The British Ballet Organisation Annual Dinner 2009

We (Paul & Michael) from Consider This were lucky enough to be invited to this years dinner again and had a ball, good food, good wine and good company!

This year's guest of honour was Dame Beryl Grey DBE, who alongside the usual suspects John Travis (BBO Director), Mike Dixon and many, many more made the night a great success.

Below are a couple of paragraphs about Dame Beryl taken from the Menu we designed for the evening, and some fab photo's taken by Elaine Mayson of the night... Enjoy, we did!

Dame Beryl Grey DBE

Born in Highgate, Beryl Grey began dance classes whilst attending Sherbourne Preparatory School. At the age of 8 she was being taught ballet by Phyllis Bedells. Her talent was recognised by Ursula Moreton and Ninette de Valois, when she was 9, and was offered a scholarship.

In 1941, Beryl Grey was taken into the Sadlers' Wells Ballet Company. She danced Swan lake as Odette/Odile on her 15th birthday, Giselle at 16, and The Sleeping Beauty aged 19. She danced many classical and modern roles including Les Sylphides, Checkmate, The Three-Cornered Hat and Les Rendezvous. From 1957 to the mid-60's, Beryl Grey was an international Guest Ballerina across Europe, South America, Australasia, the Far East, USA and Canada.

Beryl was the first western guest artist to dance with the Bolshoi Ballet (1957-58), and to appear with the Peking Ballet and Shanghai Company with a Chinese partner (1964).

After two years as the Director of the Arts Educational Schools and Teacher Training College, Beryl Grey became the Artistic Director of London Festival Ballet from 1968 until 1979. She was a Governor of London College of Dance in 1966, subsequently Vice-Chairman in 1984 until her retirement in 1993. Affiliated with: Royal Academy of Dance (Vice-President), ISTD Life President, British Federation of Music Festivals, Vice-Chairman of the Governors of the Royal Ballets and Royal Ballet School until 2002, Dance Teachers' Benevolent Fund until 2004, currently Chair of the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund since 1983, Director of the Royal Opera House until 2003. She holds numerous honorary doctorates and was awarded the CBE for her services to dance in 1973 and created a Dame of the British Empire in 1988. In September 1997 she was presented with the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Award, which is given by the Royal Academy of Dance to individuals in recognition of their great contribution to the world of ballet. In 2004 she received the Dance Critics' Award for service to dance and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the ISTD in 2004.