Life After Ballet

Last month one of classic ballet’s most prolific dancers Carlos Acosta announced his impending retirement. Acosta is due to choreograph and star in the Royal Ballet’s 2015/2016 season performing his ‘swan song’ Carmen before hanging up his ballet shoes at the age of 43. After a glittering career during which he has performed with the National Cuban Ballet, the English National Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet it is hard to see what such a successful dancer will do next.

Carlos Acosta is in the minority, having reached his 40s and still being able to perform to such a high standard. After an intense career ‘chained to the barre’ throughout their teens and early twenties most ballet dancers are forced to retire by their mid-30s; often without any formal qualifications. The career transition therefore, is a difficult one. As American modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham said: ‘a dancer dies twice- once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful’. The skills, energy and enthusiasm acquired during their training are a great help and many ex-ballet dancers continue to work behind the scenes once they have left the stage. Pamela May, Alexandra Danilova and Lysette Darsonval are just three examples of ballerinas who went on to teach, while Merle Park, Elisabeth Platel, Monica Mason and Violette Vedy have continued their involvement in the ballet by taking on administrative roles.

Despite their wealth of talent the majority of ballet dancers have faded into obscurity after untying their Pointe shoes. One of the most famous ballerinas of all time, Margot Fonteyn, became a cattle farmer after retiring in 1979. Three British ballerinas however, have proven that there is life after ballet. The first, Moira Shearer, followed up her stage career with an illustrious movie career; famously starring in Powell and Pressburger’s The Red Shoes (1948). Deborah Bull on the other hand, embarked on a career in journalism and broadcasting, sitting on boards at the BBC, South Bank Center and Arts Council as well as running the Royal Opera House alongside Tony Hall. She is currently the head of the Cultural Institute at Kings College, London. Perhaps the most celebrated ballerina since Fonteyn however, is Darcey Bussell. After retiring in 2007 and failing to break into the film industry she became a household brand putting her name to a line of children’s clothing and publishing a series of ballet storybooks. Bussell’s fame however, stems as much from her role on Strictly Come Dancing as her life on stage. As well as contributing to the rising popularity of dancing as part of the TV programme she has also sought to encourage greater involvement in dancing through her capacity as President of the Royal Academy of Dance. She is currently working on the RAD’s Dance for Lifelong Wellbeing project and is an active patron of the Dance Proms, which Dancewear Central is also proud to support.

Although it is still hard to resurrect oneself after retiring from ballet, as these three ballerinas have proven it is perfect possible not only to have a successful career but to continue to contribute to the world of dance. As the popularity of dance rises and we see more ex-ballerinas, such as Wayne Sleep who featured in Channel 4’s Big Ballet, on TV it will hopefully become more and more easy for spectacular dancers such as Carlos Acosta to continue their careers beyond the last curtain call.