The founder of the School of Russian Ballet in Bermuda also brought her own civic ballet organisation to the island.

Family members and dance colleagues reflected on the contributions of Patricia Deane-Gray, recognised through numerous awards as well as her appointment as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1984.

Ms Deane-Gray taught Sophia Cannonier, a local dance instructor, from a young age, taking her to train in Boston when Ms Cannonier was just 8.

Ms Cannonier was selected to demonstrate the Russian style of dance to Ana Roje, who had taught Ms Deane-Gray the style, along with Nikolas Legat.

Ms Deane-Gray and Ms Roje went on to start Bermuda Civic Ballet, along with the Bermuda School of Russian Ballet.

Ms Cannonier said: “Madame Gray encouraged me to train hard and to leave Bermuda to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City in 1987. Eventually, I made it into the company in 1991.

“Ms Gray played a pivotal role in my training and the training of my children when I retuned to Bermuda in 1998 and opened my Pilates and ballet studios.

“She was pivotal in our lives and so many others’ as well.

“You knew you weren’t doing true ballet unless you were doing it at School of Russian Ballet. If you were at the School of Russian Ballet, you were serious about it.

“She brought a passion and she knew she needed to pass on a legacy before she passed away, which she has done.”

Ms Cannonier started a new show last July called Dancing Under the Stars which she dedicated to Ms Deane-Gray, who was in attendance.

Ms Cannonier also launched the Dancing Under the Stars Foundation in her memory, which will assist aspiring dancers to receive world-class training.

Ms Deane-Gray was born in 1935 to George and Mabel Sherwood and lived in an apartment block built by her family that is still standing on East Broadway.

She recalled dancing as early as 18 months old, when she performed for her mother’s friends.

By the age of 4 she was on stage giving a performance at the Colonial Opera House on Victoria Street.

She danced at events organised by the Bermuda Art Association, founded by Christine Diel, and at every opportunity — including We Were Dancing at Kindley Field, the Water Show at Langton pool, productions of Shakespeare at the Botanical Gardens, Jerry Wilmott’s Christmas Show and at the annual fêtes presented by the Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association.

In 1950, she travelled to London and studied with Master Nikolas Legat’s wife, Nadine Nikolaeva Legat, as well as with Valentin Provitch, Ms Roje and Oskar Harmos, at the Legat School of Ballet.

She danced with the Legat Ballet Company for the 1951-52 season in England and continental Europe.

Later in life, she wrote The Legacy of Legat: A Tribute to Nicolas Legat.

She enrolled at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she studied ballet with Cleo Nordi, as well as opera and theatre.

Her meeting with Ms Roje, who became her mentor and teacher, led to an invitation to what was then Yugoslavia in Central Europe to study at the International Ballet School.

She became a soloist with the Yugoslav National Theatre in the city of Split and in 1954, represented Yugoslavia at a performance at the United Nations.

She also danced at Ballet Russe in New York before returning to London to gain a teaching degree from the Federation of Russian Ballet.

During her years away from Bermuda, Ms Deane-Gray returned often and passed on her knowledge in dance classes.

In 1955, she married Donald Gray, and founded the School of Russian Ballet in the same year.

Katina Woodley and Coral Patterson also taught there, and eventually took over the school.

Once Ms Deane-Gray returned to Bermuda, she teamed up with Ray Tanva and performed in hotels including Castle Harbour, the Bermudiana, Belmont and the Inverurie.

She had two children, Tandy, a daughter, and a son, Robin.

After her son’s birth, she created and ran a nursery school, teaching ballet in the evening.

Her husband also spent a year building a house in Jennings Land, Smith’s, which meant she was the sole earner for the family.

She taught dance in the island’s schools and was a leading member of the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society’s Ballet Committee, established in 1961.

Bermuda Civic Ballet was initiated by Ms Deane-Gray in 1972.

Over the course of her career, Ms Deane-Gray served as president of the American Society of Russian Ballet and as a representative of the Russian Ballet London organisation.

She lectured on, and demonstrated, the Legat teaching system internationally.

She was honoured by the Ministry of Education for her contributions to education and entertainment on the island.

In an interview with The Royal Gazette last year, her advice to young performers was always to take whatever art they do seriously.

“You have to really work at it,” she added.

Patricia Deane-Gray, a dance teacher and dancer school founder, was born on January 2, 1935. She died on November 24, 2025 aged 90