Ravenna Tucker Wagnon

As a dancer, Malaysian-born Ravenna Tucker, began dance training in Hong Kong then at the Royal Ballet Upper School in London. In 1978 she won the Adeline Genée Gold Medal Competition, and in 1979, the French Foundation Prize at the Prix de Lausanne. She joined The Royal Ballet in 1979, and was named “Dancer of the Year” by Dance and Dancers magazine in 1984. On promotion to principal dancer in 1985 she danced the title roles in the Royal Ballet versions of the classics. In 1990, she joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet until 1996. Tucker has also performed with Singapore Dance Theatre, International Dance Day 2001 in Manila, Rose Borromeo Dance Company (Flamenco), Ecnad Project Ltd., Project Dance London (2011), the inaugural Mississippi Dance Festival (2012), in several Belhaven Community Dance Concerts, and with the Belhaven University Dance Ensemble in Erin Scheiwe Rockwell’s Threads of Resemblance (2010) and Liz Lerman’s Still Crossing (2018).

Wagnon taught full-time at LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts in Singapore for nine years, and has guest taught for Singapore Dance Theatre, Debra Colker Dance Company, the Mississippi Dance Festival, the Alabama Dance Festival, American College Dance Association 2013 and 2016, competitor classes of the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson in 2010 and 2014, and for The Cecchetti Council of America Summer School 2019.

Wagnon has served as Secretary for the Dance Association (Singapore)/World Dance Alliance Asia-Pacific Dance Bridge 2001 conference, Artistic Committee of Singapore Dance Theatre, and as Artistic Director of Singapore Dance Legacy: The Unsung Heroes – Tony Llacer in 2004. She has examined for the Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal and judged various ballet competitions in Britain, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. She was a member of the selection committee in 2010 and an evaluator in 2014 and 2018 for the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.

Wagnon is a certified teacher for the Royal Academy of Dance, the Commonwealth Society of Teachers’ of Dancing (Australia), Body Arts and Science International (BASI) Pilates, and holds a Masters of Creative Industries from Queensland University of Technology in Australia. She is currently a Professor of Dance at Belhaven University and is married to Stan Wagnon.