Ep 6: Ashley Dean - First Artist of the Royal Ballet (UK)

Ashley Dean is a South African dancer and a First Artist at the
Royal Ballet in London, which is the premier ballet company in
the UK. 





I was just blown away by her love & talent for dancing, her
grit, her bravery in dropping out of school at the age of 15 in
pursuit of that dream, her love of family and unwavering trust
& faith in God no matter what came her way. 





Ashley, I’m in awe of you & feel so privileged to be able to
feature you on this podcast!





Who is Ashley Dean?


Ashley Dean grew up in Johannesburg, where all the little girls
did ballet as a hobby. But it was an international competition
she attended at the age of 15 that proved to be a turning point
for her. She realised that if she was serious, she would need to
put in a serious amount of hours practicing, and even dropping
out of school with no guarantee of even entering a ballet
company! 





English National Ballet


We talked about the experience of applying for ballet schools
& also the experience of moving all the way to London to be
with the English National Ballet.





And thereafter, how she got into the Royal Ballet and being on
the pilot scheme of the Aud Jebsen Dancers Program, which was a
complete miracle! 





Life at the Royal Ballet


The life of a professional ballerina is quite unlike any other
career I know of! And we talked in depth over:


Dealing with perfection, when it is something expected from
you every single day;

Handling the injuries & constant pain that are part and
parcel of a dancer’s life

The way she manages her diet given her strenuous
schedule; 

Balancing said career with her family life; 

How she got into the Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Program;

The magical backstage world that the audience never sees;

Her faith; and

How COVID-19 has impacted her & the ballet world. 






Bonus


Stick to the end of the interview to find out how you can get a
free backstage pass to the Royal Opera House!





Show notes


https://www.sothisismywhy.com/6