Born Mari Scott Henderson in Kensington, London, Bicknell began her career studying with Vera Trefilova in Paris, and later with Tamara Karsavina.
In 1936, after her marriage to the architect Peter Bicknell, she began teaching ballet in Cambridge to young dancers aged from 10 to 20 years old.
In 1952 Mari Bicknell presented a programme of three ballets there: Dream Street, Elsie Piddock and The Happy Prince.
In 1977 the company took part in the Three Choirs Festival by appearing at the Swan Theatre, Worcester, presenting a Homage to Britten programme.
[1] Several original scores were commissioned specially for ballets created and performed by the company, including from the composers Joseph Horovitz (Les Rats, 1955; Through the Looking Glass, 1968), Peter Tranchell (Spring Legend, 1957), Geoffrey Wright (Love of Seven Dolls, 1960; The Canterville Ghost, 1979), Roger Vignoles – who also was a pianist for several productions (Six Characters in Search of a Choreographer, 1965), Hugh MacDonald (The Wedding, 1966) and Madeleine Dring (The Real Princess, 1971).