1/ You came to dance at the Paris Opera even though your parents are originally from Japan and New Zealand; could you tell us more about how you ended up at the Paris Opera?
It's quite simple: it's been a childhood dream ever since I was a little girl. I started dancing in Japan, and over there, performances in Paris are something very special. Opera was a dream because I'd witnessed the craze since childhood, watching dance films on TV and recordings that one of my mother's friends used to give me, especially original interpretations like Cinderella with Sylvie Guillem and Charlie Jude. Dance became inseparable from opera. It was more than just an artistic expression, it was also the costumes, the ballets, an artistic whole.
Afterwards, even though I could have chosen a career in Australia, I always knew that my ultimate dream was to dance at the Paris Opera. It was as if the decision had already been made since I was a child. I took the external competition, came third and then second, won fixed-term contracts twice, before finally being hired on a permanent basis.
2/ What influences from your artistic upbringing in Asia/Oceania do you keep here when you dance?
Dancing has always been a pleasure for me, it's natural and enriching. The fact that I come from a very athletic family certainly had an influence on my choices, but dance has always been a passion.
My artistic education in Australia was exceptional. I had teachers influenced by Russian technique, experienced dancers, and even a Chinese teacher who pushed us a lot technically. The school's director, Marilyn Rowe, was also a major influence, having worked with Nureyev. She passed on her love of dance to me, and I unconsciously developed a taste for Nureyev's style.
When I arrived in Paris, I realized my dream of dancing at the Opéra. Today, I cherish every moment spent acting and dancing, and I'm very inspired by my current coaches. Perhaps there's a touch of nostalgia for that little part of me that would have loved to have been in the studio with Nureyev, at least once.
3/ Today, do you feel a singularity in your dancing style within the Paris Opera Ballet?
When I arrived, I didn't have the French dance school training and technique at all, so my dancing was really different then. Today, I think I've preserved the teachings and experience I gained at the school, but I've also managed to effectively integrate the elements specific to the Paris Opera Ballet.
One of the reasons I chose to come to the Opéra was to become a dancer in the image of those who were already here. I watched carefully, listened carefully to the teachers' advice and worked hard. I didn't want to remain a tourist in this world for the rest of my life. Today, I think I've managed to integrate well, at least I hope I have, into the Paris Opéra company.
4/ In 2015, you rapidly rose to prominence through the various classical roles you performed, such as Odette in Swan Lake, Paquita or Gamzatti in La Bayadère ; a development that earned you the AROP prize that same year. What an accolade! How did you feel about this turning point in your career?
It was extremely encouraging for me, especially as a young dancer at the time. I hadn't yet had the opportunity to shine in many roles, nor to be heavily exposed. Receiving the AROP award that year was a source of great confidence for me. It was a sign of recognition not only from the Opera audience, but also from the AROP community and the ballet world.
This moment marked the beginning of a feeling of deep integration. It was as if I had been officially accepted as a true dancer within this prestigious institution. Of course, I understand that a dancer's worth is not measured by awards alone, but for me, coming from the outside, it was a significant experience to feel so accepted and recognized.
5/ You have nearly 50k followers on Instagram, and a lot of young people follow you. How do you view social networks and their influence in relation to your profession?
Social networks don't influence my dancing or my daily artistic life. It's more a platform where I share photos and short excerpts with my subscribers, but also with my family and friends. I don't reveal every aspect of my life, as it's crucial for me to preserve this intimacy in my work. So I choose not to share everything, to avoid giving the public a truncated vision of dance. Above all, I try to capture and share living moments.
It's also a practical way of announcing our performance dates, and a facility for maintaining an exchange with the public, although I don't use social networks as a tool. It came in very handy during Covid when we couldn't dance in public.
But for me, dance is something very different, live performance offers a unique experience that can't be replaced.
Although social networks can be used professionally to gain a little more exposure, I'm not always convinced of this approach. However, I see it as a benevolent way of sharing with the public, bringing a little pleasure to those who can't always attend live performances.
6/ You recently became Étoile de l'Opéra de Paris, one of the few dancers to have received the three most prestigious international dance awards, the Prix Benois de la Danse, Gold Medal at the Varna Competition and Prix de Lausanne. This is the ultimate achievement for any dancer, I imagine.
Right now, I'm really happy. In reality, the work remains the same for me, and the demands don't change at all. I'm convinced by the way I work, and my curiosity remains intact, so I'm always open to new opportunities. This title gives me easier access to the roles I want to play.
I'm 30 now, which is still young, but I feel a kind of maturity. Looking back, I realize that I've already completed half my career, but as a Star, I'm looking ahead to the second half, and looking forward to this new phase of my life.
As for my future motivations, there are so many roles I can't wait to tackle. Giselle is one of them, a role I'd really like to dance, and I feel ready. However, there are a multitude of other ballets I'm keen to explore, and I'm also keen to meet choreographers. All in all, there are a variety of challenges and opportunities that inspire and motivate me for the rest of my career. I can hardly wait!
7/ Can you describe what goes through your mind when you dance, particularly in that in-between state between technique and emotion?
Each step has a particular importance for me. However, I don't really think consciously about each movement. When I dance, it's always imbued with feeling, passion, or some form of expression. Nothing is done gratuitously; it depends on the context of the piece you're performing.
For example, in a more contemporary work where the story is not explicitly told, the physical aspect becomes more important to me. Sometimes this aligns with the body's breathing, the amplitude and rhythm of the music, which helps to create a certain fluidity of expression.
When performing a narrative ballet, the story itself becomes a powerful guide for conveying emotions through dance. Ultimately, steps that may seem ordinary take on a special meaning and become natural in the context of the performance.
8/ What is your relationship with music, both in your training and in your everyday life?
Music is of paramount importance to me; it's an essential dimension of the beauty of dance. For me, musicality is a fundamental quality of every dancer. I really enjoy listening to music, whether as part of my training or in my daily life.
When I'm preparing a specific ballet, I often immerse myself in the music that accompanies it. For example, before I danced in Jerome Robbins' program, I listened to the music from En Sol over and over again, which also helped me better understand the importance of musicality. Robbins' work really reinforced my belief that dance should sing the music with the body, creating a harmony where the dancer is not simply in the music, but an integral part of it. This is one of the most crucial things for me; a dancer devoid of musicality doesn't really make sense to me.
As for my musical preferences, I enjoy a wide variety of genres. However, I'm not particularly fond of violent styles like metal. On the whole, my relationship with music is eclectic, I listen to everything.
9/ If you could take on the features of a dance step, would you know which one and why?
Ah, that's funny, I could choose something extremely expressive like a grand jeté, because naturally, I have a high natural jump. At the same time, I could opt for something more delicate, like a little cat jump, because I'm a solid dancer, but at the same time, my physique allows me to float a little.
Some days, I'd feel like a grand jeté, and other days, maybe more like a pas de chat.
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Title: Hannah O'Neill
Copyright : © James Bort / OnP
