Wayne Sleep won a Leverhulme Scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in 1961 and joined the Royal Ballet Company in 1966. Later he became a Principal Dancer and had numerous roles created for him by – amongst others – Ashton, MacMillan, de Valois, Layton, Nureyev, and Neumeier. He was a Guest Artist with several ballet companies, including English National, London City, Scottish, Capab, and London Contemporary Dance.
Acting: Puck (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Ariel (The Tempest), Feste, Tony Lumpkin (She Stoops to Conquer), Truffaldino (Servant of Two Masters), Soldier (in A Soldiers Tale), Mr Mistofeles (Cats), Child Catcher (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Emcee (Cabaret), Oblio (The Point), Adjutant (Into Thin Air) and Song and Dance – all in the West End.
Choreography: Hot Shoe Show (BBC TV), Carousel, Salad Days, Savoy Suite (English National Ballet), Roll Over Jehovah, Aspects of Dance, World of Classical Ballet, History of Dance, David and Goliath (London Contemporary Dance Theatre), Winding Road (London City Ballet), Hollywood and Broadway, and for the National Youth Ballet Wonderland (Scenes from Alice), Cinderella, and Toad.
He directed, choreographed and appeared in his own review of dance, DASH, culminating in a world tour. Last Christmas he was the lead in the pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Theatre Royal, Windsor.
Appointed OBE in 1998 and received honorary degrees from the Universities of Exeter and Teeside, he is a Patron of the British Ballet Organization and a Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Dance and has two entries in the Guinness Book of Records. His publications include Variations on Wayne Sleep and his autobiography Precious Little Sleep and he has now set up a charity – the Wayne Sleep Foundation – to help aspiring youngsters, and continues to pass on his knowledge at his dance workshops throughout the world.
IMPORTANT DATES
| 1948 | Born in Plymouth, Devon |
| 1955 | First ballet lesson |
| 1962 | Joined Royal Ballet School, White Lodge |
| Leverhulme Scholarship, Royal Ballet School | |
| 1966 | Graduation performance |
| Joined Royal Ballet, Covent Garden | |
| 1967 | First USA tour, Royal Ballet Company |
| 1968 | First film acting part, The Virgin Soldiers |
| First created role, Jazz Calendar | |
| 1972 | First stage acting part, The Tempest |
| 1973 | First entry, 'Guinness Book of Records' – Entrechat Douze |
| 1976 | First charity gala, A Good Night's Sleep |
| Royal Variety Show | |
| 1978 | First pantomine, Aladdin |
| 1980 | Dinner and audition, Andrew Lloyd-Webber |
| First dance show, Dash Consort | |
| 1981 | Cats |
| First time meeting HRH, Diana Princess of Wales | |
| This is Your Life, TV Show | |
| 1982 | First UK tour of Dash |
| Song & Dance | |
| 1983 | Published 'Variations on Wayne Sleep' |
| 1984 | Cabaret |
| 1985 | Danced with Diana at ROH Christmas Show |
| First foreign tour, Dash | |
| 1989 | Received D.Litt, Exeter University |
| 1991 | Taught first Dance Workshop |
| 1996 | Published autobiography 'Precious Little Sleep' |
| 1997 | Received Hon (MA), Teeside University |
| 1998 | 50th birthday charity gala, 50 winks at Wayne Sleep |
| Received OBE | |
| Set Up Wayne Sleep Dance Scholarship, Registered Charity | |
| 2005 | Became Vice-President, Royal Academy of Dance |