Jeanne Biggs

Generations of youngsters have developed a lifelong passion for ballet thanks to Jeanne Biggs. Gloucester will thank her for passing along this gift when the dance teacher leads Saturday’s Christmas and Holiday Parade as its grand marshal. The parade is scheduled to step off from Main Street Center at 3 p.m.

Biggs has been teaching dance for Gloucester Parks, Recreation and Tourism for the past 30 years. Her love of dancing has been present since childhood when she attended dance lessons twice a week. She performed with the Richmond Civic Ballet, which Biggs described as “a fun group.” She began to teach ballet in 1954 after she moved to North Carolina. Then moving to Gloucester, Biggs began to teach ballet on her own before she taught for Gloucester PRT.

At 85, Biggs is still teaching ballet. In high school, she was interviewed by her school’s newspaper about her love of dance. And she told them t...