia’s theatre scene.