Pamela May

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(30 May 1917 – 6 June 2005) was a

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

-born

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

dancer and teacher of

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as en pointe, pointe work, turnout (ballet), turnout of the legs, ...

. Most noted as one of the earliest members of

The Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded ...

, she was regarded as a versatile dancer; dancing all the established 19th-century classical repertoire, and creating roles in new ballets by

Ninette de Valois Dame Ninette de Valois (born Edris Stannus; 6 June 1898 – 8 March 2001) was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director of classical ballet. Most notably, she danced professionally with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russ ...

and

Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositio ...

. After retiring from professional ballet, she became a teacher at the

Royal Ballet School The Royal Ballet School is a British school of classical ballet training founded in 1926 by the Anglo-Irish ballerina and choreographer Ninette de Valois. The school's aim is to train and educate outstanding classical ballet dancers, especially ...

, and also served as vice-president of the

Royal Academy of Dance The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is a UK-based examination board specialising in dance education and training, with an emphasis on classical ballet. The RAD was founded in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Teachers of Operatic Danci ...

Biography

Pamela May was born Doris May, in the city of

San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...

, on 30 May 1917. Her parents were British, but had moved to the Caribbean for the purposes of her father's work as an oil engineer. The family returned to London when May was four-years-old. May began studying ballet with Freda Grant. At the age of 16, she progressed to the

Sadler's Wells Ballet School The Royal Ballet School is a British school of classical ballet training founded in 1926 by the Anglo-Irish ballerina and choreographer Ninette de Valois. The school's aim is to train and educate outstanding classical ballet dancers, especially ...

, where she studied under the direction of

. A year later in 1934, she made her debut with the

Vic-Wells Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded ...

and was later contracted as a salaried member of the company. It was also around this time that she adopted the professional name Pamela May, after de Valois announced in rehearsal, that a role she was to perform could not be danced by someone named Doris. Her new name was printed in the programme for the ballet without her knowledge. May performed as a

principal dancer A principal dancer (often shortened to principal) is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company. A principal may be either gender. The position is similar to that of ''Soloist (ballet), solois ...

with the Royal Ballet until 1952. At that time she became a character dancer and continued performing with the company until she retired from the stage completely in 1982. After she retired as a principal dancer, de Valois invited May to become a teacher at the

, a position which she held from 1954 until 1977.

Created roles

* ''

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

'' - ''The Red Queen'' - Choreographed by:

Haskell, Arnold (ed) "Gala Performance" (Collins 1955) p211 * '' Les Patineurs'' - ''Girl in Red'' - Choreographed by:

* ''A Wedding Bouquet'' - ''Violet'' - Choreographed by: Frederick Ashton * ''Horoscope'' - ''The Moon'' - Choreographed by: Frederick Ashton * ''Dante Sonata'' - Untitled Role - Choreographed by: Frederick Ashton * ''The Wanderer'' - Untitled Pas de Deux - Choreographed by: Frederick Ashton * ''The Prospect Before Us'' - ''Mlle Théodore'' - Choreographed by: Ninette de Valois * ''Orpheus and Eurydice'' - ''Eurydice'' - Choreographed by: Ninette de Valois * ''Symphonic Variations'' - Untitled Role - Choreographed by: Frederick Ashton * ''

Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...

'' - ''Golden Age'' Pas de Deux - Choreographed by: Ninette de Valois * ''Bonne-Bouche'' - ''The Mother'' - Choreographed by:

John Cranko John Cyril Cranko (15 August 1927 – 26 June 1973) was a South African ballet dancer and choreographer with the Royal Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet. Life and career Early life Cranko was born to Herbert and Grace Cranko in Rustenburg in ...

Awards

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award is an honour presented annually by the Royal Academy of Dance, to people who have made a significant contribution to the ballet and dance industry. The award was instituted by Dame Adeline Genee in 1953, ...

- Awarded by the

, 1976 *

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

- Appointed by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

, 1977

Personal life

May married twice. Her first husband was Painton Cowan who she met at Cambridge. Painton was killed in action three weeks after their son was born. Her second marriage was to Charles Gordon, whom she met whilst visiting Cambridge on tour with the Royal Ballet. Charles died on 6 June 2005 in Birmingham and they had a daughter.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:May, Pamela British ballerinas Officers of the Order of the British Empire Dancers of The Royal Ballet 1917 births 2005 deaths Trinidad and Tobago emigrants to the United Kingdom