José Alves, the Brazilian dancer who was formerly a leading artist with Ballet Black, was part of the panel of judges for The Fonteyn 2024. He judged the competition’s semi-finals, which took place at the RAD’s HQ in London.
The best advice I ever received
The best advice I have ever received came from my first dance teacher who told me, ‘dance with your heart, not just your feet.’ This simple yet profound guidance has always reminded me that the true essence of dance goes beyond technical precision. It is about conveying emotion and connecting with the audience on a deeper level.
The advice I would pass on
The advice I would most like to pass on is to embrace the journey, including its challenges. Every setback is an opportunity to grow, and every triumph is a testament to your resilience. Stay curious, stay passionate, and never stop learning. Also never allow people to say that you’re not capable of anything.
Project Elimu is an after school programme for children in Kibera. Dance is one of our core activities, built around ballet, modern and African dance. We’ve been running this space since 2018, aiming to give children in Kibera a place to hang out, a safe space for young kids to come in and explore the beauty of dance.
We focus on creating dance as an access for education: we’ve seen children who are dancing with us getting more eager and interested in school. It is an oasis of a safe space for children, using dance as a tool of expression.
I imagine the world outside the school is less safe?
Kibera is not an easy place to grow up as a child. Children face a lot of domestic violence and neglect – some even face hardship even when it comes to accessing food. It’s a quite intense but also a very beautiful place, with a lot of happiness, lots of colour, lots of people trying to make a difference.
Like any other slum, Kibera is quite intense, but also sometimes dangerous to young girls growing up there. Our activities are designed to make children feel safe and teach them how to take care of themselves. We do a lot around sexual reproductive health and menstrual health management. Within the school, we have a sanitary towel bank, because when I started teaching one of the biggest challenges was that we would always have girls missing dance classes just because they didn’t have access to menstrual products.
How did your own dance journey begin?
I always say I started dancing as a default. My single mother was not able to support my high school education – my father had just passed away and everything broke down. I was pushed out to work at 15. I always wanted to be in the arts field. When I saw a poster for dance auditions for a Kenyan performing arts group, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity.
Dancing gave me so much. I was not the best dancer in my dance school – when they were selecting 10 people, I would always be the 10th – but this taught me persistence. That’s why I love sharing my story with my students so that they all know that it’s not just about being the perfect dancer. It’s about the journey.
Why is RAD ballet also part of the mix at the school?
To me it was important because it gives you an introduction to ballet in a very smooth, understandable way. It trains you on working on your core from a very early age. By the time they grow older and venture into other dance classes, like modern dance, jazz and African dance, you can see the presence of these children. They always have their backs straight.
It has also been helpful academically. I love ballet because it teaches you that when you’re present, you’re also present in your normal classroom. I always tell them with pride: when you dance, you become elegant. And being elegant, you don’t need to know every answer within your class, but you can get help whenever you ask for it.
It must be emotional to see people come in as young kids and leave on the verge of their adult life?
It’s fulfilling when I see children get scholarships that initially they would have not been able to get. Some have travelled abroad, or been able to join high school: we have a very high rate of school dropout due to financial issues here. I see them become students at the university of Nairobi, studying medicine. They did this because we were able to find scholarship opportunities for them through dance. They start off just walking in to play and it ends up amazing.
Why does dance matter to you?
Dance matters to me so much because it’s our core. In Kenya, we used to use dance to celebrate things or for mourning. We used to use dance to mark our calendars – it has been part of our lives. However, dance was often given a negative approach, and thought of as time-wasting tool, just a tool for entertainment. Yet it is something that makes us realise who we really are, our identity and our path. It is okay to dream and to want to be who you want to be. Dance has given that to me and so to me dance matters so much.
Artwork: Bex Glendining
Why Dance Matters
Why Dance Matters is the RAD’s podcast – a series of conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. From November, episodes are released each month: first up is star choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne. Please do listen and subscribe.
I have danced two different versions of this. The first was the Nijinsky version at the Municipal Theater in Rio de Janeiro, which was an amazing experience because the music was originally created for that ballet. I fell in love with it because it’s so progressive. I was the kind of dancer that never needed to count anything – but this music, you have to count, there is no way around it. When I moved to Europe, every time I saw an orchestra was playing this work, I would go. I loved watching orchestras play: you can’t see them when you dance, so it’s a completely different experience. I’m not one of those dancers that remembers every step of a choreography – more than anything, I remember the feeling. In The Rite of Spring you feel so rooted to the earth, so grounded – you merge with the music somehow. As a choreographer, I have not had the urge to approach Rite because it’s just too big, too important. It’s almost sacred.
2 Clarinet Concerto K622 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
I danced to this in a ballet by the American choreographer Lar Lubovitch, so I got very familiar with it – the clarinet solo is gorgeous. Again, I started watching it: I saw it in Holland and in the UK. Watching the soloist play is just so beautiful. I love the sound of the clarinet – Mozart uses the instrument in a way that I find very poetic. It is so dreamy and peaceful.
3 Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns
I absolutely love it. It’s got this sort of scary feeling, but not bad scary. It’s like a fun scary. I think it’s my childlike side that likes this piece – like going to a funfair and taking the ghost train. This piece has something dark in it, but also humour – you could make a good cartoon to it.
4 Piano Concerto in G Major by Maurice Ravel
I became familiar with this through concerts in Amsterdam: I went to watch orchestras in the Concertgebouw a lot. I didn’t know the piece, but fell in love with it. This is one that, for me, is not danceable. It is not one that I want to choreograph, but it’s really nice to watch live.
5 Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo and Juliet is a masterpiece. The music does a great job of telling the story, and it’s so beautiful. I danced it, so I have my memories. But even if you’re not a ballet lover, there’s still so much value in it. Will I make my own Romeo and Juliet? Maybe one day.
As the CEO of the Royal Academy of Dance, I spend a lot of my time advocating for the transformative power of dance, both as an art form and as a means of personal development. Recently, however, I found myself deeply disturbed by the ethos and behaviours I came across whilst talking to young adults whose lives have been adversely affected by their dance experiences.
The worst of this kind of behaviour is portrayed in the reality television show, Dance Moms, which features children at the Abby Lee Dance Company in the US and their mothers. It presents a culture that is abhorrent and alarmingly detrimental to the young dancers involved.
In Dance Moms, we witness teachers regularly causing distress to their students, and mothers who not only pressure their children to succeed but also compete fiercely with each other to secure their child’s victory. This environment fosters a toxic atmosphere where the drive to win overshadows the joy of dance.
Language, when not used carefully, can cause long-term psychological damage. Statements such as, ‘this is how I was taught,’ ‘if you can’t take this pressure, you’ll never make it in the dance world,’ or ‘if you’re not first, you’re last,’ perpetuate a harmful mindset. These phrases, intended to drive children towards excellence, often leave them scarred, both in the studio and beyond.
In psychotherapy there is a phrase ‘hurt people, hurt people’: sadly, I think this applies to some dance teachers. Teachers who replicate the harsh methods they themselves endured often claim they are preparing students for the competitive nature of the dance world. However, this approach neglects the essential element of nurturing a love for dance. Relentless pressure and constant comparison erode the artistry and joy that are the true heart of this beautiful expression of humanity.
‘A dancer’s success should not measured solely by trophies but by their passion, progress and personal fulfilment’
The RAD stands firmly against this culture of toxic competition and status obsession. We believe that dance should be a source of joy, self-expression and personal growth for all. It should foster creativity, resilience and a lifelong appreciation for the arts, rather than becoming a battleground for one-upmanship in the social media age.
Our commitment is to champion wellbeing in dance. This means creating environments where dancers of any age feel supported, valued and inspired. It involves training teachers to use positive reinforcement and constructive feedback, ensuring that their words uplift rather than harm. We advocate for a culture where a dancer’s success is not measured solely by trophies and titles, but by their passion, progress and personal fulfilment.
At the RAD, we are dedicated to redefining the culture of dance education. We strive to balance the pursuit of excellence with the imperative of mental and emotional wellbeing. By doing this, we can ensure that dance remains a beautiful, expressive art form that enriches rather than diminishes lives.
Together, let us champion a new ethos in dance – one that celebrates the joy of movement, the beauty of expression, and the importance of nurturing the next generation of dancers with care, compassion and respect.
Tim Arthur will stand down from the role of Chief Executive of the RAD at the end of this year, to prioritise family responsibilities that require his full attention. You can read Tim’s farewell column in the next issue of Dance Gazette.
Susi Pink, RAD Associate Director, Marketing & Communications We felt the brand needed a refresh in line with the new five-year strategy for the RAD that Tim Arthur, the CEO, has created. We want to build on the legacy of the past, but look to the future – to become transformative and innovative, positioning ourselves in the dance sector as an organisation to support what we and our teachers do, and what everybody who dances with the RAD enjoys. It’s not a complete rebrand, more of a refresh.
The market place for dance and teaching dance is changing. Dance and dance teachers have to compete with multiple other activities for children, so it’s important to have a good brand that appeals not just to us and our teachers, but to parents and students. We need to create a brand that supports our teachers in building successful dance schools and businesses.
What ideas and emotions do you hope the brand will convey?
Pink We worked with the design agency Ninepoint. We wanted to build on what we have, but bring in more joy and exuberance, a bit more about dance and how it makes you feel. It’s not just a logo, it’s about our values.
Rachal Watson, Ninepoint We wanted to create an honest interpretation of where the RAD is now, and where they want to be in future. The job was made a lot easier for us because they were so clear on their strategy. We had a lightbulb moment when all the department leads were gathered together in one room to share their story and perspective. They talked about inclusivity, togetherness, joy – that was very much our starting point.
The iterations that we then presented went from evolution through to revolution. I was blown away by how bold Tim wanted to be. I loved talking to the team, and seeing their excitement, their sense of pride and ownership. We hope the new brand feels like an honest and true reflection of who the RAD is.
Alongside the RAD red, extra colours add pop and sizzle
Developing the new ‘R’ symbol
How do you balance heritage and forward thinking?
Watson We want to retain the recognisable elements, but also branch into a new world. We needed to find the balance. We took inspiration from the RAD’s coat of arms – it is very delicately crafted, but with a modernity in the brushstrokes. We’re taking the old and pushing it into the new. With the elements that we’ve created, you can be formal or lean into something exuberant or joyful.
Pink We love our coat of arms, it’s an important part of our brand that we don’t want to lose. Although ballet is an important part of our heritage and history, we also want to expand into other dance genres. This feels like a natural evolution.
What was the thinking behind the new logo, font and colours?
Pink The simplified primary logo is now on two lines rather than three, so it’s more flexible as a design element. It can also work on one line, for example on merchandise. It’s very classic and elegant, but with a modern, fresh feel. Our RAD red is a massive part of who we are, but we’ve brought in some additional colours – fresh pinks, oranges, yellows, and magenta – to give an extra pop and sizzle.
Watson The font actually harks back to the 1920s and 30s. The flourish marks allow a more expressive formation – as if they’re conveying the dance process.
How did you arrive at the RAD’s new ‘R’ symbol?
Watson The RAD wanted a visual shorthand to sum up what dance means to us all. We wanted to find a mark that summed up the joyful act of movement and which was genderless, raceless, ageless. It can be used for dramatic effect or as a visual sign off. There were many iterations, with great big, messy mood boards! We called it the arabesque dancer, but need to find a better term for this instantly recognisable little mark.
Pink We looked at movement shapes, both classical and contemporary. The ‘R’ can work in a lyrical dance context, and also with something more commercial like street dance. It’s very flexible, embracing our heritage and giving us a step into the future.
Members’ Day 2024, held at the RAD on 21 April, was a huge success, welcoming over 150 members on-site and 600 members remotely from around the world.
Karen Hauer, star of Strictly Come Dancing, gave an energetic Latin masterclass, while artists from Jasmin Vardimon Company explored dance and virtual reality. Members also enjoyed performances from SYNC (the RAD’s Step Into Dance Company), English National Ballet School and Jordan James Bridge of Studio Wayne McGregor.
The day saw a variety of informative and inspiring workshops on topics including: musicality, contemporary dance with Rambert Grades, teaching Silver Swans, yoga and stress management and Character dance.
Insightful panel conversations and presentations on the power of language(see ‘In other words’ ) in this issue, injury prevention and the RAD brand, and the RAD’s 87th AGM was held during the day. There was even a chance to see what an RAD exam from 1923 would have looked like!
Among the highlights of the day were the first-ever RAD Awards recognising the contributions of RAD teachers. Congratulations to Rebecca Yates (Dance for Wellbeing Award), Mariah-Jane Thies (Innovation in Dance Award), Marta Comas Utiel (Championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award) and Natalie Hall (Community Engagement Dance Teacher Award). Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Dance awards have been presented to Paula Hunt, Margaret Graham-Hill and Virginia Parkinson.
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Workshops and events at Members’ Day. Photo: David Kaplowitz
People often tell cancer patients to rest, but is that always the best advice?
There’s more and more evidence to prove that’s the complete opposite of what you should do. You should be as active as possible. Some in the medical world are not always on board with that. One lady I’ve been teaching was told to rest for seven months after very tricky surgery. She got diabetes and was quite poorly as a result. There’s still a lot of education to be done.
When I got my diagnosis, I was reluctant to admit how active I was, because I didn’t want them to tell me to stop. I didn’t want to tell my surgeon that I was running a half marathon a few days before my surgery, but she said: that’s fantastic, well done!
Natalie receiving her Community Engagement Dance Teacher Award. Photo: David Kaplowitz
When did you start to connect your recovery with dance?
I carried on working throughout all my treatments. We had ballet exams at my school in London, so I did that all through chemotherapy. In front of the children, I would wear different coloured wigs, which they loved. I was very active – dancing, running. That joy of dance and moving my body helped me massively, and I realised that I was faring a lot better than friends I’d made in chemo. They were suffering and there’s me turning up with my running numbers still on from a race!
Afterwards, I thought I would like to do something to help other people dance safely. Dance is such a fun thing: you can just put some music on and have a boogie in your kitchen – the endorphins you feel are priceless. I approached a cancer training programme, and told them about my dream of getting everybody dancing. Training to be a Cancer Exercise Specialist was the best thing I could have done – I learned so much.
What do you have to consider when teaching dance to cancer patients?
There’s lots to consider, but generally, cancer patients are only seen as a medium risk. There are some limitations, and a range of unique issues for every single person, because each cancer is quite different. In breast cancer, there’s often damage to the shoulder after surgery, so we do a big warm up for the shoulders. If people have had their lymph nodes removed, it can cause lack of mobility, so we do stretches in order to move more freely.
Natalie and Poppy Barnes (front) with their ballet class. Photo: RAD
Is the effect on mental wellbeing as important as the physical benefits?
I think the wellbeing effect is actually the most beneficial. The overwhelming response I hear is that it’s brought people some joy in a dark part of their lives. Some have even said they always dreamt about dancing but never would have had the guts to go to a normal adult class. There’s a sense of unity – people don’t feel judged or intimidated, they feel empowered. We laugh a lot, especially when I get things wrong – like most people who go through cancer treatment, I suffer from cancer related cognitive impairment, also known as chemo brain. If I forget what I’m doing, the class corrects me – we giggle because we’re all going through it together. My assistant, Poppy Barnes, is also an RAD teacher. She’s incredible, and she gets every bit perfect.
Has working with the RAD been important?
To be at the Royal Academy of Dance is a real treat for everybody, because it’s not in a cancer setting. When the dancers come into the building they feel so special. It’s very inspiring.
Where did the name Fireflies come from?
My dance school is called Fireflies. We promote better mental health through dance, so when it came to the adults, I thought: this is perfect, because you can find so much light, even in a dark situation. One of our ladies got a firefly tattoo on her ankle, and she’s trying to get us all to do it!
Was ballet always part of your life?
Yes. I was poor growing up, but my mum took me to dance three times a week, which was my light in the darkness. I was very shy, but I would go to dance and felt I could do anything. My teacher was strict but very kind to me, and I’ll never forget that.
Do you feel your life divides into before and after your diagnosis?
Very much. It feels like a new you is born the day that you get the diagnosis. Not necessarily a worse you, but a different you.
When I got cancer, I just thought it has to be for some good. I couldn’t just go back to my old life, I had to do something. Recently, I got a secondary cancer diagnosis but I’m still dancing. The hospital told me about a treatment trial called the FAIM trial. So, obviously, we were all dancing to the music from Fame in my class before I went into the hospital wearing my leg warmers! I’ll just keep going, keep dancing, keep smiling. It makes a massive difference.
Jasmin Vardimon is an Israeli-born choreographer. Founded in 1998, Jasmin Vardimon Company has been a leading force in British dance theatre for over 20 years, noted for its challenging and visually arresting productions.
The best advice I ever receivedAND the advice I would pass on
• Never restrict your curiosity, and always continue to feed it.
• Explore and learn new territories, abilities, and approaches.
• Find your own independent answers.
Jasmin Vardimon’s ALiCE. Photo: Tristram KentonVardimon Company workshop at RAD Members’ Day. Photo: David Kaplowitz
Jasmin Vardimon Company took part in Exploring Repertoire: Alice in Wonderland at the RAD in London on 1 and 2 June.
You’re a writer, activist, role model – you’re even a Barbie! But do you still think of yourself foremost as a dancer?
Yes, I would say that dancer is at the top. I wouldn’t be the person that I am or have the opportunities that dance has afforded me if I weren’t a dancer. It plays into everything that I do, with this mission and goal which is to bring dance and ballet to more people and to have a conversation about the lack of diversity in ballet.
Joy can sometimes be corrected out of ballet – how do you hold onto it?
No one’s ever pointed that out before but it’s true. I was in an atmosphere where my teacher saw my talent and nurtured it and made sure that I was protected. There was of course negativity and racism happening around me, but I think because I had such a positive experience it became something more to me.
The only experience in my almost 25-year professional career where I’ve experienced nerves to the point of not being able to physically do what I needed to do was the first time I performed Odette-Odile in Swan Lake. So many generations of Black women have been told: you will never be the Swan Queen, you will never be able to fit into Swan Lake. So all of that was in the back of my mind when all of a sudden at 32 years old – which is ancient in ballet! – I was given the opportunity to perform the role. I was trying to undo the generational trauma of Black dancers before me who were told they couldn’t be a part of this. I really had to dig deep. I started seeing a sports psychologist to deal with a performance anxiety that I’d never experienced my whole career and it was all around that expectation.
Misty Copeland meeting RAD members in 2018. Photo: David Tett
Do you enjoy passing on your experience to new generations of dancers?
It’s not something I ever imagined I would do, but I feel like it’s our duty – not just in ballet or as women but as human beings – to pass on our experiences to the next generation so they can be more than us. It’s never even been a thought in my mind that I wouldn’t share what I’ve gone through. The work that I’m trying to do within the ballet community is to make it a more inviting, inclusive space. I’ll be doing that work for as long as I’m here.
Nine years ago you became the first female African-American Principal at American Ballet Theatre. Were you prepared for the reaction that news caused?
[The public interest] was so bizarre to me. You could feel it palpitating in the audiences. That season I was promoted, I had performed Swan Lake for the first time earlier in the year in Australia but I hadn’t performed it in America, at our home in the Metropolitan Opera House. The New York Times was coming to review it, which doesn’t typically happen for a first timer typically. There was all this expectation and it was overwhelming. But I was promoted early in the afternoon when I was due to go right into rehearsals and I was performing that night. My phone was exploding but I’m like, I’m rehearsing. Leave me alone, I’ve got work to do!
Does ballet help shut out the noise that can surround you?
That is so dead on. It’s a really helpful tool. This is why I wanted to start the Be Bold program through my foundation. Because I know there are so many children who have similar experiences to mine as a young person, or who are in atmospheres where there’s they’re not being nurtured in any way. There’s so much going on in their outside lives or in school. So to have this one place where you can let go and be free, be creative and find joy – with a support system and someone who cares – that to me is the real core of why I wanted to start this program. It’s what ballet has brought to me. I’ve had a lot of obstacles along the way and it’s been really challenging, but it’s what I think has saved me in so many ways.
Copeland with young dancers in New York. Photo: courtesy of Madison Square Boys & Girls Club
You’ve done so much – would your younger self have expected any of this?
Oh my gosh. No way. Absolutely not. I saw dance as a way out, a way to grow and to have more happiness in my life. But I didn’t think that it would ever reach these heights. I give so much credit to my first ballet teacher Cynthia Bradley. Months after I had started dancing with her, she said to me one day: ‘Misty, you’re going to dine with kings and queens and dance all over the world on the most important stages.’ I remember looking at her like, she is off her rocker. But she had a vision and she saw potential. I’ve always been so grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to dance and I’ve done as much as I can with the opportunity.
Why does dance matter to you?
Dance matters to me because it has been essential in shaping who I am as a person and who I will continue to be.
Artwork: Bex Glendining
Why Dance Matters
Why Dance Matters is the RAD’s podcast – a series of conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Misty Copeland launces the new season of on Why Dance Matters, the RAD’s podcast, on 13 June. Other guests this season include Kenyan ballet teacher Michael Wamaya and breakdancing opera star Josef Jakub Orlinksi. Please do listen and subscribe.
Powerful, profound and deeply moving. I was introduced to this work by an important mentor of mine and later created a ballet to this music for BalletX in Philadelphia.
2 A Case of You by Joni Mitchell
I adore Joni Mitchell: the simplicity, poetry and honesty. Her body of work seems to be filled with a nuance and wisdom from a life fully lived.
3 My Way by Frank Sinatra
This is a piece of music that I have listened to throughout all the seasons of my life. The lyrics and the delivery say it all.
4 Sea Interludes by Benjamin Britten
Peter Grimes was one of the first operas I ever saw and I remember the first time I heard the Four Sea Interludes, I felt it would be perfect for a new ballet. Years later a close friend reminded me about them and I subsequently created a new piece for the Royal Ballet School that became my first work performed on the ROH main stage.
5 Songbird by Eva Cassidy
An artist gone far too soon. The unaffected purity, beauty of her voice and rare capacity to interpret a range of work, as if it was always written just for her. Timeless.
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Andrew McNicol’s Upstream (National Ballet of Portugal). Photo: Yaron Abulafia
Signatures (Junior Ballet Antwerp). Photo: Filip Van Roe
