Grey - Beryl 01

A Autograph Signed Letter by Dame Beryl Elizabeth Grey is a retired English ballerina. She began dance classes at the age of 4 while attending Sherbourne Preparatory School, and by age 8 was being taught ballet by Phyllis Bedells. By the age of nine she had become the star pupil of her school, had been presented a silver medal by Tamara Karsavina and had passed all the examination of the Royal Academy of Dancing it was possible for her to take. Her talent was recognised by Ursula Moreton and Ninette de Valois who offered her a scholarship for four years at the age of 10 with the option of joining their dance company for a further four years. She began to attend the Sadler's Wells School in 1937.

In August 1941, Beryl Grey was taken into the company at the age of fourteen and joined them during a provincial tour, at Burnley. Her first appearance with the company was in the corps de ballet of Le Lac des Cygnes. She progressed through the company at a steady rate, particularly as during the war years it was difficult to maintain a company at full strength. Her first solo role was as one of the Blue Skaters in Les Patineurs. Her first lead role was as the Serving Maid in The Gods Go A-Begging "with a charm and style remarkable for a child of fourteen and a half". On her fifteenth birthday, Ninette de Valois gave her an inscribed copy of Gordon Anthony's book on Margot Fonteyn and the opportunity of dancing Odette-Odile in the full-length Le Lac des Cygnes.