Congratulations Julie Felix MBE
Looe resident Julie Felix has been appointed MBE after a prestigious career as a dancer, lecturer, coach and author. Julie was Britain’s first black professional ballerina and became a star in the US after being excluded from a ballet company in London in the 1970s.
As a mixed race dancer – with a black father from St Lucia and a white British mother – Julie had to overcome racism and discrimination to succeed in dance. As a ballet student, she was selected to dance in Rudolf Nureyev’s production of Sleeping Beauty in 1975 with the London Festival Ballet. But she was not given a permanent contract, she was told, because of the colour of her skin.
After being offered a contract with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Julie moved to New York where she found success, travelled the world and performed for the likes of the singer Prince, Pavarotti and Ronald Reagan. Julie returned to the UK when she gave up performing professionally in the mid 1980’s and became a teacher and remedial coach for Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet.
Now based in Looe, Julie continues to teach dance and is an honorary fellow at Falmouth University. Julie is well-known in the local community and we’re sure that others will want to join us in recognising her achievements and sending congratulations on her MBE award.
