Wayne Sleep was born in Plymouth, but his family relocated to Hartlepool when he was around seven years old. He began taking dance lessons at the Muriel Carr School of Dancing, which was situated above a cycle shop. As a young boy, Wayne was inspired by Gene Kelly and dreamed of becoming a song-and-dance man. He entered a local song-and-dance competition and won the cup for the highest marks in the children's section, singing "5' 2" Eyes of Blue".
However, the adjudicator noted that Wayne's dance technique was more suited to ballet, and he was told to learn ballet to improve his skills. Wayne won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dance in Newcastle Upon Tyne, but the scholarship came with a catch - his family had to pay for his train fares, which reduced the value of the scholarship.
Despite these challenges, Wayne persevered and continued to pursue his passion for dance. He attended West Hartlepool Tech and won a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School by default, as he missed the height test. Wayne graduated in 1966 with a performance of "Blue Boy" on "Les Patineurs" and became a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in 1973.
Throughout his career, Wayne has performed in over 50 roles, including some created for him by Frederick Ashton and Rudolph Nureyev. He has also diversified his acting career, appearing on stage and television, and in films. Wayne has choreographed ballets, appeared in pantomime, and won numerous awards, including a Golden Rose Award for his "Dizzy Feet" television show.
Wayne has also been involved in various charity work, including devising and directing productions and charity galas. He has topped the bill in over 16 pantomimes and has worked with his own company of dancers and musicians on several projects, including a three-month, 10-city tour with "Dash".
As an actor, Wayne has appeared in various productions, including "The Tempest", "The Servant of Two Masters", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and the films "The First Great Train Robbery" and "The Tales of Beatrix Potter". He has also written two books, "Variations on Wayne Sleep" and "Precious Little Sleep", and has set up a charity, "The Wayne Sleep Dance Scholarship", to help aspiring dancers with their tuition.
