Pamela May was born Doris May, in the city of
San Fernando,
Trinidad, on 30 May 1917. Her parents were British, but had moved to the Caribbean for the purposes of her father's work as an oil engineer. The family returned to London when May was four-years-old. May began studying ballet with Freda Grant. At the age of 16, she progressed to the
Sadler's Wells Ballet School, where she studied under the direction of
Ninette de Valois. A year later in 1934, she made her debut with the
Vic-Wells Ballet and was later contracted as a salaried member of the company. It was also around this time that she adopted the professional name Pamela May, after de Valois announced in rehearsal, that a role she was to perform could not be danced by someone named Doris. Her new name was printed in the programme for the ballet without her knowledge. May performed as a
principal dancer with the Royal Ballet until 1952. At that time she became a character dancer and continued performing with the company until she retired from the stage completely in 1982. After she retired as a principal dancer, de Valois invited May to become a teacher at the
Royal Ballet School, a position which she held from 1954 until 1977. ==Created roles==