Sir Robert Helpman was born in Mount Gambier in April 1909 and began his dance career in Sydney at the Pavlova Dance Company in 1926 and appeared professionally the following year. In 1933 Helpman joined the Vic Wells Ballet in London a company which was later to become the Royal Ballet where he was principal dancer from 1933 to 1950 and danced opposite Margot Fonteyn in the 1940�s.

Helpmann produced his own ballets - Comus in 1942, Hamlet in 1942, Miracle in the Gorbals in 1946 and Adam Zero in 1946. He took to acting Shakespeare at the Stratford Festival and at the Old Vic theatre company in London. He appeared in many films including The Tales Of Hoffmann.

From 1965-74 he co-directed the Australian Ballet and was sole director in 1975-76, ballets being performed including The Merry Widow, Sun Music and Elektra.

In 1965 he was named Australian of the Year and was knighted in 1968 and passed away in 1986.