Sibley, Antoinette (1939-…), is a British ballet dancer. Known for her elegance and poise, Sibley became an overnight star in 1959 when she was unexpectedly cast as the main soloist in the Royal Ballet’s performance of Swan Lake. She was promoted to principal ballerina in 1960 and partnered the British dancer Anthony Dowell in many productions, such as Monotones (1965), Thais pas de deux (1971), and A Month in the Country (1976). The two became known as the “Golden Pair.”
Sibley was born on Feb. 27, 1939, in Bromley, Kent, England. She entered the Royal School of Ballet at the age of 10 and graduated into the corps de ballet of the Royal Ballet, London, in 1956. She was promoted to soloist in 1959. Choreographers (dance creators) designed many roles especially for her, including Titania in the British choreographer Frederick Ashton’s production The Dream in 1964. She appeared in the motion picture The Turning Point in 1978. Sibley became the president of the Royal Academy of Dancing in 1991. She became Dame Antoinette Sibley when awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996. Sibley was married to the British dancer Michael Somes from 1964 to 1973.
