Walthamstow choreographer, Matthew Bourne, has been knighted at Buckingham Palace for his services to dance.
The theatre maestro, who studied at Sir George Monoux Grammar School, now Sir George Monoux Sixth Form College, between 1974 and 1978.
Sir Matthew has been the recipient of over 40 global awards and has been involved in major stage productions such as Oliver!, Mary Poppins and Swan Lake.
He was knighted a ceremony at Buckingham Palace today (Friday, May 20), after being named on the 2016 New Year’s Honours list.
In response to receiving his knighthood, Sir Matthew said: “This news has come as a great surprise to me, but I couldn’t be more thrilled and honoured to be recognised in this way.
“As Artistic Director of an independent contemporary dance company that started as a group of friends in the late eighties this comes as a very significant recognition of what that company has achieved in the last 28 years.”
Sir Matthew recently returned to Sir George Monoux Sixth Form College, for a special ceremony to mark the re-naming of the College’s theatre to ‘The Matthew Bourne Theatre’.
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