Revered ballet dancer Frederic Franklin has passed away at the age of 98.

The Brit died from complications from pneumonia on Saturday (04May13) in a Manhattan, New York hospital.

First appearing on stage in 1931, Franklin, who was born in Liverpool, England, worked with a whole host of internationally renowned ballerinas, including Alicia Markova, Irina Baronova and Moira Shearer.

He toured the U.S. in the 1950s and later made America his home. He went on to co-found the Slavenska-Franklin Ballet and was co-founder and artistic director of the National Ballet of Washington.

He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Cbe) in 2004 and appeared in supporting roles in ballets up until his early nineties.