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This month's dancer spotlight is shining brightly on Darcy Bussell! Many dancers dream of becoming professional one day, but for Dame Darcy Bussell her dream actually came true. Darcy Bussell is a retired English ballerina. She danced with the Royal Ballet in London and since 2012 Bussell has been the president of the Royal Academy of Dance.
Early life
As a child she spent some time in Australia before moving back to London where she would start her training. She attended the Arts Educational School where she studied all forms of stagecraft. At the age of 13 she joined the Royal Ballet Lower school and at 16 she progressed to the Royal Ballet upper School.
Career
While still in school Bussell was given a sophisticated leading role in a ballet performance which led her to move on to the Royal Ballet. A year later she was promoted to principal dancer, and at just 20 years old, was the youngest ever in the history of the company. She performed many classical roles throughout her career with the Royal Ballet, including princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, and the sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker.
Accomplishments
In total she performed more than 80 different roles and 17 were created for her. She retired from ballet on the 8th of June 2007 with a performance at the Royal Opera House in London. In 2012 she became the president of the Royal Ballet Academy of the Arts and in March of 2023 she was announced the first female chair of the Board of Trustees of Plymouth Theatre. Bussell also became a judge on Strictly Come Dancing from 2012 until 2019.
Darcy Bussell is said to be the most well known female ballet dancer of her time. Her success story has inspired so many to continue and pursue ballet. Her kind nature and brilliant artistry is what sets her apart from the crowd. She is truly considered to be an icon in the ballet world. Hopefully her talent and strength inspires you too!
If you’re feeling inspired to start your own ballet journey but not sure where to begin, then take a quick look at our timetable to check class times!
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