Prudence Hyman (1914-1995). British Dancer and actress

Prudence Hyman was born in London but trained as a dancer in Paris under Lubov Egorova and Olga Preobrajenska. She worked and danced intermittently with Marie Rambert and her company from 1927 until 1935, and was a key member of the London ballet scene during those years. She appeared as Maria in Antony Tudor’s first ballet, Cross-Gartered, and Eve in his Adam and Eve. Among many other contemporary works, she was in Andrée Howard’s Death and the Maiden, and in Frederick Ashton’s dances for Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen. She also danced several classical roles.

From 1934 to 1935, Hyman danced with Colonel de Basil’s Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (under the stage name of Paulina Strogavo), and from 1935 to 1937 was a member of the Markova-Dolin company. During World War Two, Hyman danced both with the Arts Theatre Ballet (from 1939 to 1941) and, until 1944, with The Ballet Guild. Thereafter she worked mainly in the commercial theatre, shows, pantomimes and straight plays, and latterly in films, including Hammer Horror. She died in 1995.