Gary Avis MBE was announced as a new patron in September 2018, working alongside Christopher Biggins, Baroness Tessa Blackstone, Lara Pulver, Liz Robertson, Gavin Lee, John Reid, Cavin Cornwall and Dougie Squires OBE MVO, adding to the breadth of ambassadors for the College.

Principal and Chief Executive, Shirley Coen and Deputy Principal and Artistic Director, Luis De Abreu said ‘Doreen Bird the Founder of the College would be as proud and delighted as we both are that Gary has joined the college as our new patron. He is an outstanding graduate of the college with an extraordinarily successful career. He has achieved many things in the world of dance, and the quality of his work evidences the standards to which the college continually strives. His knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to the continual development of the college and he is an inspiration to our students, alumni and staff. We are so very proud he has joined us.’

Gary Avis said ‘I am thrilled and extremely honoured to be asked to be Patron of an establishment that means a great deal to me. Had I not had the incredible training and tuition from the brilliantly talented teachers I experienced during my two years at Bird College, I would not be the artist I am today. I hope to be able to pass on my knowledge and understanding of the dance world and help nurture the talent of tomorrow. It is with great pride and an enormous privilege to be part of the bright and vibrant future of Bird College.’

After training at Bird College, Gary Avis MBE trained at the Royal Ballet Upper School. Gary is Senior Ballet Master and a Principal Character Artist of The Royal Ballet. He joined the Company in 1989 and was promoted to Soloist in 1995 and to Principal Character Artist in 2005. He was made Assistant Ballet Master in 2007, Ballet Master during the 2009/10 season and Senior Ballet Master in 2019. His many roles with the Company include almost all the male Principal Character roles, including Drosselmeyer (The Nutcracker), Von Rothbart (Swan Lake) and Step-Sister (Cinderella). He has created many roles for The Royal Ballet. He trained at the Linda Shipton School of Dance and at Bird College, Kent, before joining The Royal Ballet Upper School and graduating into the Company. He left the Company in 1999 to co-found K-Ballet Company in Japan, and danced with English National Ballet for two years before returning to The Royal Ballet in 2004. He has enjoyed a long dance partnership with Darcey Bussell, creating a role with her in Christopher Wheeldon‘s DGV: Danse à grande vitesse and partnered her in her Farewell Performance from the Royal Ballet, at the Royal Opera House in June 2007 dancing the role of Man, to her Woman, in Song of the Earth. Also partnering her in Viva la Diva Arena Tour on Strictly Come Dancing and at the London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony. In 2011 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by University Campus Suffolk and was awarded the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Male Performance (Classical). He supports a wide variety of charitable causes, mainly in his home county of Suffolk (Suffolk Community Foundation) and was involved in the creation of World Hunger Day. He is a patron of the Choreographic Development Fund at Dance East, Chelsea Ballet and is on the board of Dance East.