Mother, dancer, teacher, examiner, choreographer, director and writer.

For over five decades, Muriel made a lasting impact on generations of Albertans. Her love of dance and theatre expressed itself in all of her work: exacting, firm, pushing boundaries and always demanding the best.
From the age of three, Muriel's dancing career was interrupted only once - by the Second World War. Eventually graduating from the Royal Academy of Dancing in London, England, Muriel joined Ballet Montmartre as a soloist and toured England and Europe and started the City Ballet School in Portsmouth.

After moving to Canada and teaching dance in southern Alberta, Muriel established the Jolliffe Academy of Dancing in 1960, which served as the launching point of a remarkable career. Muriel created opportunities for her students to learn, grow and be exposed to a range of artistic expression. Several of her students went on to ballet schools and companies in Canada, the United States, Europe, South America and New Zealand. She brought English pantomime to Lethbridge that entertained audiences during the Christmas season, engaged high school and university students in summer musical theatre productions and shared her own students' talents with the entire community in the Jolliffe Academy's Annual Evening of Dance.

Muriel's passion for theatre helped establish Lethbridge Musical Theatre, where she choreographed twenty productions over the span of three decades. She was active in the Allied Arts Council, Lethbridge Playgoers, Coaldale Little Theatre, the Lethbridge Symphony's Southern Showcase, the Alberta and Lethbridge Folk Arts Council and the Lethbridge Figure Skating Club. In 1975, she choreographed the opening ceremonies of the Canada Winter Games as well as the official opening of the new Grandstand at the Lethbridge Exhibition in 1978. She directed and choreographed Children for UNICEF: A Musical Celebration in 1981 at the Sportsplex which included Sir Peter Ustinov, choreographed several Miss Lethbridge Pageants and the Canadian Designer Fashion Show in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

For decades, home for Muriel meant the Capital Theatre, the Yates Centre and her ballet studio at the Bowman Arts Centre.

Her relentless pursuit of her work took her outside of Lethbridge in guest teaching roles in London, Montreal, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Seattle, Spokane, Oklahoma City, the Canadian Conference on Dance, the Calgary Dance Workshop and the Alberta Ballet School. She also choreographed three ballets at the Universidad Nacional Mayor De San Marcos in Lima, Peru.
Muriel's influence extended beyond her role as teacher when she was named an examiner with the Royal Academy of Dancing, examining children across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain. She also helped found the Alberta Dance Festival and Dance Gala Danse Canada.
Muriel is a Life Member of the Royal Academy of Dancing; Life Member of the Alberta Professional Dance Teachers Association; Life Member of Lethbridge Musical Theatre; was named a Beta Sigma Phi ""Woman of the Year""; was a member of the National Board of Dance in Canada, Dance Masters of America, the Canadian Federation of Musical Festivals, Society of Russian Style Ballet Schools, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance; and a recipient of the Alberta Achievement Award in recognition of outstanding service in dance.

Her contributions to the community were also felt as a Member of the Senate of the University of Lethbridge, President of the Friends of the Lethbridge Public Library, member of the Lethbridge and District Branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society and a volunteer at the Galt Museum archives.

For those who know Muriel, it is fair to say she is a sheer force of nature. She was resolute in her ways and inspired people to reach for excellence.

Born in London, England in 1931 and raised in Portsmouth, Muriel passed away at the age of 78 in Lethbridge on November 28, 2009. She was the loving wife of the late Ray Jolliffe and is survived by her two children Carol (Miles) Godlonton and Michael (Kelly Legris) Jolliffe, her sister Wendy Carson and her two grandchildren Amanda (David) Hyde and Ryan Godlonton.

Friends and family are welcome to attend a celebration of Muriel's life at 2:00PM on Monday, December 7, 2009 at the GALT MUSEUM 502 - 1 St., S., Lethbridge.

In lieu of flowers, please join Muriel's family in honouring her legacy by launching a scholarship fund at the Banff Centre in support of dance. Donations can be sent to The Banff Centre, Development Office, Muriel Jolliffe Scholarship Fund, Box 1020 Station 4, Banff, Alberta, T1L 1H5 or by calling 1-888-495-4467 ext. 2.