ballerinas are the new rock stars
Giving us a unique insight into their lives through their social media, these dancers are taking to a centrestage of a different kind
(Just with a little more poise.)
Ballerinas are used to being the centre of attention. But thanks to their increasing socialmedia followings, with fans delighting in every backstage shot they post on Instagram and rehearsal video they put on Snapchat, they’re becoming bona-fide stars off-stage as much as on it. As the UK’S Royal Ballet heads to Brisbane this month for a string of exclusive performances, we take a look at the company’s biggest superstars who are courting a cult audience online – and making the once untouchable world of ballet feel more accessible than ever.
Akane Takada, 27 PRINCIPAL OF THE ROYAL BALLET
A favourite of the critics, Takada joined The Royal Ballet in 2009 and quickly snapped up the most coveted lead roles including Giselle – “her dream part” – before being promoted to principal last year. She has settled into The Royal Ballet as comfortably as she has London, after moving from her home city of Tokyo, via Russia, on a scholarship. After an evening performance, she likes to refuel with a burger at her local. For Takada, social media is a chance to connect with people beyond the theatre and let her family know what she’s doing. “Ballet looks like a dream world, with no struggles, but social media shows dancers’ personalities, so people feel closer to you,” she says.
Sarah Lamb, 36 PRINCIPAL OF THE ROYAL BALLET
She’s worn gold-sequinned tutus and feathered bird wings, but one thing you’ll never see the Boston-born dancer wear is a pair of flats. “I love heels because aesthetically they lengthen the leg,” she says. “As a dancer, I really appreciate lines. Dancers, fashion designers and photographers, we’re all critical of line.” In front of the
camera on our shoot, she performed as electrically as she does on stage, propelling her willowy body from pose to pose. Since joining The Royal Ballet in 2004, Lamb has had several roles created for her, including British choreographer Wayne Mcgregor’s rebellious heroine in Raven Girl. Could she imagine herself doing something other than dancing? “A dancer’s career is so short, I’m enjoying it while I can, but it’s not really a job, it’s part of your identity,” she says.
Eric Underwood, 32
SOLOIST OF THE ROYAL BALLET
Unlike most classical dancers, Washington Dc-born Underwood’s ballet career started by mistake. Aged 14, he forgot his lines during an acting audition for a performing arts school and tried a dance class instead. “The teacher immediately saw I had no training but I was physically correct for dance and eager to learn, despite being in denim shorts,” he recalls. He’s been redefining the image of a classical dancer ever since with his infectious energy and love of performing. He joined the American Ballet Theatre in 2003, then moved to The Royal Ballet three years later. On social media, he’s not afraid to show a different side of a dancer’s life: “It’s not just about perfection. It’s important to see the dancers failing and trying again.” Is there anything he wouldn’t post? “I try not to do politics, love or finance.”
Lauren Cuthbertson, 33
PRINCIPAL OF THE ROYAL BALLET Cuthbertson, who enrolled in The Royal Ballet’s White Lodge school at age 11, was late to join Instagram, but that hasn’t prevented her from regularly posting candid backstage shots to her 53.2K followers. “It’s a very different time,” she says of being a dancer in the age of social media. “It inspires younger dancers to look up to their seniors and spur each other on.” Social media also connects dancers around the world. “We’re all living pretty similar lives but in different cities. I like following French dancers – their posts are so chic and sophisticated.” For Cuthbertson, there’s a natural synergy between dance and fashion. Her favourite designer may be Erdem but her best red-carpet outfit yet was a huge red silk skirt, which was part of Lady Capulet’s costume in Romeo And Juliet, “borrowed” from the Royal Opera House’s costume cupboard.