orig. Edris Stannus
born June 6, 1898, Blessington, Co. Wicklow, Ire.
died March 8, 2001, London, Eng.
Irish-born British dancer, choreographer, and founder of the precursor to the Royal Ballet .
She appeared in revues and pantomimes from 1914 before joining the Ballets Russes as a soloist in 1923. She founded the Academy of Choreographic Art in 1926 to teach movement to actors and cofounded the Camargo Society in 1930. In 1931 she founded and directed the Vic-Wells Ballet; this became the Sadler's Wells Ballet (1946–56) and later the Royal Ballet (1956), which she directed until 1963. She choreographed many ballets in the 1930s and '40s and remained active with the company until 1971.