Phyllis Bedells, by Bassano Ltd, whole-plate glass negative, 7 July 1916. Given by Bassano & Vandyk Studios, 1974 Photographs Collection NPG x19331
Phyllis Bedells (1893-1985) was a British dancer and teacher, and founder of the Royal Academy of Dance. She rose to ballerina level using her own English name at a time when Russian names were prized. Bedells learnt from an impressive range of teachers representing a depth of knowledge and experience that would be hard to match today: Malvina Cavalazzi, Enrico Cecchetti, Anna Pavlova, Adeline Genée, Nicholas Legat and Adolph Bolm. She made her London debut at the age of 13 in Alice in Wonderland at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
You May Also Like...
After Diaghilev: British ballet in the early twentieth century
The ballet writer Gerald Dowler is joined in a special episode of Voices of British Ballet by...
View
John Tooley
If ever a job needed diplomacy it must be as General Director of the Royal Opera House, a post John...
View
Rowena Fayre
Born in 1921 Rowena Fayre combined a career in ballet with a very different sort of life. After...
View