| At what age did you start to dance, and why? |
I started at the Ballet
Rambert ballet class when I was 5 years old. I started because my
friends went and because my mother wanted me to burn excess
energy and improve my posture! However my interest in ballet really
started at 11 years at the Arts Educational School (stage school) in
London.
|
| When did you really want to become a ballerina? |
At the age of 13, while I
was at White Lodge, I made a conscious decision to become a
professional ballet dancer employed by one of the best ballet companies
in the world. The decision was made after a very hard first year at the
School, a year when I almost decided to give up dancing altogether.
|
| What are your
favourite ballets? |
I love all styles of
dance as long as I am challenged by the movement I am being asked to
perform. My favourite ballets are the dramatic ballets, in
particular Romeo and Juliet and Manon. My favourite one act ballets,
which emphasise the meaning behind the movement, are Song of the Earth
and Requiem. All four are Kenneth MacMillan ballets.
I also enjoy the sort of exciting roles that get an audience on the edge of their seats: Balanchine's Tchaikovsky pas de deux, Corsaire pas de deux, Don Quixote pas de deux, William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, and the Herman Scherman pas de deux.
My favourite classic ballets are, in order, Swan Lake, La Bayadere,
Sir Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.
Best of all, I like having a ballet created on me.
|
| Do you get nervous when you perform? |
I was quite nervous
before and during performances in the first 3 years. Now I only feel
increased anxiety about an hour before a performance, and this
disappears within 5 minutes of being on stage. I then try to enjoy
the show as much as possible.
|
| What injuries have you suffered, how have you coped with them, and what lessons can be learnt? |
My main injuries have
been tendonitis in my ankles, and a bone spur in my right ankle.
Injuries are never enjoyable to have, and I find it particularly
frustrating to miss performances and watch others perform my roles.
However, I find time spent injured can be a good learning
experience, both in learning to respect the limitations of my body, and
to improve my technical dance abilities. I also feel it is a
reminder that a dancer can always improve, even when not dancing.
|
| What do you eat? |
When working a lot, I
eat carbohydrates such as pasta and baked potatoes to keep
my energy level high. I always start the day with a healthy
breakfast of cereal and fruit - particularly apples and bananas -
because it helps me get through a full day of rehearsals. I enjoy
fish and chicken, but stay away from refined sugars.
|
| What hours do you
work? |
Class usually starts at
10.30am, 6 days a week. If there are stage rehearsals the Royal Ballet
often starts at 9.00am. I can spend up to 2 hours a day working on
the principal roles of the classical ballets - and these are very strenuous.
The rest of the day I can be working on one or two other ballets,
sometimes until 6.30pm. However, I conserve my energy on days I
am performing, doing one rehearsal at most.
|
| Are there times when you feel like giving up? |
Like most of us, I find
it hard to keep motivated when I am not busy or not being challenged
by my work. Getting up very early for body conditioning is hard after
I have performed the night before.
|
| Are there particular
people that you have enjoyed working with? |
Choreographers: I am always excited to work with new choreographers,
because they can find new facets of dance for me to explore and achieve.
The late Sir Kenneth MacMillan gave me the opportunity to dance some of
the best ballets at such a young age, and taught me so much.
I find William Forsythe gives clear insight on pushing me to the limits
and making a piece of dance exciting.
Partners: My first partners were the most memorable because
they taught me the most. These include: Jonathan Cope, Zoltan Solymosi,
Irek Mukhamedov, and Igor Zelensky. I prefer to have more than
one dance partner because each one has special qualities to offer in
different styles of dance.
|
| Do you enjoy working
at the Royal Opera House? |
I find it is a
wonderful experience to perform on a stage that inspires me. The new
ROH has all the facilities under one roof and will help the Royal Ballet
to achieve a quality of dance that is the best in the world. I
hope to see you there!
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