Sunday 1 November 2009

Hikaru Kobayashi interviewed for "Cupcakes & conversation with .."



Cupcakes & Conversation with Hikaru Kobayashi, First Soloist, The Royal Ballet



What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning ?
A nice big breakfast!

What are you looking forward to dancing this season ?
Of course it has to be Aurora (from The Sleeping Beauty)!

Who would you most like to dance with ?
My husband (Royal Ballet Principal dancer Federico Bonelli)!

How do you prepare your pointe shoes ?
I make sure that the platforms of my pointe shoes are flat, and I sew around to keep the shape of the platform.

What is your daily routine at the moment ?
I wake up at 8am, around 9:45 floor barre to warm up , 10:30 class, 12:00 to 18:30 rehearsals...



You can ask six famous people to dinner - who would you invite ?
Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Joel Rebouchon, Alain Ducasse, Heston Blumenthal, Marco Pierre White. And of course they would cook for me!!

What would surprise people about you ?
When I was a little girl, I was a bit of a tomboy. I played football, rugby and basketball.

Who inspired you to dance ?
There are many good dancers who each inspire me in different ways.



How would someone else describe you ?
No idea.

What is your best piece of advice ?
Eat well, don't give up!!

Which role has tested you the most & how ?
Gamzatti, (from La Bayadère). It was not only a dancing role, it was an acting role too.

If you designed your own stage costume, what would you create ?
I would need to be inspired by the music and the dancers before creating a costume.

What are you most proud of ?
I am proud of being a professional ballet dancer.

Who would play you in the film of your life ?
Myself ?



What is your favourite quote ?
“The ballet is a purely female thing; it is a woman, a garden of beautiful flowers, and man is the gardener” (by George Balanchine)

Do you have a ‘signature step’ – one that comes naturally to you ?
No, everything in ballet is hard!!!!

A phrase I use far too often is ... ?
"I don't know!"



Do you have a secret skill which no-one knows about ?
Yes...It is a secret....

10 comments:

  1. great photos and great interviews. i always love to read interviews of people especially those who are gifted ;)

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  2. charming interview, so very talented. Sandi

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  3. haha i love how her responses are short & sweet. and i love that quote.

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  4. what a beautiful dancer she is!! thanks for sharing this interview series!! :)

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  5. I love the interviews... such a great addition to your blog!

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  6. Great interview. Very talented she is a graceful dancer.

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  7. I love reading your interviews and especially the part on how to prep your pointes... it's so much fun hearing everyone's little personal routine.

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  8. gleenn - thank you very much; good to hear that you enjoy the interviews

    CelticWoman - thank you

    AudreyAllure - it is a great quote

    lori vliegen - you are most welcome, and I'm delighted that you are enjoying them. there is much more to come !

    Maria - thank you, you're very kind to say so !

    Petergaye S. Kisielewicz/ Yahgie - thank you

    noomiedoodlesfashion - some of them are !


    Couture Cookie - I always thought that was a question that the dancers were never asked and as it's such a big part of their dancing lives I could never understand why ! So hey presto....

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  9. So lovely! It's so interesting to get to *know* someone you may not have ever met...

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