Famous British Ballet Dancers

Margot Fonteyn was an English ballerina who spent her entire dancing career at the Royal Ballet. She was eventually appointed prima ballerina assoluta of the Royal Ballet by Queen Elizabeth II. Margot Fonteyn achieved international fame after a tour of the US in 1949. She also helped popularize ballet in the US by appearing on TV before and after WWII.

Darcey Bussell is an English former ballerina best known for her appearances as a judge on the popular television show, Strictly Come Dancing. She is also known for her association with the Royal Ballet, where she was a principal dancer. Darcey Bussell is considered one of the best British ballerinas of all time and is the recipient of numerous awards.  

Frederick Ashton was a British choreographer and ballet dancer. He is best remembered for his work as a choreographer and director in opera, film, and revue. He achieved popularity as the chief choreographer at the Royal Ballet, where he worked alongside Ninette de Valois. Frederick Ashton succeeded de Valois as the company's director, serving until his retirement in 1970.

Ninette de Valois was an Irish-born British dancer, choreographer, teacher, and director of classical ballet. She is best remembered for founding The Royal Ballet, which went on to become a world renowned classical ballet company. Counted among the most influential personalities in the history of ballet, Ninette de Valois is also credited with establishing the Royal Ballet School.

Alicia Markova was a British ballet dancer, director, choreographer, and teacher of classical ballet. Best remembered for her association with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, Markova was widely regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest classical ballet dancers. Alicia Markova is also credited with co-founding the English National Ballet.

Kenneth MacMillan was a British choreographer and ballet dancer. He is best remembered for his association with the Royal Ballet, where he was the artistic director between 1970 and 1977. He also served as the company's principal choreographer from 1977 to 1992. Kenneth MacMillan was posthumously honored with the Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award.

Lindsay Kemp was a British dancer, choreographer, mime artist, actor, and teacher. He is remembered for playing the lead role of Divine in a mime and music show titled Flowers, which was based on Jean Genet's popular novel Our Lady of the Flowers. The show was considered a sensory and theatrical sensation. Kemp is also credited with mentoring David Bowie.

Sonoya Mizuno is an English actress, ballet dancer, and model. She started her professional career as a model, working for world-renowned brands, such as Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. Thanks to her skills as a ballet dancer, which she learnt at the Royal Ballet School, Mizuno landed roles in dance films like High Strung, which kick-started her film career.

Christopher Wheeldon is an English choreographer of contemporary ballet. Over the course of his illustrious career, Wheeldon has worked with popular ballet companies, including the Royal Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet. He is also credited with founding a ballet company named Morphoses. Christopher Wheeldon is the recipient of several awards, including a Tony Award and Laurence Olivier Award. 

Sir Anton Dolin was an English ballet choreographer and dancer. He is best remembered for his association with the Royal Ballet, where he served as the principal during the 1930s. Along with Alicia Markova, Sir Anton Dolin is credited with founding the London Festival Ballet and the Markova-Dolin Ballet. Dolin was featured in the documentary, A Portrait of Giselle.

Christopher Gable was an English actor, ballet dancer, and choreographer. He is best remembered for playing important roles in several film and television productions directed by Ken Russell. Christopher Gable is credited with transforming the Northern Ballet Theatre into a company of national renown. Gable is also credited with founding the Central School of Ballet.  

Best known for her pioneering contribution to contemporary ballet, Polish-born dancer Marie Rambert was the founder of one of England’s oldest ballet groups, the Rambert Dance Company. Apart from being a fine ballerina, she was also a great ballet teacher and was awarded with the Order of the British Empire.

Antony Tudor was an English ballet dancer, teacher, and choreographer. He is remembered for founding the London Ballet as well as the Philadelphia Ballet Guild. Tudor is also remembered for his association with the Royal Swedish Ballet, where he served as the artistic director from 1963 to 1964. He also taught ballet at institutions like the University of California, Irvine.

Anthony Dowell is a British former ballet dancer best known for his association with the Royal Ballet, where he served as the artistic director. A respected performer, Dowell is often counted among the 20th century's greatest danseurs nobles. Anthony Dowell is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Dance Magazine Award.

Svetlana Beriosova was a Lithuanian-British ballerina who spent more than 20 years with the prestigious Royal Ballet. A prima ballerina at the Royal Ballet, Svetlana Beriosova achieved immense popularity for playing classical roles, such as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake.

Monica Mason is a South African-born British former ballet dancer and teacher. She is best known for her association with The Royal Ballet, where she served as the artistic director. Monica Mason spent more than five decades with the company, establishing herself as a versatile performer, capable administrator, and skilled rehearsal director.

Michael Somes was an English ballet dancer best remembered for his successful partnership with Margot Fonteyn. He is also remembered for his association with the Royal Ballet, where he was a principal dancer. Michael Somes has also appeared on popular TV shows, such as The Ed Sullivan Show. 

Deborah Bull, Baroness Bull is an English dancer, broadcaster, and writer. She is best known for her association with the Royal Opera House, where she was a former creative director. As a writer, Deborah Bull has contributed to popular publications like The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, and New Statesman.

Adeline Genée was a Danish-British ballerina who served as prima ballerina at the Empire Theatre of Varieties, where she performed for ten years. She achieved international fame when she started performing in the USA. Adeline Genée also performed in places like New Zealand and Australia.

Wendy Toye was a British dancer, actress, and theatre and film director. Apart from contributing as an actress and dancer, Toye also worked for numerous charity organizations. In 1977, Wendy Toye was honored with the prestigious Silver Jubilee Medal.

Frederic Franklin was a British-American ballet dancer, director, and choreographer. Over the course of his illustrious career, Franklin made immense contributions to several popular ballet companies, such as The Royal Ballet, Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo, and the Markova-Dolin Ballet. Frederic Franklin also received prestigious awards like the Laurence Olivier Award, the Capezio Dance Award, and the Dance Magazine Award.

Peggy van Praagh was a British ballerina, teacher, choreographer, repetiteur, director, producer, and advocate of dance. She is best remembered for her contribution as the founding artistic director of The Australian Ballet. Peggy van Praagh was inducted into the Australian Dance Award Hall of Fame and the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2000 and 2001, respectively.

Georgina Parkinson was an English ballerina and ballet mistress. She is remembered for her association with The Royal Ballet, where she served as the principal dancer. In 1978, Parkinson was invited to the American Ballet Theatre to serve as a ballet mistress for a year. In 1980, Georgina Parkinson assumed the role permanently and remained with the company until 2009.

John Weaver was an English dancer, choreographer, producer, and dancing master. He is widely regarded as the father of English pantomime and of English ballet. John Weaver realized his dream of wanting dance to enjoy the status of an art when he created The Loves of Mars and Venus, which is considered the first modern ballet, in 1717.

Donald MacLeary is a British retired ballet dancer best known for his association with the Royal Ballet, where he was a ballet master and principal dancer. Donald MacLeary made important contributions to the Royal Ballet during his 48-year tenure with the company.

Belinda Wright was an English ballet dancer best remembered for performing romantic and classical roles. She started dancing at a young age and came into prominence when she began winning awards like the Dancing Times Cup and the Anna Pavlova Cup. Belinda Wright went on to perform for popular companies like the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet.

Norman Morrice was a British dancer and choreographer. He is best remembered for his service as the artistic director of both the Royal Ballet and Ballet Rambert, two of the most popular ballet companies in the UK. In 1974, Norman Morrice was honored with the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award by the Royal Academy of Dance.

Stanley Holden was a British-American ballet choreographer and dancer. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Widow Simone in the 1960 production of Frederick Ashton's La fille mal gardée at the Royal Ballet. He also performed numerous other character roles for the company from 1944 to 1969. After retiring, Stanley Holden moved to California to perform and teach.

Rina Lipa is a British model and dancer. She is known as the sister of singer-songwriter Dua Lipa. Rina Lipa came into prominence in 2021, when she made her modeling debut at the GCDS Fall 2021 collection, which was part of the famous Milan Fashion Week. Prior to making her modeling debut, Lipa acted in commercials and took ballet lessons.

David Richard Wall was a British ballet dancer best remembered for his association with The Royal Ballet, where he became the youngest principal dancer when he was promoted to the role at the age of 21. David Richard Wall remained as the company's youngest male principal until 2010 when Sergei Polunin became the principal dancer at the age of 20.