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.
LOOK
Andrew McNicol’s Upstream (National Ballet of Portugal). Photo: Yaron Abulafia
Signatures (Junior Ballet Antwerp). Photo: Filip Van Roe
At the end of last year we launched a new set of values for the RAD, created through workshops with colleagues and members.
We are: Creative Innovators Champions of Wellbeing Exceptional Together Open to All Happy To Help
There’s so much in each of them but today I’d like to talk about ‘Happy To Help.’ As we embark on this journey together, I want to share not only what this value means for our organisation but also how it resonates with me personally.
At the core of ‘Happy To Help’ lies a simple yet profound ethos: the joy of service. It’s about cultivating a culture where every interaction, task and moment is infused with a genuine eagerness to support and uplift one another. This is not just about fulfilling obligations, but embracing the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
For me, this means leading by example. Whether lending an ear to a colleague or rolling up my sleeves to tackle a challenge alongside my team, I strive to embody the spirit of service in everything I do. A quote from Laura Ashley has always resonated with me: ‘we don’t want to push our ideas on to customers, we simply want to make what they want.’ I believe this ethos should permeate every aspect of the RAD from our colleagues to our members.
From our teams assisting students at HQ to our teachers all over the world going above and beyond to ensure every student feels supported, this value serves as our guiding light. Putting members first is paramount because you are the lifeblood of the RAD. By prioritising your needs, we build on the long-term relationships that have made us who we are for over 100 years. A boss once told me, ‘do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.’ I totally believe this. It’s vital that we make sure members feel valued and heard – not just because that’s how to build a successful business but because it’s the right thing to do. This approach drives innovation, striving to anticipate and exceed expectations. Ultimately, prioritising customers is not about increasing revenue; it creates meaningful connections and delivers genuine value, the foundations of any great organisation.
‘A boss once told me: do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do’
Being ‘Happy To Help’ is not just about responding to needs; it’s about proactively seeking ways to make a difference. We’re constantly looking at ways to help members in this fast-changing world. Dance and dance teachers wield a transformative power that extends far beyond the studio walls. The art of movement nurtures individuals to become the best versions of themselves. Dance instils invaluable life skills: teamwork, perseverance and confidence. Dance teachers are both mentors and role models, guiding students towards self-discovery and personal growth. Your dedication and passion not only shape skilled dancers but also compassionate, empathetic individuals who contribute positively to society. In a world often marred by division, the transformative impact of dance shines brightly. It’s our job at the RAD to help you in that.
We haven’t always met the mark in providing exemplary customer care, and there’s still a considerable distance to travel. We’re dedicated to learning from our missteps, refining our processes and enhancing our commitment to serving you better. Your feedback fuels our determination to evolve and exceed your expectations. Your trust in us is invaluable, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to earn it anew each day.
With ‘Happy To Help’ as our guiding light, let’s choreograph a future filled with unity, support and boundless possibilities.
When we began the RAD podcast in 2021, with the UK still in lockdown, we had no idea if it would work. Could we make a podcast? Would anyone appear on it? Would anyone listen?
We lucked out with our producer, Sarah Myles: creative, patient and very encouraging (and very fond of pets, an invaluable icebreaker for several guests). Sarah made the unknown seem less scary. When we sought a title, she asked, ‘what’s the podcast about?’ I guess it’s about why dance matters, I replied. ‘Well that’s your title,’ she said.
Our first season launched with Xander Parish, and his astonishing journey from neglect in the corps de ballet to renowned principal dancer. Subsequent landmark dancers have included Darcey Bussell, Carlos Acosta, Tiler Peck and David Hallberg. We’ve also met star choreographers, RAD teachers and students, and people from other fields whose lives have been indelibly shaped by dance. All people to whom dance matters on a fundamental level.
Working on Why Dance Matters has been so fulfilling; the generous-spirited guests and immensely collaborative team help.
But more than that, it’s been the opportunity to tap into people’s passions, hear their stories, share their joys and fears. We have been welcomed into intimate conversations which use dance as a prism for the things that matter to us all – expression, confidence, community.
Since the launch, we’ve had over 28,000 downloads from listeners in over 100 countries, been ranked the UK’s top dance podcast, and received heart-warming appreciation from very kind listeners (plus the person who pointed out that my laugh was unbearable. Sorry!).
Marking our 50th episode is a conversation with Olga Smirnova. One of the world’s great ballerinas – her recent Gisellewas broadcast to international cinemas in January – she made headlines in 2022 with a courageous, life-changing decision to leave Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet, where she had spent her career, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Olga Smirnova in Raymonda at Dutch National Ballet. Photo: Altin Kaftira
Two years on, Smirnova has found a new home at Dutch National Ballet. Here are highlights of a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation:
Dancing in the smartphone age Now that smartphone cameras are everywhere, each one of your performances is recorded and posted on social networks. You are conscious that you will be seen by millions of internet users, and this recording will live forever. This is a new era of being a ballerina.
Starting ballet I do not come from a ballet family, and my family was not wealthy enough to take their kids to a ballet performance. I didn’t dream of becoming a ballerina – gradually, I learned the endless beauty and harmony of ballet.
Stagefright I’ve never felt fear of the stage. Never. Later, when you are a ballerina and people expect to see some quality from you, of course there is some pressure. But once I do the first step, I become very calm. I’m just enjoying being on stage and being my character, and I’m not nervous anymore.
Leaving Russia The decision was obvious for me, so this made it easier. But of course it meant huge changes. I never lived in a foreign country before. A new language, new country, new traditions, new company – all of that was a big challenge. But I was lucky to find great support – I can confidently say that Dutch National has become my home.
Contact with former Bolshoi colleagues Not many, just with a few people. I think they feel weird not to be able to tour or share their experience with the world, or have choreographers coming to work with them. But people don’t want to talk about it, or might be afraid to share their honest opinion.
Why does dance matter? I like to think about my body as a tool, which helps to reveal and express different emotions and share these emotions with the audience. I believe that the more people share their emotions with one another, the better they understand one another, which helps create a better and more harmonious world. Art helps us find the inspiration to exist – I just want to share this inspiration with the world.
Five favourite guests from Why Dance Matters
Xander Parish Our launch episode featured the former Genée medallist, then a principal at the Mariinsky Ballet. Xander’s resilience is inspiring – like Olga Smirnova, he has now left Russia, and is now with Norwegian Ballet. LISTEN >
Guddi Singh The very first episode we recorded: Guddi, a doctor and broadcaster who described how dance had impacted her work and her own mental health, showed us how we might open a window on life beyond dance LISTEN >
Benjamin Zephaniah The beloved poet and performer died last year. I’m pleased we could tell him how much his work impacted on generations of readers and listeners. LISTEN >
Alice Oseman It was lovely to hear the creator of Heartstopper share how much they owed to their dance teacher mum and early classes. LISTEN >
Jennifer White Speaking to the choreographer of Barbie (whose dancing life began with RAD classes) after the movie opened was a buzz – especially hearing how Ryan Gosling requested ever more silly moves. LISTEN >
In December, the Royal Academy of Dance launched RAD Leadership Training, an exciting initiative which uses the power and influence of movement to help corporate leaders take their leadership skills to the next level.
Designed for high potential and senior executive leaders in the corporate sector, the programme will initially be delivered by Movement in Practice, an educational platform designed by dance psychologist, Dr Peter Lovatt.
Drawing on the parallels between business and dance, RAD Leadership Training’s creatives and academics will utilise their expertise in dance education and training to help participants unlock their version of high performance, giving them renewed confidence in abilities to confront challenges, achieve sustained performance and cultivate potential in others.
Dr Michelle Groves at the launch. Photo David Tett
Leadership lessons at the RAD. Photo: David Tett
The programme was launched with an event sponsored by London Women’s Forum (LWF), the networking and thought leadership platform for senior female executives in the financial services sector in London and beyond. Power in Motion coincided with the LWF’s 20th anniversary and was attended by members and partners of LWF and other executives from the corporate and dance sectors.
Power in Motion also featured an insightful presentation by Dr Michelle Groves, RAD Director of Education, explaining how to harness the power of stillness. An inspiring session followed with Dame Darcey Bussell, giving a personal account of how she handled her career change and transition. Participants were then treated to an excerpt from The Nutcracker by English National Ballet’s Precious Adams in the RAD’s Aud Jebsen Studio Theatre.
Precious Adams performs in the Aud Jebsen Studio Theatre. Photo: David Tett
‘The power of dance is something I have believed in for some time,’ said Jane Karczewski, Chair of LWF Board, ‘being a dancer from a young age. This special event gave others the opportunity to experience the transformative power of dance and movement and how this can be applied in the business world.’ Tim Arthur, RAD Chief Executive, added, ‘beyond the art form itself, we envisage a future where the principles ingrained in dance education become pillars for effective leadership – the leadership that fosters innovation, empathy and inclusivity.’
What first drew you toRambert Grades? I wanted a contemporary syllabus that would support my students as I believed it should. The syllabi that were out there were very rigid and stuck in time. I was concerned that they weren’t very reflective of contemporary, which is this evolving, breathing, changing thing. I tried to create something holistic myself, that would advance kids technically, but also allow the creative exploration that I felt was so important. It went well but it was just me. As soon as I heard whispers about Rambert Grades, I absolutely knew that was what I needed and jumped on board. It is everything I hoped for. The syllabus is reflective and encapsulates all of the history but it’s evolving, just like contemporary dance.
How have your students taken to Rambert Grades? The structure makes sense to them. My students primarily come from a ballet background and are familiar with the process of exams. They look forward to exams, because they like that structure and the reward at the end. The second thing is the ownership they have over the material. Because the music isn’t set, we work collaboratively to find a playlist that they love, and, they get to choose the exercises and film their exam. They have a voice.
For ballet dancers, contemporary dance can develop the creative choices that they make. Then, when they come into their ballet class, they’re already thinking very openly and broadly. It also helps on a technical level, and emotionally being able to connect with the joy of movement. I find that the two work hand in hand together.
Holly Pooley leads a Rambert Grades workshop. Photo: Belinda Strodder
Is Rambert Grades building a community of teachers? There’s so much support for the teachers, and they carry you along each step of the way.
How do you use the material by leading choreographers like Hofesh Shechter and Alesandra Seutin who contribute to the syllabus? There are three strands: Technical, Creative and Performance. Within the Performance strand is a solo that the student performs, a different solo for every grade. They all are so beautiful and link together. At the moment, there are two separate streams – you can choose the Hofesh stream or the Alesandra stream, depending on the dancer and what type of music they enjoy. Both choreographers are so grounded, really connected with musicality and rhythm.
What was your own dance journey? I fell in love with ballet very early on, and progressed through RAD levels here in Perth. I did dabble in a little bit of contemporary, but I was a ballet kid. I ended up the other side of the world at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, UK, which was a huge plunge. When I graduated, I realised that my passion was in teaching. I loved contemporary because it’s so inclusive and it can involve so many practices of pedagogy.
What has Rambert Grades given you as a teacher? It’s made me a lot calmer. I feel supported, and it’s made me think differently. One thing I love is how accessible its language is: the terms are very anatomical. If you use that same kind of mindset in ballet, you get different qualities out of the students. It’s allowed me to explore different teaching practices to help the students improve and achieve a broader range of outcomes.
What would you say to any RAD teachers who are curious about Rambert Grades? I’d describe the unique opportunities that the syllabus provides in terms of its thinking: its inclusivity and individuality makes both the students and you stronger. The RAD syllabus already asks teachers to be creative and develop their own training exercises. RAD ballet teachers are incredible, and Rambert Grades draws on skills they already have.
Rambert Grades Created in a landmark collaborative partnership between Rambert dance company and Rambert School, Rambert Grades is a progressive and inclusive contemporary dance syllabus. It was created by some of the most dynamic and relevant voices of contemporary dance in the UK. Training is accessible to all ages, abilities and bodies regardless of prior experience of formal dance training. Across 11 qualifications, Rambert Grades teachers are taught to promote a safe environment for students to develop lifelong skills.
The collaboration with the Royal Academy of Dance provides RAD Members across the world the benefit of discounted membership with Rambert Grades. Learn more at https://www.rambertgrades.com/rad-global
What was it like to hear Darcey Bussell announce your name as the gold medallist?
Every time I do a competition, I always think it’s a performance. I don’t necessarily think about the competition aspect, because then it becomes more pressurised and I always end up doing worse. So I wasn’t expecting anything, to be completely honest – because it’s the Fonteyn! It was scary, having to stand in front of so many people and bow and accept something so lovely. I didn’t necessarily know how to put it into words, because it’s just a very odd feeling. It’s very surreal and lovely.
Before the final, your father said you would probably be quiet and trying to focus. Is that right?
My dad knows me a bit too well! That was spot on. Before going on stage, you have to just block everyone out. I watched everyone, which was lovely, like a bunch of different variations – so when it came to my bit, I was like: this is my time to tell part of the story, this is my time to entertain people. I don’t take myself seriously – but I take this job seriously, this craft and art. Out of respect for everybody there, all the people that have bought tickets, my teachers and family getting me here and supporting me, I feel like it’s my job to get myself in that zone. So it’s not just me doing this on my own.
Jakob Wheway Hughes’ classical solo at The Fonteyn. Photo: Martin Bell
How easy is it to make classical technique your own?
I’ve always trained in several styles: jazz, ballet, contemporary, neoclassical, tap, loads of different things. I’ll take different aspects of different things and fuse them into my ballet. Learning everything is overwhelming, but you can’t lose yourself in the technique. I’ve got teachers and people around me that will tell me, Listen, you’ve got a soul in there. You can’t just turn into a robot lifting their legs up.
At The Fonteyn there were young dancers from all over the world, and coaches seeing you for the first time – how was that experience?
I decided to treat the first half of the week as a summer school and just enjoy it and get as much out of it as I could. The faculty were lovely, and I made such good friends. We were all trying to keep afloat, work together and enjoy it properly. It was such a nice experience.
Being with these new coaches was a breath of fresh air because they were an objective eye. They didn’t know who you were, or any of the technical features you possess. All they were looking for was the energy you gave off and how comfortable you were to watch. We did one rehearsal with Endalyn T Outlaw who was so lovely and warm. She said to me, calm it down. Whatever happens in performance is what happens, you can’t change it. Think of it as just a different version of the dance. It calmed me down, and I was able to do it the best I’d ever done, because it was a completely different correction to any I’d had before.
Judges and medallists at The Fonteyn. Photo: Martin Bell
How did dance start for you?
We’ve always been a very creative and athletic family, so we’d try everything. As a two year old, I used to spin around and kick my legs up in the air. I only properly started wanting to do ballet at the age of 10. It’s a comfortable place for me, where I can keep pushing myself to be the best version of myself I can be.
Why does dance matter to you?
It matters because art is important. Art matters. Also, it keeps us all connected, as a whole human race. Anybody can dance, even if it’s just dancing in your kitchen when you’re washing up the dishes. It’s a really great way of expressing oneself. If I’m sad, then I can dance. If I’m insanely happy, I can dance. Even if I’m feeling anger, which is very rare, I can dance. It’s a unique thing, and you can find yourself through it.
Jakob Wheway Hughes with judges Aaron S Watkin, Dame Darcey Bussell and Amanda Britton. Photo: Martin Bell
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. The latest season also includes Aaron S Watkin, Fonteyn judge and artistic director of English National Ballet, choreographers Pam Tanowitz and Drew McOnie, and the actor Nina Wadia. Please do listen and subscribe.
Conducting always demands for you to give yourself entirely, but whenever I conduct – or even just listen to – Beethoven 7 I am always overcome by the inexorable energy and incredible vibrant freshness in this music. It makes every fibre in my body want to dance, and I challenge anyone not to feel the same way when they hear it! No wonder Wagner called this symphony ‘the apotheosis of dance.’
2 The ending of Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet
2022 was my year of Romeo: MacMillan’s at the Royal Ballet, Cranko’s in Australia, and a stunning production by Veronica Paeper in South Africa. I managed to persuade Laura to marry me in Cape Town, and the Australian Ballet to employ me during the Cranko, so Romeo will always have a special place in my heart. I must have done the piece nearly 40 times in that year, and every time we got to the ending it would turn me into an emotional wreck. Isn’t it just the saddest C major in the history of music? Listen in particular to the last few bars, and to how the harmony resolves. Now listen to Bernstein’s West Side Story: there wouldn’t be one without the other!
3 Erbarme dich from JS Bach’s Matthäus-Passion
It seems a cliché to say that music and dance have always gone together, but for Bach I think music is always danced, often to surprisingly emotive effect. This is why his music, together with so many of the Baroque masters, holds such appeal for choreographers. The St Matthew Passion is one of my desert island pieces. It is a masterpiece of drama and I wish somebody would make a full length ballet of it. I love how melody and the harmony of this aria grabs at your heart, but the dance within it means that there is something visceral about one’s response.
4 The Ice Hotel by Stacey Kent
As a conductor, an amateur pilot, and also growing up with families scattered all around the world, I have been very fortunate to have travelled a lot. Honestly, it never gets any less exciting. I love all of Stacey Kent’s songs, and especially her collaboration with Kazuo Ishiguro. Ice Hotel is one of the songs they penned together, and it will always ignite my wanderlust, taking me at the drop of the first piano notes to far-flung places around the globe.
5 A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, arr Callum Au and sung by Michael Bublé
I love jazz standards, and I love Bublé (though I think he should be banned at Christmas). Growing up in the UK as an immigrant from Hong Kong, London has always held this sense of romance for me and this song preserves and enhances it for my hopelessly romantic self. This particular version was arranged and orchestrated by my dear friend Callum Au, who is one of the most talented people I know. As a composer and arranger he works with some of the best in the world, but I keep thinking how he would write a really fine ballet one day…
WATCH
Jonathan Lo discusses the music of Swan Lake with Australian Ballet artistic director David Hallberg
