Patrons
Suzanne Gielgud MA AISTD DDE
Founder and Patron
Suzanne Gielgud trained at the Bush Davies School and the Royal Ballet Upper School after which she enjoyed a career as a professional ballet dancer with the Wiener Ballet Theatre, the Vienna Festival and Ballet Sopiane – National Ballet of Pecs in Hungary.
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In 1997, along with choreographer Piers Gielgud, she founded Re.Animator Management – which soon became the leading agency for professional dancers in the UK. The agency specialised in providing professional dancers and musical theatre artists for West End musicals and tours as well as Film and TV. The agency closed in 2013.
In 2003 Suzanne established Gielgud Films (films.gielgud.com) which specialises in films which focus on dance and the arts. Suzanne is an award-winning Film Director, Editor and Producer of feature documentary films and has several feature biopics and dramas in development. Suzanne holds an MA in a film through Staffordshire University and Raindance, London.
In 2011 Suzanne created the Gielgud Academy of Performing Arts, and the school was officially launched by its patrons, the ballet and musical theatre legends Dame Beryl Grey, Dame Gillian Lynne, David Wall OBE and Alfreda Thorogood in July 2011.
Suzanne is a qualified ballet teacher and holds the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) Diploma for Dance Education (DDE).
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In 2025 Suzanne stood down as Principal of the Gielgud Academy and handed the reins to Michelle, who rebranded the academy as Walkhouse Gielgud Academy of Performing Arts. Suzanne actively supports the continued growth of the academy.
Karen Hollebon is a Burgess Hill dance institution. Alumna of Drusilla Duffill's Dance School, in 2001 she started teaching for Drusilla, prior to starting her own Karen Hollebon School of Dance in 2008, building it from scratch to a fully fledged and successful dance school in Burgess Hill.
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In 2018 Karen, after more than 30 years of experience teaching dance, passed the baton to Michelle, who rebranded the school as the Walkhouse School of Dance.
Karen continues to support the school she formed.
Karen Hollebon
Founder and Patron
Past Patrons
Dame Beryl Grey DBE (1927 – 2022)
Dame Beryl Grey DBE DMus DLitt Ded FRSA was a legendary retired British Ballerina. She was the president of the ISTD, Vice President of the RAD, a Director of the Royal Opera House and Birmingham Royal Ballet and in 1997 was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award by the Royal Academy of Dance for her services to Ballet. Beryl was awarded a CBE in 1973, a Damehood in 1998 and was made a Companion of Honour in 2017. She was the only Ballerina to be awarded this honour, alongside the founder of the Royal Ballet, Dame Ninette de Valois, and its most renowned choreographer, Sir Frederick Ashton.
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Beryl Grey joined the Sadler’s Wells School and at age 14 Dame Ninette de Valois took her into the Vic Wells Company (later to become the Royal Ballet). She danced Odette/Odile in Swan Lake at age 15 and made her debut in the lead role of Giselle age 17. During the 1940s and 50s she was one of the Royal Ballet’s leading ballerinas, alongside Margot Fonteyn, and in 1957 she had the honour of being the first British ballerina ever to appear as guest ballerina with the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet in Russia. During the 1960s she was an international guest ballerina across Europe, South America, the Far East, USA and Canada.
Dame Beryl was director general of the Arts Educational School, a Governor of the Adeline Genee Theatre and a great supporter to the Bush Davies School in Sussex. She was both a Governor and Artistic Director of London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) from 1968-79.
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The Gielgud Academy was deeply honoured to have Dame Beryl as its patron. Her ever present and continued support was valued by pupils, parents and faculty alike and the school will always remember her kindness. Each year since her passing, the Dame Beryl Grey Cup for Artistry is presented to a pupil in her honour.
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Photograph of Dame Beryl at Buckingham Palace on the event of her investiture as Companion of Honour in 2017
Dame Gillian Lynne DBE (1926-2018)
Gillian Lynne was a renowned star of the British Ballet and Theatre world. In 1997 she was awarded a CBE, in 2001 she was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award by the Royal Academy of Dance for her significant contribution to the dance industry and in the 2014 New News Honours list she became a Dame!
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Lynne learnt to dance with her childhood friend (Dame) Beryl Grey and joined the Sadler’s Wells Ballet (later to become the Royal Ballet) during World War 2. After leaving the ballet she became a star of the West End in such roles as Claudine in Can Can and on film, starring opposite Errol Flynn.
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Her most well known achievements however are in Choreography and Directing. She has worked on many productions for the Royal Opera House, Royal Shakespeare Company, English National Opera and many West End and Broadway shows. She is most renowned for her choreography on Andrew Lloyd Webbers musicals – namely Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Aspects of Love and for her acclaimed choreography on the West End musical of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for producer Michael Rose.
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GAPA was thrilled when Dame Gillian launched the Gielgud Academy with her dear friend Dame Beryl Grey at the official launch of the school in July 2011. GAPA valued her patronage greatly, and she is sorely missed, but each year since her passing, the Dame Gillian Lynne Cup for an Outstanding Dancer is presented to a pupil in her honour.
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Photograph of Gillian Lynne at her investiture at Buckingham Palace, 2014.
David Wall CBE (1946 – 2013)
David Wall was a renowned male ballet dancer, the youngest ever to be promoted to a Royal Ballet Principal dancer at the age of 20. He trained at the Royal Ballet School, where he met his future wife the ballerina Alfreda Thorogood and they both enjoyed their careers together in the The Royal Ballet Company. David was known for many roles including Crown Prince Rudolf in Mayerling and the Prince in Swan Lake. He partnered Dame Margot Fonteyn, and in 1977, he won the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. David retired from The Royal Ballet in 1984 and was appointed a CBE. In 1985 he joined the Royal Academy of Dance as Director and General Secretary until 1991. He joined English National Ballet as Ballet Master in 1995.
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Gielgud Academy was thrilled that David launched the school in 2011 with Dame Beryl Grey, Gillian Lynne and Alfreda Thorogood, and at his support at our annual shows until his untimely passing. GAPA awards a David Wall Boys Ballet Scholarship every year to a promising young male pupil in his honour.
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Photo of David Wall with his wife Alfreda Thorogood.
