FORMER pupils of a Barry and Cardiff dance teacher, Fay Vaughan Williams have paid tribute to her after she passed away peacefully at Danesbrook House Residential Home in Cardiff on 1st April at the age of 89.
For over 74 years Fay ran two successful Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet schools, one at the Memorial Hall in Barry and then moving to other locations in Barry, Wenvoe, and also locations across Cardiff.
During that time, Fay helped to train pupils from Cardiff and the Vale who went on to obtain places at the UK’s top vocational dance and ballet schools and then went on to dance professionally all around the world. She also inspired a number of her students to train as RAD teachers who have since set up established schools.
Fay grew up in Ely, Cardiff, and was a talented dancer from a child. She recounted to one of her pupils, Sara Cocker, that the late Dame Ninette de Valois founder of The Royal Ballet, spotted her after The War and wanted her to come to London to train with the company – only to be prevented from doing so by Fay’s strict father.
Her career as a dance teacher was steered by her mother Doris Williams, who played the piano in classes. Fay was also supported by her late husband, Sidney Brown who took over the music side of things when Doris passed away. Fay also had a brother, Jim (now deceased) who played the violin and the family lived with a menagerie of pets including several dogs and Siamese cats.
Fay attained the highest accolades with the Royal Academy of Dance – one of the world’s most influential dance education and training organisations, with its syllabus being taught in over 80 countries. Founded in 1920, the RAD’s current president is Dame Darcey Bussell DBE. Fay was a member of the RAD for 74 years.
One of Fay’s early pupils was Wendy Summerell, who joined Fay’s school in Barry at the age of eight. Wendy trained to be a teacher with Fay and for over 50 years has run a successful RAD ballet school in the town, The Wendy Summerell School of Dance.
Wendy said: “Most people only associate Fay with teaching ballet but in her early days, she was also a phenomenal tap dancing teacher as well. She was very much a perfectionist in whatever she did, with a strong emphasis on teaching correct technique.”
Wendy’s daughter Anne-Marie was also taught by Fay and was one of only a handful of ballet students from Barry to obtain a place at the prestigious Royal Ballet School. Anne-Marie went on to dance across Europe in dance companies and in musical theatre – most notably dancing the role of the White Cat in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s touring production of Cats.
In her later years and sadly as dementia set in, Fay was looked after by her former pupils who regularly visited her in her care home, such was their love and admiration for her.
Anita Hodgkinson from Barry who won a place at the former Bush Davies School in London through Fay’s guidance and then danced professionally before running her own musical theatre school in the town for 21 years said: “I have so much respect and love for this lady – and what a beautiful lady she was. She was my inspiration to take up ballet and lots of other types and styles of dance, drama and singing.”
Sara Cocker, another of Fay’s pupils, now runs the Koblenz School of Dancing in Germany with her husband Paul. She began ballet lessons at the age of five in Cardiff and Barry with Fay and subsequently received a scholarship to the renowned London Rambert School of Ballet. There she was discovered and engaged by Anthony Taylor, the then ballet master of the Koblenz Theatre where she danced for 15 years. Since retiring as a dancer, Sara has also trained as a RAD teacher.
Sara said of Fay: “The basics that she taught me in ballet were second to none and I hope that in some small way I can continue to pass on her legacy to many more.”
Finally, Elizabeth Chronik from Barry started lessons with her at the age of 10 and was inspired by her to undertake the RAD Teaching Diploma at the age of 16. She was accepted as a graduate in 1977.
In the 1980s Elizabeth moved to Canada with her husband and established a RAD School in Alberta. She had always been close to Fay and stayed in contact.
Elizabeth said: “Examiners always comment about the extremely high level of technique, musicality and performance that my students display and I always say that is mainly due to the training I received from Fay Vaughan Williams. This has helped me to inspire the next generation of dancers and RAD teachers.
“As her former pupils, we were the children that Fay never had and we loved her dearly. She will always have a place in our hearts.”
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Pidgeons Funeral Directors and will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit: here for further details or Telephone: 029 2022 6604.
Angela Baker
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