Every family has their traditions and since I can remember, my Mother and I have been going to see the Nutcracker Ballet during Christmas time, no matter what city we are in – together, or apart. One would think we would get bored seeing the same show on repeat, but the reality is that it’s never quite the same. The emotions change, the dancer’s change, the costumes change, you change, and in some ways, it’s a fresh story every time. It is showcases like these that continue to inspire the young and the old, even if the large majority of us knows that our first pair of ballet slippers can most likely be found in an attic somewhere having been worn a handful of times. For the English principal ballerina Francesca Hayward, however, those slippers have been very much put to use.
Francesca, known as Frankie to many, graduated from the Royal Ballet School, joined the Royal Opera House, and became a Principal in 2016. Her career boasts numerous roles, including performances as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Manon, Giselle, Cinderella, the Swan Queen in Swan Lake, and (you guessed it) The Nutcracker.
“My earliest memory of dance was literally dancing by myself in my grandparents’ living room and being totally convinced that I was onstage and performing to thousands of people,” recalls Francesca. “Even now, I just know that I understood it, and it just shows that dance was meant to be for me.”
Along the way certain inspirational figures spurred that little girl on her journey in becoming the pro we know today. Frankie recalls iconic dancers like Margot Fonteyn and Sylvie Guillem specifically, describing Fonteyn’s purity and Guillem’s strength and storytelling as captivating. “They nicknamed her (Guillem) ‘Mademoiselle Non’ because she would just say no, and I love that,” she shares, emphasising the importance of authenticity in the demanding world of ballet.
No matter who your role models are, a pre-show ritual is always specific to the individual. For Frankie, this usually involves meticulous planning with a bit of chaos. “I’m usually 5-10 minutes late for everything so I plan backward from the show… the chaos almost helps me get into the mindset,” she explains. Despite the nerves, she relies on music to relax and being around others to clear her mind. When asked what’s coming through her headphones she says simply: “The Velvet Underground”.
However, sometimes navigating the extremely competitive world of ballet and safeguarding mental health takes more than ceremoniously listening to “Sunday Morning”. Frankie emphasises the significance of grounded friendships; “With genuine friends in the company, they’re just normal people and amazing dancers; there’s no sense of ego, no grandeur, no delusion.” Such connections, she believes, enable genuine storytelling on stage, allowing the audience to relate profoundly especially in the Macmillan ballets, which she discloses to be her favourite.
For the aspiring ballerinas, Francesca advocates setting boundaries and preserving their authenticity amidst the pressures of the digital age. “Take a second, do less,” she advises. “Add a layer of mystery, you don’t have to do every TikTok and try to keep some of your life private”.
With fame in the ballet realm comes recognition in other worlds, which includes fashion. When I asked her about the shoot for this interview, the first thing she said was: “Did you see the shoes!? I basically had to be on point, like literally on my toes. I even had to put my toe pads inside the heel”. She went on to say that it was refreshing to not be in a tulle skirt with natural makeup because second to ballet, her true love is fashion and she often finds herself in vintage rabbit holes sorting through past collections to find that iconic piece. “When I get to go to some of the shows is where I just really love fashion,” she enthuses, highlighting Simone Rocha AW23 and Burberry SS24 as some of her favourites and the significance of music, experience and lighting in elevating fashion shows to theatrical events.
However, the most important show in her life still remains the same and Frankie is far from considering retirement. While reflecting on her past accomplishments, she embraces new challenges. “I’m looking forward to going back to that,” she says about her role in Swan Lake. “I’m really excited to sort of feel really on top of that ballet, which is so tough physically. I know I did a good job last time… but I know that I can do better and that excites me.”
What’s left to conquer, you might wonder? A show called “The Limit” which is based on the 2015 play “Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons” by Sam Steiner and will be showing at the Linbury Theatre. “Yeah, we totally readapted it. With this, I have lines as well as movement and it’s just me and Alex Campbell on stage for an hour,” she explains. “After doing the limit and touching on the acting side of things, I kind of feel like I want to explore it more. I don’t know what that means or how I will get there. I’ve done most of the things that I wanted to do in my career; it’s sort of what’s… what’s left is doing new things, new challenges,”.
Ballet finds not just an exquisite performer in Francesca Hayward, but a storyteller, a fashion icon, mentor, and an advocate for authenticity. She describes herself as polite, honest and “…a bit like a cat,” explaining jokingly that she likes affection, but wants to receive it on her own terms. From where we’re sitting, her story is not just a tale of triumph but an inspiring narrative of resilience and genuine artistry which continues to unfold as she dances through generations, capturing the affection of many, whether she likes it or not!
