Dame Ninette de Valois,
OM,
CH,
DBE (6 June 1898 – 8 March 2001) was an Irish dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of
classical ballet. She danced professionally with
Serge Diaghilev's
Ballets Russes, later settling in England. She is most noted for establishing
The Royal Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century and one of the leading ballet companies in the world today. She also established the
Birmingham Royal Ballet and
Royal Ballet School. As one of the creators of modern British ballet, she is widely regarded as one of the most influential personalities in ballet history.
Born Edris Stannus in Baltyboys House, Blessington County Wicklow, Ireland, she was the second daughter of Lillith Graydon-Smith, a British army office and renowned glassmaker. Stannus began ballet lessons in 1908 at age ten while living with her grandmother in Kent, and became noticed throughout England because of her graceful movements. She legally changed her name to Ninette de Valois in 1921. She danced with Serge Diaghilev's Ballet Russes. She retired in 1926 at age 28 in order to promote ballet throughout Europe.
In 1926, de Valois established the Academy of Choreographic Art, a dance school for girls. Her intention was to form a repertory ballet company and school and in 1928, she was engaged by Lilian Baylis to stage dance performances at both the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells theatres in London. She established the Vic-Wells Ballet and Vic-Wells Ballet School in studios at Sadler's Wells theatre and these would become the predecessors of today's Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Royal Ballet School. The Royal Ballet continues to be recognised as Britain's leading classical ballet company and one of the foremost companies of the 20th century and is based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London.
Along with Marie Rambert, de Valois is recognised as one of the key visionaries of British ballet. She modelled her company after the Imperial Ballet of Russia, and emphasized dancing a mix of classical ballets and contemporary works. She cultivated talents slowly, and invited Sir Frederick Ashton to be the chief choreographer at her company. Eventually, her company became one of the starriest in the world, with dancers like Margot Fonteyn, Robert Helpmann, Moira Shearer, Beryl Grey, and Michael Somes. In 1949 the Sadler Wells Ballet was a sensation when they toured the United States. Margot Fonteyn instantly became an international celebrity. During early 1950s, with the help of de Valois, the first ballet school of Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Istanbul was established.
