I danced ballet with Beyoncé – and got paid for it!
Royal Ballet sensation Eric Underwood on his impulse trip to Ibiza – and performing hip-hop with a diva
Q WHAT DID YOUR PARENTS TEACH YOU ABOUT MONEY?
A THEY taught me about the importance of having money. They didn’t have much themselves, so I learnt quickly that it was important to have money. My mom was disabled, due to a heart condition, and my father was a park ranger, who passed away when I was only 17.
Q HOW MUCH POCKET MONEY DID YOU GET AS A CHILD?
A EVERY day, from the age of eight, I’d get 50 cents at four o’clock in the afternoon to go to the ice-cream truck and buy myself a treat.
Q WHAT WAS THE FIRST PAID WORK YOU EVER DID?
A WHEN I was 15, I worked as a waiter as a side job while studying at ballet school in New York. I made $4 an hour.
Q HAVE YOU EVER STRUGGLED TO MAKE ENDS MEET?
A YES, of course. I remember once, when I was 19, having just $5 to put towards a meal one evening. I was just getting started as a ballet dancer at the time and not earning very much.
Q HAVE YOU EVER BEEN PAID SILLY MONEY FOR A JOB?
A I DANCED with Beyoncé in New York at the Jacobs Javits Center for a charity. I danced a bit of ballet and a bit of soldier boy hip-hop.
I’m not going to give the exact figure – but I was paid well for two hours’ work.
Q WHAT WAS THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE IN TERMS OF THE MONEY YOU MADE?
A I HAVE always been a dancer so my income has been pretty consistent. So my best year is in the future. It’s coming – and I’m so ready for it.
Q WHAT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE FUN THING YOU HAVE EVER BOUGHT YOURSELF?
A I SPENT more than £4,000 on an impulse nine-day trip to Ibiza last summer. I was sitting down at a cafe with friends and they said: ‘We should go to Ibiza tonight.’ So we jumped on a plane later that evening.
Q WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MONEY MISTAKE YOU HAVE EVER MADE?
A ABOUT four years ago, I had a credit card and I cut it up. I wanted to be responsible and keep my finances in order but it proved a mistake because I then needed it. I have since taken out a new card but I don’t like to spend on it. I am not keen on spending money that I don’t physically have. I’m incredibly careful with money, probably due to my childhood and my desire to build a secure future.
Q WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST MONEY DECISION?
A LEARNING to save money. I have always been a great spender but a couple of years ago I thought it would be good to start saving for the future, so I started putting money away in a tax-friendly Individual Savings Account.
Q HOW MUCH DO YOU SAVE EACH YEAR?
A I DON’T have a fixed amount, but I try to save as much as I possibly can while still being able to afford to travel by taxi.
Q DO YOU SAVE INTO A PENSION?
A YES. I contribute and so does my employer. I think saving for retirement is a great idea – you’ll need it one day.
Ideally, though, you would have both a property and a pension. Currently I’m renting but I would love to get on to the housing ladder in the future. I live in Clerkenwell, Central London, and I would buy a property there, but not at the moment. I’m incredibly busy with the ballet – I haven’t had a chance to go househunting.
Q HOW MUCH CASH DO YOU CARRY?
A NO MORE than a tenner. I don’t really have time to spend any money on anything except a bite to eat.
I have a pretty regimented day. I usually rehearse from 9 o’clock in the morning until 5.30 in the evening. I then perform at 7.30 and finish at 10.45. I do that six days a week.
Q WHAT IS YOUR ONE LITTLE LUXURY THAT YOU LIKE TO TREAT YOURSELF TO?
A I LIKE to shop and treat myself to designer clothing. I have some Alexander McQueen clothes that are really beautiful. They cost a shiny penny.
I once bought myself a pair of black Alexander McQueen boots with a bit of snakeskin on them. I can’t remember exactly how much they cost but I remember thinking: ‘Ouch’. I only wear them on special occasions.
Q IF YOU WERE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO?
A COMING from America, I have to say how wonderful it is to have access to the National Health Service. It is brilliant so I would prioritise spending on the NHS.
Q DO YOU THINK CHARITY GIVING IS IMPORTANT?
A ABSOLUTELY. I can’t think of anything better than giving to people who are in need. I’m working on a project called Dance for a Cure with a muscular dystrophy charity. I’m going to do a dance performance and give the proceeds to the charity to help fund their research to find a cure.
Q WHEN DO YOU EXPECT TO RETIRE?
A I AM not sure. Ballet dancers retire when they break. Things start to hurt a little too much at some point. Personally, I don’t want to finish my career as a dancer having only been a dancer. One day, I’d like to pursue other options. I do choreography and I have other interests as well. But I love dancing – and I don’t see myself retiring in the near future.