Mary Goodhew was the Artistic Director of Elmhurst Ballet School in Edgbaston, Birmingham, until she left to become director of Legat Ballet in July 2008, taking up that post in September 2008.
As a child she studied ballet in Kent with Rita Emmerson, (a former pupil of Enrico Cecchetti the Ballet Master to Diaghilev's Ballets Russes) until she was sixteen. She was a Cecchetti Society Scholar and was awarded the Cyril Beaumont Scholarship to the Royal Ballet Upper School.
While still a student she danced with The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and on their overseas tours. After graduation she joined Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, (now Birmingham Royal Ballet).
She has studied ballet training methods in Russia, Europe, USA and Canada. She was invited to assess the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School for Canada Council and was an ISTD Cecchetti Examiner in Canada and the UK.
Past posts held include:
She contributes a series of articles on ballet instruction for the "Dancing Times", entitled "The Making of a Dancer", which are later reprinted on the Birmingham Royal Ballet website.