Britain's oldest ballerina passes Grade eight exam aged 81

Britain’s oldest ballerina has pirouetted her way into the record books, after passing the Royal Academy of Dance’s most advanced exam, aged 81.

Barbara Peters, from West Yorkshire, received the Grade eight award with a pass rate of 73 per cent, 79 years after she started dancing at just two-years-old.

The school has run exams since 1924 and it is thought Ms Peters is the oldest person to take any of its tests in Britain.

Barbara’s daughter Claire and founder of babyballet, said: "We are all so immensely proud of her and would like to congratulate her for this incredible achievement. What a true inspiration she is to all our babyballet stars and to all ballet dancers across the world."

Not long after the grandmother-of-eight was awarded her Grade seven last year, she knew she had to “knuckle down” to get her Grade eight. So she stuck to her usual weekly lessons until six weeks before her exam, when she took on a regime of two hours of ballet a day.

Ms Peters said: “Dancing is a great exercise to keep your strength. I can still do all the powerful dance moves, the leaps, pirouettes and cartwheels but I can’t do them like an 18-year-old can. I haven’t done the splits for the past ten years.

“My fitness is due to how much I have danced throughout my life. Dancing keeps me young and has given me a bit of credibility in my own right.”

Mrs Peters began dancing as soon as she could walk at the age of two, took her first dance exam at nine and has devoted her life to ballet ever since.

She gained a place at the Royal Academy of Dance in 1956 to study to be a teacher of ballet and classical dancing, but unable to afford the fees, she worked as a bus conductor to earn money to fund the course.

After graduating from the school in 1959, Ms Peters honed her teaching skills working at The Hammond School in Chester before moving to Turin, Italy, to help familiarise the teachers with the Royal Academy’s Children’s Syllabus.

She also became an examiner for the Royal Academy, and at 25, was the youngest person at the time to qualify. It was in 1965, that she took the big step of founding her own dancing school back in her home town of Huddersfield.

Her passion for ballet has meant that her three children and eight grandchildren have also enjoyed dance. So much so, that in 2005, Ms Peters and her daughter launched the UK’s leading pre-school dance brand babyballet.

At first, she didn't share the same confidence in babyballet as her daughter, but it wasn't long before she soon realised the strength of it.

She said: "We got together and with Claire's strength and my strength we were able to compile a lovely syllabus for little children to enjoy themselves and have a good time. It went from strength to strength and the rest is history.

"If I were to be asked what the benefits of babyballet are, I would say that it inspires children in movement towards a very happy and fit life. I watch friend's children and my grandchildren and realise that all the fun I had all those years ago is still there. And if they get all the pleasure that I’ve had over my many years of dancing, then that’s a job well done."

She added: “I love being a part of babyballet so that I can pass on my knowledge and passion for dance to the younger generation."

The inspirational octogenarian has no plans to retire and continues to teach ballet to both children and adults. She is even considering teaching two new initiatives, Silver Swans – that teaches ballet to the over 55s, and Discovering Repertoire – which is for adults who wish to learn classical ballet moves.

“I’ve no plans to hang up my dancing shoes just yet,” she revealed. “Dancing is my life and I don’t want to be without it.”