My grandfather was a performer, his stage name was Fred W Egan

and his slogan was:

E-gan sing

E-gan dance

E-gan patter

E-gan do almost anything

E-gan!



Unfortunately he died before I was born, but I always felt dancing was in my blood. My mother also loved to dance and one day she took me to the local dance school which eventually led me to join the Bush Davies School in Romford at the age of 12 which changed my future. Looking back I can say they were some of the happiest days of my life.

My Story... 

Marjorie Davies, Daphne Peterson and Joyce Pearcey were my teachers in 1949. This school really taught me style, 'epaulement' and presentation and more importantly the joy of dance!  It was an inspiring atmosphere, so much so we would even dance during our lunch break. At the beginning of a new term I would always be the first one waiting at the door with my suitcase,  totally focused and passionate to learn even more about dancing. In 1954 I was fortunate enough to be awarded the 'Adeline Genee Gold Medal' - one of the highest honors one can achieve even today.​

Marjorie Davies was determined to see me on the stage as a ballerina and organised an audition with Sadler's Wells School where I was accepted. Within months a member of the touring company was taken ill and I was sent to Sheffield to replace her where Sir Kenneth MacMillan and Sir Peter Wright were still performing at the time. Little did I know that I would perform many of their works later in my career, which I loved.



From that tour I was accepted by the main company at the Opera House Covent Garden. The first time I appeared on the stage was as one of the Night Hours in Coppelia Act 3.  I can still recall the thrill of that experience. I soon became a soloist which was a dream come true. In the early 60's I wanted to dance even more. I asked Madame (Ninette de Valois)  if I could join the touring company and she agreed! I became their ballerina and danced all the major classical roles, also returning to Covent Garden from time to time...



As a young ballerina I was asked by Sir Robert Helpmann to dance 'Swanilda' to his Dr.Coppelius and he also asked me to dance the debutante with him in 'The Tango' from 'Facade'. Following these great performances he asked me to dance the 'Dying Swan', which was a great honour.

​The premier of Rudolf Nureyev's production of Raymonda at the Spoleto Festival in 1964 was to have featured Dame Margot Fonteyn. However, at the open dress rehearsal Nureyev came to my dressing room to say that Margot's husband had narrowly survived an assassination attempt and that she would have to leave for London immediately. I was to go on in her place as 'Raymonda'.

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We both went on stage for the open dress rehearsal infront of a packed house. The next day, after the premier, Sir Noel Coward and many of the other artists appearing in the Festival came to congratulate me.  The newspapers described me as 'The Miracle of Spoleto' and to my surprise the Pope invited me to meet with him in Rome ! These memories live on for me today because they were such exciting times, allowing me no time to be nervous. I danced in Nureyev's production of 'The Nutcracker' at Covent Garden with my regular partner David Wall and with Rudolf again in 'Raymonda' for the Australian Ballet.