Cupcakes & Conversation with Kathryn Morgan, Soloist, New York City Ballet

Cupcakes & Conversation with Kathryn Morgan, Soloist, New York City Ballet

Kathryn and I share a passion for widening the reach of ballet; bringing ballet to people who, at the moment, just don't see what ballet has to offer them or why it's even relevant to their lives.  And so of course, I had to interview her to find out more.  Tweeting ballet dancers have been in the press recently, and social media is one way of de-mystifying what goes on in the ballet world to a wide audience.  The Cupcakes & Conversation series of interviews is another.  I hope you enjoy.

Kathryn Morgan in Dances at a Gathering

Photographs throughout :  Paul Kolnik

What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning ?
Just starting a new day of dancing. Honestly, my passion for ballet is what constantly keeps me going, even though I am a morning person and get up easily anyway!

What are you looking forward to dancing this year ?
Many different ballets - because we tend to find out casting only two weeks before, it is hard to know for sure what I will be doing! However, things that are possibly coming up for me are Scotch Symphony, Divertimento No. 15, Who Cares, In the Night, and a new ballet by Peter Martins.

Who would you most like to dance with & what would you dance ?
My favorite person to dance with is Tyler Angle! So anything with him! But at some point in my career, I would love to dance Swan Lake, the MacMillan Romeo and Juliet, and Giselle. I also want to do as many Balanchine and Robbins ballets as I can. But I'm only 21, so I have time!

Kathryn Morgan in Romeo and Juliet with Seth Orza

If you could dance anywhere in the world (not only in a theatre), where would you dance ?
I want to dance all over the world - Covent Garden, La Scala, the Opera Garnier, to name a few. However, I am already dancing at my dream place - New York City Ballet!

How do you prepare your pointe shoes ?
First, depending on the ballet, I cut the shank. If I need a hard shoe, I only cut a fourth of the shank; if I can have a softer shoe, I cut half of the shank. Then I shave edges of the outer sole with a Stanley knife to give the shoe a more streamlined look. Then I simply sew on the ribbons and elastic. For performances, I always rosin my heel and toes before I put the shoe on. Then I scrape the bottom so I don't slip and rosin like crazy! It's a long process, but for me, it is worth the extra effort.

What is your daily routine at the moment ?
I wake up and eat breakfast while I check my email and read for a while. Then I have a little routine that consists of some yoga and Pilates mat work that I always do before I leave in the morning. We have 10:30 class for either an hour or hour and a half depending on the day. We then rehearse all day with an hour off somewhere until 6:00. If there is a performance, I grab a little something to eat, get physical therapy, do hair/makeup, and then perform at 7:30 or 8:00. If I don't, I usually just head home, eat dinner, and either watch television, workout, sew shoes, take an Epsom salts bath, get random things done, or all of the above! I try and always go to bed at a decent hour because I really need my sleep.

You can ask six famous people to dinner - who would you invite ?
Audrey Hepburn, George Balanchine, Darci Kistler, Fred Astaire, Coco Chanel, and HM Queen Elizabeth.

What would surprise people about you ?
My mom is my best friend. We really no longer have a mother - daughter relationship. I can tell her anything, and she is my rock.

Kathryn Morgan in Flower Festival in Genzano

Who inspired you to dance ?
I grew up watching many different dancers on videos - Alessandra Ferri, Darcey Bussell, Julie Kent, Darci Kistler, and so I was inspired by and looked up to all of them. But I think what really drove me to dance was not a 'who' but a 'what' - music. Even before I could walk, I was obsessed with music, especially classical, and it was as if I wanted to become the music itself. Dancing was the only way I knew how.

What is your best piece of advice ?
Although it is easier said than done, don't compare yourself to others. If you constantly worry about what other people are doing, you are letting time go by that you could be using to improve your own dancing. There is always going to be someone who can jump higher, turn more, and have better extension. Instead, work on what you need to improve and be proud of your own strengths. Believe in yourself!

How do you prepare in the hours before a show ?
I definitely have a little routine. I always shower so I feel fresh. I make sure I eat a little something to have energy but nothing too heavy to weigh me down. Then I always do my hair first and makeup second. I am a little obsessive about my makeup; it is actually somewhat of a stress-reliever for me and calms me down before a performance. Then I head down to the stage about an hour before I am scheduled to dance to stretch, warm-up, and get my shoes on. Then I get into costume at about the ten minute call so I can jump around onstage and practice a few things before curtain.

Kathryn Morgan and Tyler Angle in The Sleeping Beauty

Which role has tested you the most & how ?
Definitely Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. It is the most technically challenging role I have ever done. The hardest part is knowing how to pace yourself throughout the course of the evening. It is not a role where you push as hard as you can for five minutes and then you're done. With Aurora, you carry the entire ballet and have to show not only pristine technique but the character change from an excited 16-year-old to a regal princess.

If you were asked to design your own ballet costume, what would you create ?
Either something long and flowing in a pastel color or a tutu with tons of sparkling jewels! Two totally different costumes, but I think both are 'me' in some way!

What do you look for in a dance partner ?
First off, someone I can completely trust. Also, someone who cares not just about the steps but about the music and artistry of whatever ballet we are doing. I think that is why Tyler Angle I and dance so well together. We both hear music the same way and have the same artistic approach to our roles. Most importantly, I trust him 200%.

What is your favourite quote ?
"Strive to be quietly excellent." - Rick Morgan - my dad! I grew up on this statement.

Do you have a ‘signature step’ – one that comes naturally to you ?
I am not really known for any one 'step' per se. My trademark is definitely my artistic side and lyricism. I love getting into character and acting onstage. I think this is because I am shy in real life, and ballet is my way of expressing my emotions. Even if the ballet I am doing has no story, I love finding something to convey in everything I dance.

Kathryn Morgan in Scotch Symphony with Robert Fairchild

A phrase I use far too often is ... ?
" I'm sorry". I'm always saying it in rehearsals!

What’s been your best on-stage moment so far ?
I believe it would have to be dancing Juliet (from Romeo & Juliet). It is the most fulfilling ballet to dance because it allows you to feel every emotion anyone could ever have. My debut was so exciting and will be something I will never forget. However, I have loved developing the role over time and finding a different story with every Romeo I dance with - I've had three!

Do you have a secret skill which no-one knows about ?
Well it's not a secret, but I play the piano. I took lessons for seven years.

Kathryn Morgan in Peter Martins' Stabat Mater

In terms of your ballet career, where would you like to be in a year from now ?
I hope to just be dancing as much as I can. I would love to guest and perform in many places and do a wide variety of roles. I hope to keep improving both my technique and artistry and challenge myself to be the best dancer I can. One other thing I hope to do is bring ballet to people who, right now, might not know anything about it. That is why I enjoy using facebook, twitter, and other technology, to expose the world to ballet.

BALLET NEWS UPDATES

Hi everyone,

I'm going to start off with news about Darcey Bussell, who became Godmother to a ship last week - and launched it in some style, with four outfits.

Next I wanted to stare with you a new video from The Royal Opera House, on the upcoming triple bill - Electric Counterpoint/New Scarlett/Carmen.

Tamara Rojo

Photograph :  Bernardo Doral

Now for some exciting news of Royal Ballet Principal Tamara Rojo, who will be performing a Spanish dance duet called Romance de Luna, with Ballet Nacional de Espana’s principal bailarin Miguel A. Corbacho, at the London Coliseum later this month.

Romance de Luna was originally created in 1989 for star ballerina Natalia Makarova when she returned to the Mariinsky theatre. It is choreographed by Ballet Nacional de Espana’s artistic director Jose Antonio.

Choreography: José Antonio
Music: José Nieto
Lighting Design and Dress Design: José Antonio
Lighting Production: Carlos Guerrero and Rafael Yunta
Costume Production: Peris

Tamara dances on Tuesday 27th April (7.30pm), Saturday 1st May (7.30pm) and Sunday 2nd May (4pm).

Tamara Rojo

Photograph :  Bernardo Doral

Birmingham Royal Ballet offers you the chance to see the quite spectacular 'The Centre and it's Opposite', and I hope that you will not miss it if you are in the north or east.

Media release:  BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET’S 2010 SPLIT-TOUR

COMPANY AND ROYAL BALLET SINFONIA SPLIT IN HALF TO PERFORM IN MID-SCALE VENUES ACROSS THE UK

Grosse Fuge

Kevin O'Hare, Joseph Cipolla, Wolfgang Stollwitzer, Andrew Murphy

Photograph :  Bill Cooper

Between 25 May and 5 June 2010, Birmingham Royal Ballet once again embarks upon a tour of mid-scale venues throughout the UK. In its 20th anniversary year the company will divide into two with half of the company travelling to the southwest of the country and the remaining half travelling to the north and east. This year, the split tour will see the company perform in Sheffield, York, Durham and Kings Lynn in the north and east and Cheltenham, Poole and Truro in the southwest.

The split-tour initiative, now in its seventh year, enables the company to present full-scale works with orchestral accompaniment in venues not normally associated with a company of this size. The works to be performed have been carefully chosen to demonstrate the versatility of the company, ensuring that audiences have access to the highest quality of dance performances available in the UK today.

In the north and east the triple bill will celebrate pieces by company Director David Bintley, Australian Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Garry Stewart and celebrated choreographer Hans van Manen. In the southwest choreography by David Bintley, George Balanchine and John Cranko will delight audiences.

Brouillards

Photograph :  Bill Cooper

Performing in the north and east, Allegri diversi is a short piece by David Bintley, choreographed for Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now Birmingham Royal Ballet) in 1987. The effortless elegance of the dance gives life to Rossini’s light and playful score. Grosse Fuge is choreographed by Hans van Manen and sees delicate interplay between groups of men and women to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven. The Centre and its Opposite by Australian Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Garry Stewart sees the dancers directly competing for the attention of the audience, fusing classical ballet with hard-edged contemporary dance to music by Huey Benjamin.

In the southwest the triple bill includes Brouillards with choreography by John Cranko. The piece is based upon nine of composer Claude Debussy’s piano preludes. The title of the piece, Brouillards means ‘mists’, and it is this image that bookends the choreography of the ballet, with the dancers appearing and disappearing from the stage leaving behind nothing but memories. The Dance House by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director David Bintley was created following the death of a friend and is set to Shostakovich’s Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings. Slaughter on Tenth Avenue is a crazy comedic piece from the 1930s musical On Your Toes with choreography from George Balanchine and music by Richard Rodgers.

Allegri Diversi

Photograph : Brian Slater

North and East venues

25 &26 May Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield Box Office: 0114 249 6000
28 & 29 May Theatre Royal, York Box Office: 01904 623568
1 & 2 June Gala Theatre, Durham Box Office: 0191 332 4041
4 & 5 June Corn Exchange, Kings Lynn Box Office: 01553 764864

Southwest venues

25 & 26 May Everyman, Cheltenham Box Office: 01242 572573
28 & 29 May The Lighthouse, Poole Box Office: 0844 4068666
4 & 5 June Hall For Cornwall, Truro Box Office: 01872 262466

Royal Ballet Principal Lauren Cuthbertson

(who has been off stage due to illness since last summer)

Finally, to thrill you into the weekend, here is an update on my last post on the outdoor performance by some of the dancers of The Royal Ballet in France later this summer.

I can tell you that some of the rep will include excerpts from :

Wayne McGregor's Chroma danced by Mara Galeazzi, Edward Watson, Steven McRae, Ludovic Ondiviela and Johannes Stepanek;

George Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux danced by Marianela Nuñez and Thiago Soares

Marius Petipa's Le Corsaire Pas de Deux danced by Yuhui Choe and Sergei Polunin.

Wayne McGregor's Chroma for The Royal Ballet

Photograph :  Johan Persson

There is also some more information on the ticket pricing (tickets will be available later this month).  You have two very appealling choices - tickets are 33 euros for the performance itself or 100 euros for the performance, private reception with the dancers, food and drink.

Further details of a limited number of subsidised tickets for students, children and others will be released shortly.

Royal Ballet Principal Thiago Soares

Photograph :  Johan Persson

The Royal Ballet dancers to perform at famous 8th century abbey

Outdoor ballet performances are a rarity as they are quite tricky to stage, especially in countries with variable weather. Picture, then, some of the dancers from the Royal Ballet performing in the evening light, within the grounds of a famous 8th century abbey in the warmth of Southern France in July.

The abbey - St Marie d’Orbieu

Photograph :  Barry Lewis

Lagrasse, a medieval village of artisans in the Corbières wine region of the south of France, is famous for its 8th century Benedictine abbey – St Marie d’Orbieu.

The programme includes classical and contemporary rep with choreography by Kenneth MacMillan, Wayne McGregor, Will Tuckett and others.

The inaugural event will be held on Saturday 17th July at 21.30, at The Abbey, Lagrasse, Aude, France. Doors open at 20.00 for refreshments in the stunning open air setting and the performance will last for 2 hours.

The participating Royal Ballet dancers are :

Mara Galeazzi
Johannes Stepanek
Edward Watson
James Wilkie
Gary Avis
Steven McRae
Yuhui Choe
Sergei Polunin
Thiago Soares
Lauren Cuthbertson
Ludovic Ondiviela
Marianela Nuñez
David Pickering
Rupert Pennefather

Ticket details will be announced shortly.

In addition to the performance there will be three workshops in French and English, led by David Pickering, assisted by some of the dancers including Ludovic Ondiviela, who is French. The workshops are grouped according to level – so the first one is for beginners, open to all the family with an interest in ballet; the second is an intermediate workshop suitable for children already taking ballet classes; with the final workshop a professional class for aspiring male and female dancers who take ballet classes already. The first two workshops will be held in the Salle de Fêtes, in Lagrasse. For the third, advanced, class, there will be a charge which has yet to be set. Places will need to be reserved on a first come, first served basis and the class will take place on Saturday 17th July. Time and venue TBC. Please contact Emma Noon to reserve a place for the professional class on 00 33 4 68 43 68 60.

Further details and photographs to follow.

Cupcakes & Conversation with Robert Curran, Principal, The Australian Ballet

Cupcakes & Conversation with Robert Curran, Principal, The Australian Ballet

Robert Curran in Don Quixote

Photograph :  Justin Smith

What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning?
I’m usually up at 7am and what motivates me the most at that time is the peace and quiet. I relish the opportunity to see the start of the day over a cup of coffee in my office at home, preparing for the day and knocking a few items off my ‘to-do’ list.

Who would you most like to dance with & what would you dance?
I would most like to dance with the company that I have created and that I, with a team of friends, am responsible for producing. I have collaborated with a great team of people and the debut performance of JACK Productions* will be later this year with a work titled Human Abstract.

If you could dance anywhere in the world (not only in a theatre), where would you dance?
I’d really like to dance on the Covent Garden stage. The building has a history that you can feel as you walk in the door. So many amazing artists have opened their hearts to an audience in that building. It feels a bit like church, in a good way…

What is your daily routine at the moment & how do you fit in your study?
7am – Bed to coffee machine
7.05am – Coffee machine to office (Study & JACK)
9.30am – Leave for work
10.00am – warm-up for Class
11.00am – Class
12.30pm – Rehearsals
3.00pm – Retire to dressing room (Study, JACK & maybe lunch)
5.30pm – Prepare for the Performance
6.30pm – Evening Barre
7.30pm – Performance Starts
10.00pm – Performance Ends
10.30pm – Arrive Home (Glass of Wine & prepare for next day)
12am - Bed

How do you prepare in the hours before a show?
15 years with The Australian Ballet has seen me develop quite a strict routine for preparing for the show, along with my tendency towards routine (as a typical Taurus) and my slight OCD.

I always like to get physiotherapy or myotherapy (massage) before the show to iron out anything that I feel might distract me during the show. As far as my outer appearance, I can’t perform without showering before I do anything, I feel like it gives me a clean slate to start building whatever character or mood I need for the night. After showering I do hair and make-up (always the right side of my face before the left…weird), sometimes this takes 5 minutes sometimes it takes 30 minutes, but after 15 years, it is time that I use to think about what I need to achieve in the show. After the quiet time of ‘putting on my face’ the time before the show really disappears very quickly, with evening barre ending right as the half-hour call announcement comes from stage management, dressers arriving in your dressing room, last minute notes from ballet staff, check your props, head on to the stage via the resin box, standing by, curtain….

What are you looking forward to dancing in 2010?
Highlights this year will be Cinderella Pas de Deux with Lucinda Dunn and dancing in Tim Harbour’s new ballet with Rachel Rawlins.

You can ask six famous people to dinner. Who would you invite?
Cate Blanchet
Jiri Kylian
Meryl Streep
Crystal Pite
James Newton Howard
David Thompson (to cook !!)

Robert Curran and Lynette Willis

Photograph :  Jim McFarlane

What would surprise people about you?
I get nervous, very nervous, often.

Who inspired you to dance?
My family, everyone that I dance with and every dancer I watch.

How would someone else describe you?
Can you ask someone else?

What is your best piece of advice?
Do it now, don’t wait until later.

Which role has tested you the most & how?
Without a doubt it would be Basilio in Don Quixote. The physical and psychological demands were almost more than I was able to handle. Only recently have I contemplated the idea of doing the role again, only contemplated though… nothing more…

Robert Curran in Beyond Bach

What is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you?
Falling flat on my face, downstage centre, carrying (dropping!) armfuls of props, on my first show of Camille de Rossillon in The Merry Widow, on the Sydney Opera House stage. As shocked and embarrassed as I was at the time, even I could see how funny that was!!

If you designed your own stage costume, what would you create?
I need something that will give me an edge over all the young talented men rising through the ranks of the Australian Ballet… Something like the ‘fastskin’ suit the swimmers use… I need it soon!!!

A phrase I use far too often is...
Yes, I can do that, no problems…

Who would play you in the film of your life?
Jake Gyllenhal (love his work).

What is your favourite quote?
At the moment it is:
Everything you can imagine is real. Pablo Picasso.

What’s on your iPod?
Over 5000 songs.

What makes you a good dance partner?
I think the most important thing you need as a dance partner is a willingness, and a capacity, to learn your partner’s choreography first, then yours second.

Do you have a secret skill that no one knows about?
Of course.

Describe yourself in just three words.
Happy. Busy. Ready.

In terms of your ballet career, where would you like to be this time next year?
On stage with The Australian Ballet.

*About Jack Productions:
JACK is a project-based dance initiative created to inspire both expert and unseasoned audiences of classical and contemporary dance. JACK was founded by Lucas Jervies, Robert Curran, Andrew Killian and Laura Tong out of a desire to produce dance in Australia that was genuinely innovative whilst exploring the ample possibilities of the cherished classical ballet technique.

BALLET NEWS UPDATES

Hi everyone,
Lots of news for you; sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy !

Melissa Hamilton as Ballerina Mannaquine

Photographer: Dave Wise Hywone Ahn :Hair & Make up

First of all, I'd like to highlight an interview with love Mayka - "Cutting edge Fashion Designer ‘LoveMayka’ does Cinderella and Ballerinas".  The photoshoot features Royal Ballet dancer Melissa Hamilton as you (probably) haven't seen her before.
 

Melissa Hamilton as Ballerina Mannaquine

Photographer: Dave Wise Hywone Ahn :Hair & Make up

Next up, Royal Ballet Principal dancer Marianela Nunez talks about beauty products and what she likes to use.
 

The Royal Ballet have uploaded a new podcast with, among other things, a chat with Principal dancers and real life couple Marianela Nunez and Thiago Soares, as they prepare for their Cinderella debuts.

New on iTunes U from the ROH - An introduction to Ballet; 12 tracks covering technique, notation, history and male dancing. Features Ursula Hageli (Ballet Mistress) and Giannandrea Posieo (Lecturer, Metropolitan University). 

Missed the blistering speed of Steven McRae in Les Lutins ? Charlie Siem (violinist extraordinaire) reports from Cuba.

Cupcakes & Conversation with Maria Kochetkova, Principal, San Francisco Ballet

Cupcakes & Conversation with Maria Kochetkova, Principal, San Francisco Ballet

Elo Double Evil photo © Erik Tomasson

What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning ?
Coffee and a croissant.

What are you looking forward to dancing in 2010 ?
We just had a premier of Wheeldon's new ballet Ghosts where I was dancing the central pas de deux, it's a beautiful ballet to dance and to watch and the creative process was very interesting too. Also I just had my debuts in Balanchine's Serenade and Theme and Variations and Jerome Robbin's Opus 19/The Dreamer. Now I'm looking forward to the New Yuri Possokhov's ballet and artistic director Helgi Tomasson's Romeo & Juliet.

Who would you most like to dance with & what would you dance ?
I would like to dance with Michail Baryshnikov... anything.

Possokhov Diving into the Lilacs partner Gennadi Nedvigin) photo © Marina Gulyaeva

If you could dance anywhere in the world (not only in a theatre), where would you dance ?
The Mariinsky theater.  I would like to experience what it feels like to dance on that stage where so many of the greatest dancers performed.

How do you prepare your pointe shoes ?
I don't really do much to my pointe shoes... I just break the box of the shoe so I can do demi pointe.

What is your daily routine at the moment ?
Wake up, breakfast, warm up, class, rehearsals, lunch (if I'm lucky), more rehearsals, make up, warm up, performance, bow, dinner, shower, bed.

Tomasson Swan Lake photo © Erik Tomasson

You can ask six famous people to dinner - who would you invite ?
Sergei Diagilev, Alexander Pushkin, David Lynch, Audrey Hepburn, Petr Tchaikovsky, Yuri Gagarin.

What would surprise people about you ?
People always tell me I look much taller on stage.

Who inspired you to dance ?
While I was studying at the Bolshoi I admired Ekaterina Maximova, Sylvie Guillem and ballerinas from the Mariinsky theater. I remember watching videos over and over again, I really wanted to be like them.

Wheeldon Ghosts (partner Vitor Luiz) photo © Erik Tomasson

What is your best piece of advice ?
Trust yourself, you can do so much more than you think you can.

How do you prepare in the hours before a show ?
I start getting ready very early and take a long time (a few hours) to warm up, I also avoid talking to anyone so I can concentrate for the performance later.

Coralli, Perrot Giselle (partner Gennadi Nedvigin) photo © Marina Gulyaeva

Which role has tested you the most & how ?
Odette and Odile in Swan Lake. I never felt like I was right for this ballet and never felt like I wanted to do it which is not normally like me. As I started working on it I fell in love with it, but the working process wasn't easy for me. It was also the first time I had to do some sort of evil character as Odile in ballet.

If you were asked to design your own ballet costume, what would you create ?
It would definitely be something plain and comfortable to dance in. I would love it if Vivienne Westwood could design a costume for me.

Forsythe in the middle, somewhat elevated photo © Erik Tomasson

What do you look for in a dance partner ?
I like dancing with partners who want to keep working until everything feels right and I can trust them.

What is your favourite quote ?
Everything happens for a reason.

What’s been your best on-stage moment so far ?
At the curtain call of the opening night of Giselle at the Kennedy Center. I was still new as a Principal dancer to the company and I was given this opportunity. I felt very nervous as I was representing the whole company. When I saw audience standing during the bows I was so relieved and happy.

Tomasson Swan Lake'photo © Erik Tomasson

Do you have a secret skill which no-one knows about ?
Yes, but I can't tell you.

In terms of your ballet career, where would you like to be in a year from now ?
I'm very happy with where I am at the moment. There is so much I could wish for but it's always nice to have more work created on you, more ballets to learn, to travel around the world and meet more interesting dancers and choreographers.

Petipa The Sleeping Beauty (Nikolay Korypaev) photo © Nikolai Krusser

Cupcakes & Conversation with Rachael Gillespie, Dancer, NBT

Cupcakes & Conversation with Rachael Gillespie, Dancer, Northern Ballet Theatre

What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning ?
Provided I’ve had a good night’s sleep, for me the motivation is simply the fact that I’m doing a job that I love! I’m very grateful to not only be dancing, but to be in a Company that really feels like a family to me. I’m quite a morning person anyway, but a good brew with my breakfast and Chris Moyles on Radio 1 is all it really takes!

What are you looking forward to dancing in 2010 ?
Northern Ballet Theatre have some great repertoire to look to look forward this year, so it’s going to be a fantastic couple of seasons. One of my favourites is definitely Wuthering Heights! It’s a truly passionate and dramatic ballet - one I will never tire of! It was actually the first performance I saw by NBT when I was thinking of full time-dance training and it completely inspired me, so I think I may also have a personal attachment to it! I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of NBT Ballet Master Daniel De Andrade’s new work; Glass Cannon. As his first piece with the Company, it’s been a great experience and has felt like a real team effort , so I’m really excited to perform it as part of the mixed bill.

Who would you most like to dance with & what would you dance ?
I’m happy to work on any role! But I would love to be able to perform Northern Ballet Theatre’s Juliet!

If you could dance anywhere in the world (not only in a theatre), where would you dance ?
Funny you should ask this, but this year we’re off to Hong Kong on tour with Peter Pan. This for me is like a dream come true, as I have a great deal of family out there. I’ve only been able to visit them a few times, so to be able to dance in front of them will be wonderful! (The shopping’s great too!!!!)

Photograph :  Andrew Ross

How do you prepare your pointe shoes ?
Normally I begin by sewing on the ribbons, followed by attaching elastic to the heels to prevent the backs from slipping off. After this, I use a Stanley knife to cut the material off the tips off the shoes and then shave a bit off the edge of the soles so I can feel the floor better when I’m on flat. I then hammer my shoes on the backs to stop them from being too noisy.

What is your daily routine at the moment ?
This usually varies depending on whether we’re at base rehearsing, or performing at the theatre. At the moment, we’re currently rehearsing the mixed bill at base, so it’s up at 7:45am and into work for an hour’s warm up before class. Company training is usually an hour and fifteen, and is followed by rehearsals until lunch. After an hour’s lunch break (complete with a paper or good magazine!) its rehearsals until 6:30. Then home!

You can ask six famous people to dinner - who would you invite ?
Jackie Chan, Coco Chanel, Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Gene Kelly and Jamie Oliver (my theory is he’d be able to save my guests from my cooking!)

What would surprise people about you ?
As my mother is Chinese and my father is English, my features sometimes confuse people, a lot of people ask me where I’m from and are surprised when I reply with my home town -“Swindon!”

Who inspired you to dance ?
I don’t think I can really narrow it down to one person. I’ve been very lucky to have had wonderful teachers, supportive family and friends, and exposure to big names who have always inspired me, but I don’t think there has ever been one key moment where I decided I wanted to dance, it’s just always been in my blood since I can remember! I just love it! However, I first started taking ballet classes when I was three, after a friend of my mum’s suggested I go because I was always jumping around to music! I also had a video of The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker my parents recorded for me at Christmas when I was six (I used to watch it religiously complete with a pair of satin ballet shoes I used to stuff with tissue and try to go on pointe!)

What is your best piece of advice ?
Follow your own instinct, and remain committed to it. In this profession, there can be no half measures, it has to be 100% dedication. You either want to do it or you don’t.

Christopher Hinton-Lewis, Hannah Bateman, Victoria Sibson & Rachael Gillespie

in NBT's Dracula

Photograph :  Merlin Hendy

How do you prepare in the hours before a show ?
Before a show, I like to have a bit of quiet time by myself, whether it’s a good play list on my iPod, or popping out to get coffee. I think it’s important to get fresh air for a good clear mind before a performance by taking a proper break. You need to have a fresh attitude towards each show otherwise it’s easy to become stale when performing the same repertoire for a long period of time. This way you can find new ways of developing your roles and stimulating your performances. This is especially important as member of a theatre ballet company, as we carry out a great deal of narrative work.

Which role has tested you the most & how ?
At the beginning of the autumn season, I was lucky enough to be one of the three brides in David Nixon’s Dracula. This was a fantastic opportunity and challenge, as I needed to mature as an actress as well as a dancer. Rehearsing this directly with David Nixon was a true privilege, as well as receiving a great deal of help and advice from two experienced dancers in the Company who had previously performed the role. I knew I had a lot to catch up on, but they were really supportive and helpful with the process.

If you were asked to design your own ballet costume, what would you create?
I love fashion, so designing a costume would be great fun! I’m quite a creative person, so if it’s not clothes, then I enjoy making jewellery or more recently leotards! For me, I like things with detail and texture - so I guess it would be something eye-catching with exotic fabric! Ultimately I think it’s important to flatter both the work and the dancer.

What do you look for in a dance partner ?
I’m happy to dance with anyone who’s willing to give it their all. I love to feel a sense of team work , trust and achievement with a partner, but at the end of the day I think it’s important to form a good relationship and to be able to have fun together.

What is your favourite quote ?
I can resist everything but temptation! - Oscar Wilde

Do you have a ‘signature step’ – one that comes naturally to you?
I enjoy adage and grande allegro, but I think it’s important as a dancer not to focus on what you prefer or favour, as much as on what you need to work on. This way it widens what you have to offer, and strengthens what you already have.

A phrase I use far too often is ... ?
“It wasn’t me!” Being one of three sisters, I had the tendency to use it when we got into trouble!

What’s been your best on-stage moment so far ?
That’s a tough one! Live theatre is always so unpredictable so it’s hard to choose. So far, I guess it would have to be my first company performance and realization of a long standing ambition to become a professional dancer.

Do you have a secret skill which no-one knows about ?
I’m a bit of a mimic! I love doing impressions and accents!

In terms of your ballet career, where would you like to be in a year from now?
Still enjoying it as much as I do now, and still applying myself fully to my work. I’ve learnt
to be patient with self progress and to take each day as it comes, but ultimately I’d love to be able to work on some soloist roles.

BALLET NEWS EXCLUSIVE

Earlier this week Bennet Gartside sat in the Royal Ballet office facing a team of three and was asked, an hour before the general rehearsal for The Judas Tree, “so, moment of truth; do you know it ?” Unfazed, he replied “I know what I know and I’ll do what I can do.”

Photography throughout : Elliott Franks

This meeting came about because Principal Thiago Soares had been indisposed since last weekend’s Nureyev gala, and in order for the second cast to have their stage rehearsal, they wanted Bennet to take Thiago’s role. Stage rehearsals are significant because it’s the dancers’ first chance to perform with the orchestra, the sets and the costumes, in the theatre setting, which is a very different place from the studio. There is also an audience, albeit one aware that it’s a rehearsal and not a performance.

Bennet is a First Soloist with the company, and regular readers will recall his honest and charming interview for BALLET NEWS last year. When I asked him with whom he’d most like to dance, he had everyone literally in the palm of his hand with his reply : “Actually I’ve been lucky to dance with some great names over my career, Sylvie Guillem. Darcey Bussell, Alina Cojocaru, Tamara Rojo, Marianela Nunez, Sarah Wildor, but I think I might have to say my wife. She’s not a dancer – works in PR. At our wedding we did a Tango that was brilliant. I’ve never seen her so nervous in her life! I think because a lot of the guests were dancers, it really got her wound up. But I have dreams of what it could be like if…!”

Bennet Gartside, Mara Galeazzi and Johannes Stepanek

He also explained that his motivation for starting the week was “that I’m in control of my own future.” Within the company, though, his future is decided by a combination of the Artistic Director (currently Monica Mason) and the misfortunes of his colleagues (and the reverse is also true). Which brings us back to the general rehearsal, and these vivid images captured by photographer Elliott Franks.

You get a strong sense of the teamwork on stage; the atmosphere, which Bennet describes to me, “when the curtain came down everyone back stage was applauding and it was all very nice, all very kind from everyone.” They knew that he had been covering the role, but “they also knew that I had never done it, never done a rehearsal, I was never given a go in the studio.”

Mara Galeazzi, Bennet Gartside and Sergei Polunin

There are two casts for The Judas Tree (part of a triple bill) with the Principal roles of The Woman and The Foreman cast as Leanne Benjamin and Carlos Acosta; Mara Galeazzi and Thiago Soares respectively. Bennet was cast as Peter and Monica asked him to cover The Foreman, “I said to myself : ‘learn it, make sure you know it because anything can happen, just try and learn what you can’. And who knows things might happen, and it did.”

Bennet had spent time in the studio watching Irek Mukhamedov coaching Carlos and Thiago. Both of them also had private calls to rehearse the pas de deux, and Bennet stood in the studio without a partner “I didn’t have a girl to cover because one of the girls that was covering it wasn’t there because she was working too heavily on other things. So I used to just stand and watch it and take in what I could take in”.

Luckily the role of the Woman was danced by Mara Galeazzi, who relishes the challenge of new partners. Just as well, since Bennet describes the process, “I’ve never done anything with her, of these rehearsals, so we just literally went into it blind. I just did what I could do. So, you know, everything starts aching, your arms are tired, but I just wanted to keep going because there was an audience out there.”

Was he was happy with the rehearsal ? “I was. Given the circumstances, I felt I did something. Finding the character came throughout the piece. So difficult, but, as I say, I was happy. Mara was very happy. They were all very nice about it and the support backstage from management when we came off – they were all very complimentary about it.”

After completing the rehearsal, Bennet had to prepare to dance the Peter role for the evening performance, which was being filmed.

This story is tinged with a sadness though. At the beginning I talked about being in a company and how that works for you and sometimes against you. The good news is that Thiago is back; for Bennet that means his hard work won’t come to fruition in terms of a performance. But this is an extra bittersweet tale because while you are, to an extent, at the mercy of the Artistic Director and of fortune, as a dancer the clock is also always ticking furiously and this may have been Bennet’s last opportunity to dance a role he covets.

The cast congratulate Bennet who had an hour's notice for the general rehearsal

The triple bill of Concerto|The Judas Tree|Elite Syncopations is currently in rep until 15th April at The Royal Opera House. Please take note of the warning on the booking page. You've probably got the idea from these photographs.