Edward Espinosa (1871, 1950) was one of the founders and the chief examiner of the Association of Opera Dance, now known as the Royal Academy of Dance, as well as the founder of the British Ballet Organization. He was born in Moscow to the well-known Leon Espinosa and Mathilde Oberst. From a young age, Edward studied the French and Russian schools of classical dance.

In addition to performing, Edward Espinosa collaborated with his father, Leon Espinosa, in choreographing for music halls, pantomimes, and performances throughout the UK and beyond. He was a master in teaching and analyzing dance steps, which led him to the position of ballet master at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, as well as at the Empire, Alhambra, and theaters in Paris, Berlin, and New York. Espinosa systematized the steps taught to him by his father, and this code became the foundation for the first international structured program of its kind.

In 1909, the arrival of the Ballets Russes in London sparked discussions about technical standards and the training of British dancers, as well as the future of English ballet. Edward encouraged his students to attend performances by Russian artists and welcomed their influence on public tastes. However, he disapproved of British dancers using foreign names and criticized the effeminacy of Russian men. Unlike the Russians, who promoted ballet as a refined art, Edward remained committed to dance as part of the overall theatrical art.