May We All Grow Up to Be This Fabulous 81-Year-Old Ballerina
Barbara Peters is a grandmother of eight. She’s also our new favorite dancer.
At 81, Peters, who lives in Halifax in the UK, is officially Britain’s oldest ballerina. While she’s been dancing since she was 2, and beloved by her students since she started teaching ballet in her early 20s, she just earned a MUCH larger fanbase—us included, obvi—after appearing on the BBC show “The Greatest Dancer.”
How amazing was her performance? So amazing that it inspired judge Matthew Morrison to join her onstage for a waltz afterward.
Unsurprisingly, she earned 75 percent of the audience’s vote, and is on to the next round of the competition.
In case you weren’t already in love with this incredible octogenarian, a bit more of her backstory: Peters achieved grade five in the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus by the time she was 12—a seriously impressive feat—and opened her own dance school in 1956, at age 24. All three of her children, and all eight of her grandchildren, have danced. In 2015, she decided to head back to the studio to complete the final three RAD levels. Earlier this month, she was awarded grade eight, the highest level—on the same day that her 11-year-old granddaughter achieved grade two.
In other words: This wonderful human is ALL. THE. GOALS. 🙌
