Background
Grey, Dame Beryl Elizabeth was born on June 11, 1927 in London. Son of Arthur Ernest and Annie Elizabeth (Marshall) Grey.
Grey, Dame Beryl Elizabeth was born on June 11, 1927 in London. Son of Arthur Ernest and Annie Elizabeth (Marshall) Grey.
Student, Dame Alice Owens Girl's School, London. Doctor of Music (honorary), Leicester University, 1971. Doctor of Letters (honorary), City of London.
Doctor of Education (honorary), Council for National Academic Awards London, 1989. Doctor of Education (honorary), Buckingham University, 1993. Doctor of Music (honorary), University London, 1996.
Debut Sadler’s Wells Company 1941. Prima Ballerina with Royal Ballet until 1957. Freelance international prima ballerina since 1957.
First full-length ballet Swan Lake on 15th birthday. Has appeared since in leading roles of classical and numerous modem ballets including Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Sylvia, Casse Noisette, Les Sylphides, Checkmate, Donald of the Burthens, Dante Sonata, Three Cornered Hat, Ballet Imperial, Lady and the Fool, Les Rendezvous. American, Continental, African, Far Eastern tours with Royal Ballet since 1945.
Guest artist European Opera Houses in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Romania, Germany, Italy, etc. Guest artist South and Central America, Middle East, Union of South Africa, Rhodesia, Australasia. First foreign guest artist ever to dance with the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia 1957-1958 (Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Tiflis) and first to dance with Peking Ballet and Shanghai Ballet 1964.
Director General of Arts Educational Trust, London 1966-1968. Artistic Director of London Festival Ballet 1968-1979. Produced and staged Giselle, Perth, Australia 1984, Sleeping Beauty, Royal Swedish Ballet, Stockholm 1985.
President Dance Council for Wales since 1982. Vice-President Royal Academy, of Dancing. Chairman Imperial Society Teachers of Dancing.
Trustee of Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund, Dance Teachers’ Benevolent Fund (Vice-Chairman since 1987), London City Ballet. Vice-President Federation Music Festivals, Keep-fit Society. Patron Dancers Resettlement Trust, Benesh Institute.
Fellow Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing since 1966. Honorary D.Mus. (Leicester), Honorary Doctor of Letters (City University), Honorary D.
Dancer (ballets) Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Sylvia, Checkmate, Ballet Imperial, Donald of the Burthens, Homage, Birthday Offering, The Lady and the Fool, (films) The Black Swan (3 dimensional ballet film), 1952, (ballets) Left Royal Ballet. Guest artist Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, European, African, American and Far Eastern Tours, London's Festival Ballet, London, 1958-1964. Dancer (ballets) Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Tiflis, 1957-1958, Chinese Ballet Company, Peking and Shanghai, 1964.Engagements and tours abroad, Central and S. America, Mexico, Rhodesia, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand. Dancer (television and broadcasts), England. Producer, director: Sleeping Beauty.Author: Red Curtain Up, 1958, The Bamboo Curtain, 1965. Editor: My Favorite Ballet Stories, 1981, Biographical studies (by Gordon Anthony), 1952, (by Pigeon Crowle), 1952, Beryl Grey Dancers of Today (Hugh Fisher), 1955, Beryl Grey. A biography (David Gillard), 1977.
Director General Arts Educational Trust, 1966—1968. Member of Friends of Sadlers Wells (patron 1991), Birmingham Royal Ballet (board directors 1995), Governors Royal Ballet (governor 1993, vice chairman 1995), British Federation Music Festivals (vice president 1987), Dance Teachers Benevolent Fund (trustee 1981, vice chairman 1984), Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund (trustee 1983, chairman since 1992), London College of Dance (vice chairman 1978-1990), Dance Council of Wales (president), Royal Academy of Dancing (vice president 1980), Council Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (trustee 1960-1991, chairman 1984-1991, president since 1991), Royal Thames Yacht (London).
Married Sven Gustav Svenson, July 15, 1950. 1 child Ingvar Neil.