I’m six months into my first season at Ballett am Rhein, where I’ve been invited to become a ballet master. I’m really happy to work for this wonderful company and its new director Demis Volpi!

Something that makes this company really special is that the team is made up of very forward thinking people, and includes several people younger than the average demographic on the staff of ballet companies. While ballet is a very traditional art form, in order for it to survive in a functional and healthy way in the 21st century it needs fresh ideas and examination of how its working practices can be improved. This ranges from providing good support for dancers’ mental health, to offering realistic and nurturing ways for dancers to come back from pregnancy, to opening up the range of conversations around representation and diversity, and more!

The part that is really personal to me is queer female representation. As an openly queer woman I feel the need more than ever for this part of the LGBTQ+ community to have better representation in the ballet world. In my twenties I went through many years of feeling alone and like something was ‘wrong’ with me, as I found it near impossible to find any representation in the ballet world, off or on stage. Since starting work at Ballett am Rhein I have felt comfortable to express who I am, for the first time in the parts of my career that have taken place in ballet companies. I feel supported not only in my identity, but also in my desire to speak on the subject and help drive the wider change in the ballet world. I’m really grateful for this acceptance and support, and excited to see where the ballet world can go!