Edouard Espinosa

Espinosa was born in London in 1872 to Spanish Jewish parents Léon Espinosa and Mathilda Oberst. He had two brothers (Marius and Leo) and three sisters (Judith, Ray, and Lea), all of whom became dancers and teachers. In 1874, the Espinosas moved to London, then to Paris in 1888. and had two children Edward Kelland-Espinosa and Yvette Espinosa. == Career ==

Before dance After Espinosa's father's injury stopped him from dancing, the Espinosa children became the family's financial support. Beginning at age twelve, Edouard picked up odd jobs "selling embroidery supplies, toys and Bohemian crystal, before becoming a sales representative for dental wares. Being briefly apprenticed to a local dentist, he even managed to botch his one and only tooth extraction ... before belatedly beginning his ballet training at the age of eighteen." Although Espinosa had background in ballroom dancing, he was not a great ballet dancer. According to his father, "He [had] terrible feet, but wonderful knees." During this time, he danced numerous shows, including Chu Chin Chow (1916), The Maid of the Mountains (1917), and The Last Waltz (1922). In addition to performing, Espinosa worked with his father, Léon Espinosa, producing and choreographing for music hall, pantomime and plays throughout Britain and abroad. He was particularly adept at teaching and analysing steps. Dance teacher While Espinosa was a great dancer, his greatest influence on ballet was as a teacher. Three months after the founding of RAD, the school held the first ballet examinations. During this time, Espinosa wrote The Elementary Technique of Operatic Dancing, originally called the Syllabus of Elementary Technique, which was published in 1928. British Ballet Organization In 1929, Espinosa broke away from the RAD and established the British Ballet Organization (BBO) with his wife a year later. By the time Espinosa left the Association of Operative Dancing, many of his students had become prominent teachers in various parts of the British Isles, and they formed the BBO's nucleus. Over the years, the organization expanded, offering a syllabus and examinations in dance. It extended its influence to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and India, as well as all over the British Isles. Espinosa taught many who would go on to have successful careers, including Dame Ninette de Valois, who in turn taught Celia Franca, the founder of the National Ballet of Canada. After his death, his son, Eduard Kelly Espinosa, and daughter, Ivette, took over control of the BBO. == The Espinosa Family Home ==

Woolborough House in London (39 Lonsdale Road) was the Espinosa family home from 1913. On the formation of the British Ballet Organization (BBO), it became the organization's headquarters. In 1932, a studio was built alongside the house which has continued to host classes and BBO examinations and provides rehearsal space for many leading dance companies and professional artists. In 2015, the BBO moved to Battersea Reach. Many famous students studied with Espinosa at Woolborough House, including Phyllis Bedells and Ninette de Valois. == Bibliography ==