Wayne Sleep appears on GB News
4 years ago
United Kingdom Wayne Sleep is a renowned British dancer, director, choreographer, and actor, celebrated for his extensive contributions to ballet and theatre.
Wayne Sleep delivered a creative artist talk at the Royal Ballet School, sharing insights into his career as a dancer, choreographer, and actor.
Ballet dancer and performer Wayne Sleep is one of the Patrons of Dance Proms, a collaboration between major dance organizations.
Wayne Sleep OBE collaborated with Jo De Souza for a special visit and event at the De Souza Dance Centre.
Wayne Sleep OBE headlined an event at the Blackpool Grand, showcasing his dance expertise and discussing his career, including creating the role of Mr Mistoffelees and touring with his company Dash.
Sleep worked with the British Shakespeare Company on three occasions, taking roles such as Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and Feste in 'Twelfth Night'.
Wayne Sleep is an ambassador for Prostate Cancer UK, supporting their initiatives.
Wayne Sleep serves as an ambassador for the Royal Voluntary Service.
Wayne Sleep actively supports the Terrence Higgins Trust and other charities.
Wayne Sleep was born on July 17, 1948, in Plymouth, Devon, England. Early in his childhood, his family relocated to Hartlepool, where he began his dance education at the Muriel Carr School of Dancing. Initially aspiring to be a song-and-dance man inspired by Gene Kelly, he was advised to pursue ballet, leading him to win a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dance in Newcastle Upon Tyne. At the age of 12, while attending West Hartlepool Tech, he secured a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School, joining by default after missing a height test. He graduated in 1966, performing ‘Blue Boy’ in ‘Les Patineurs’.
Sleep became a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in 1973, performing in over 50 roles, some specifically created for him by choreographers such as Frederick Ashton and Rudolph Nureyev. Despite his diminutive stature, which led some directors to hesitate in casting him in traditional lead roles, he excelled, establishing a world record in 1973 by performing an ‘entrechat-douze’ (a jump with 12 foot beats) on the British television program ‘Record Breakers’. His career diversified into acting, stage, television, and film, alongside choreographing ballets and appearing in pantomimes. He received a Golden Rose Award for his television show ‘Dizzy Feet’ and toured extensively with his own company, DASH.
Throughout his career, Sleep has been acknowledged for his artistry and contributions to dance. He has topped the bill in numerous pantomimes and devised and directed many productions and charity galas. His choreographic works include ‘David and Goliath’, ‘Savoy Suite’, and ‘The Hot Shoe Show’. He also arranged the dance sequence for the film ‘Death on the Nile’. As an actor, he appeared in films like ‘The First Great Train Robbery’ and ‘The Tales of Beatrix Potter’. He holds two entries in the Guinness Book of Records, was named Show Business Personality of the Year in 1984, and has been the subject of ‘This is Your Life’ and ‘The South Bank Show’. He has received honorary degrees from the Universities of Exeter and Teeside and serves as patron for several dance institutions.
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