Mary Skeaping (1902–1984). British dancer, teacher, scholar, director, choreographer and producer

Mary Skeaping was born in Woodford, Essex, in 1902. She had an unusual childhood and a vast and varied career. She and her siblings were taught at home, although she eventually attended a convent school. Her brother, the sculptor John Skeaping, commented later in life that this upbringing gave them freedom to learn. The Skeaping children all started dancing at a local class, but soon Mary and her sister were in London taking classes with the renowned Francesca Zanfretta. Mary went on to study, both at home and abroad, with Laurent Novikoff, Margaret Craske, Lubov Egorova, Vera Trefilova and Rudolf Laban. She attended the Royal College of Music and fully intended to return there after dancing a season with Anna Pavlova’s company. However, she continued to dance with various companies and appeared in various London shows.

Skeaping was in South Africa at the start of World War Two, but soon returned to Britain join forces with Anna Ivanova and her company to tour the length and breadth of the country to entertain the troops. From 1948 to 1951, Skeaping was ballet mistress for Sadler’s Wells Ballet and in 1951 was involved in the full-length live television transmission of The Sleeping Beauty. After another two years touring many parts of the world, Skeaping undertook a ten-year tenure as artistic director of the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm. This was a fruitful time for all, and much of her work there was filmed for Swedish television. Skeaping detailed research led to acclaimed productions worldwide, not least her recreation of Giselle for London Festival Ballet in 1971, a production that is still going strong half a century later. Mary Skeaping received an MBE in 1958 and she died in London in 1984.