President and former artistic director of English National Ballet Dame Beryl Grey has died at the age of 95.

The company confirmed the death of Dame Beryl, who dedicated her life to the art form from her stage debut at 15 to being made a dame in 2005.

Sir Roger Carr, chairman of English National Ballet, said: “On behalf of the company and board of trustees, I would like to share our great sadness at this news and record our thanks to Dame Beryl for her unique contribution to English National Ballet.

“Her kindness, expertise and commitment have left a lasting legacy for both this company and the wider art form.”

Dame Beryl, who was born in 1927, made her stage debut at the age of 15 as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake having joined Sadler’s Wells Ballet, now The Royal Ballet, in 1941, before taking on a host of major roles in her career before becoming the group’s president in 2005.

She became the first British dancer to guest with the Bolshoi Ballet, Kirov Ballet from 1957 to 1958 and Peking Ballet in 1964.

In 1957, she made her first appearance as guest artist with London Festival Ballet – as English National Ballet was then known – and among the works she performed with the company was Reverie, in a solo role especially created for her.

From 1968 to 1979, she held the role of London Festival Ballet’s artistic director, and during her tenure she introduced new works to the repertoire including asking Rudolf Nureyev to create Romeo And Juliet in 1977, which was last performed in 2017 on its 40th anniversary.

In 1988, she was awarded a DBE, becoming Dame Beryl Grey, having already been honoured with a CBE in 1973.

Tamara Rojo, English National Ballet’s artistic director from 2012 to 2022, said: “Dame Beryl was a great source of support for me, particularly in my early years as artistic director.

“Her knowledge of the company and first-hand understanding, as both dancer and artistic leader, was invaluable. She was a beautiful artist and I will be ever grateful for the generosity she showed me.”

An ENB spokeswoman said: “Swan Lake was a ballet especially close to her heart. We will be dedicating our upcoming performances of Derek Deane’s Swan Lake at the London Coliseum to Dame Beryl, in recognition of all she did to enrich the company.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with Dame Beryl’s family at this time.”

Alongside her role as ENB’s president, Dame Beryl was also life president of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, president of the British Ballet Organisation, vice-president of the Royal Academy of Dance, Music Therapy Charity and British and International Federation of Festivals.

She was chairman of the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund, patron of the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards, and held five honorary degrees.

When English National Ballet moved into its new purpose-built home, the Mulryan Centre for Dance, a studio was named in Dame Beryl’s honour.