Gary Avis

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Gary Avis is an English ballet dancer, who was a principal character artist and senior ballet master with The Royal Ballet, London, until his retirement in 2025.[1]

Early life

Avis was born in Ipswich.[2] He was first trained in musical theatre, and had performed in the Royal Variety Performance.[3] He did not start ballet until he was 12. He then studied musical theatre at Bird College in Kent. Avis later started training at The Royal Ballet School in London after a teacher from Bird College filled in the application form for him.[4]

Career

Avis joined The Royal Ballet in 1989, and became a soloist in 1995. In 1999, he co-founded K-ballet in Japan.[5] In 2002, he joined the English National Ballet as a First Soloist before returning to the Royal Ballet in 2004. He was made Principal Character Artist the following year.[6] In 2007, he was appointed Assistant Ballet Master, and was named Ballet Master in the 2009/10 season.[2] In 2019, Avis was made Senior Ballet Master.[7] He had portrayed character roles such as Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker, Von Rothbart in Swan Lake and Prince Gremin in Onegin. His role creations include Woolf Works, for which he danced with Alessandra Ferri.[8] His retirement from The Royal Ballet was announced in November 2025. [9]

Avis is a frequent partner of Darcey Bussell. In her final performance, which was broadcast live, Avis danced with Bussell and Carlos Acosta in Song of the Earth.[6] Avis later danced in Bussell and Katherine Jenkins's tour, Viva la Diva[10] and on Strictly Come Dancing, where Bussell was a judge.[4] In 2012, Avis performed at the London Olympics closing ceremony,[11] in a sequence titled 'Spirit of the Flame', choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and composed by David Arnold. Bussell flew to the stage on a flaming phoenix and when landing was met by Avis, Jonathan Cope, Edward Watson, Nehemiah Kish and over 200 ballet dancers, after which the Olympic Flame was extinguished.[12]

Avis won the National Dance Awards for Outstanding Male Performance (Classical) in 2011 and 2019.[13][14] He was made an MBE in 2018.[1] He also has an honorary doctorate from the University of Suffolk, and had worked with the Art and Culture Fund at Suffolk Community Foundation.[15][16]

Personal life

Avis is in a civil partnership with Tim Holder.[4] They live in rural Suffolk.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Gary Avis — People — Royal Opera House". www.roh.org.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Gary Avis". Royal Opera House. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."GARY AVIS MBE "In Conversation"". The London Ballet Circle. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lambert, Victoria (30 August 2019). "I know how hard being a boy who loves ballet can be". The Telegraph. London.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Gary Avis 2007". The Ballet Association. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Suffolk dancer stars in Darcey farewell". East Anglian Daily Times. 7 June 2007. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Black, Becky (12 July 2019). "The Royal Ballet announces promotions, leavers and joiners for the 2019/20 season". Royal Opera House.
  8. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Webber, Christine (11 May 2015). "Gary Avis: 'No one's ever lonely in a dance class'". The Telegraph. London.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Wild, Stephi. "Gary Avis Retires From The Royal Ballet". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Glamour gig for Gary". East Anglian Daily Times. 29 April 2008. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Gary Avis Official Website - Spirit of the Flame - Olympic Closing Ceremony 2012". www.garyavis.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Spirit of the flame". London 2012.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2011 UK National Dance Awards – Winners Announced". Dance Tabs. 23 January 2012.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The National Dance Awards 2019/20". Dancing Times. 20 February 2020.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Gibbon, Amy (12 October 2018). "Suffolk ballet star Gary Avis receives MBE at Buckingham Palace". East Anglian Daily Times. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Mortimer, Lynne (4 April 2019). "Ballet Star Gary Avis in conversation with Christine Webber". Ipswich Star. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.

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