Wayne Sleep

Wayne was born in Plymouth but when he was about 7 his family moved to Hartlepool where he went to the Muriel Carr School of Dancing which was situated above a cycle shop. As a boy he wanted to be a song and dance man like Gene Kelly and entered the children's section of a song and dance competition at the Middlesborough Tournament singing '5' 2" Eyes of Blue' winning the cup for the highest marks in the children's section. However on the dance side the adjudicator told him he must learn ballet as he tapped with his feet turned out like a ballet dancer which is why he learned ballet. He won a scholarship which gave him two free lessons a week at the Royal Academy of Dance in Newcastle Upon Tyne but by the time his train fares were paid they weren't exactly free.