Darcey Bussell
Dame Darcey Andrea Bussell DBE (born Marnie Mercedes Darcey Pemberton Crittle; 27 April 1969) is a retired English ballerina.
Darcey Bussell | |
|---|---|
 Bussell at a curtain call after a performance of Theme and Variations, 2007 | |
| Born | Marnie Mercedes Darcey Pemberton Crittle 27 April 1969 London, England |
| Occupations | Ballet dancer (active until 2007) Strictly Come Dancing judge (2011–2018) |
| Spouse | Angus Forbes (m. 1997) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | John Crittle Andrea Williams |
Early life and education change
Darcy Bussell was born in London to Australian businessman John Crittle and his English wife Andrea Williams.
The couple divorced when Bussell was three years old. Her mother remarried and Bussell was adopted by her mother's new husband, Australian dentist Philip Bussell. The family spent some time in Australia where Bussell attended school before they returned to London for Bussell to be educated at Fox Primary School in Kensington.
Works change
She was a judge on the BBC One celebrity dancing show Strictly Come Dancing from 2011 to 2018.
Educated at the Art Educational School and the Royal Ballet School, Bussell began her professional career with the Royal Ballet, Sadler's Wells, but only a year later moved to the Royal Ballet. This is where she became a prima ballerina in 1989 at the age of 20. She is widely known as one of the great British ballerinas.
Bussell has remained with the Royal Ballet throughout her career, over two decades. She has also performed as a guest artist with many leading companies including the NYCB, La Scala Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Hamburg Ballet and Australian Ballet. She retired from ballet in 2007.
Bussell also has a parallel career in television, books and modeling, and supports many UK and international charities and dance institutions.