Central School of Ballet Post-Shoot Interview
The Importance of Social Dancing
August 8, 2019
71st Anniversary of the British Film Sensation ‘The Red Shoes’ Release.
September 6, 2019
Freed of London and Sister Company, Chacott have recently developed a new line of dancewear that has been created using prestigious fabrics and patterns from the renowned Liberty of London. We wanted to include a London based Ballet Company in the marketing campaign and decided to involve our long-time friends and collaborators over at the Central School of Ballet who were more than happy to support and allowed us to use some of their dancers as well as a studio space in their building for the shoot.
Whilst on location in the CSB’s headquarters in Farringdon, London, we had a few moments spare to speak with Ella Slingsby & Mayuko Suzuki about Ballet, the Campaign itself as well as the CSB and more!
How old were you when you first started Ballet?
Mayuko: 3
Ella: 3
Have you only ever done Ballet or everything?
Mayuko: Just Ballet
Ella: I did mostly Ballet but sometimes Jazz and a bit of a commercial.
What age did you decide you wanted to be a dancer?
Ella: I think I was around 10, I remember doing my Ballet solo at a festival and I won it and from then I just said I wanted to do this.
Mayuko: I was 16 when I chose to take the audition with Central
Mayuko, in your family are there many dancers?
Mayuko: No, I am the first!
Okay, so let’s talk about that as it’s a big decision! Where are you from?
Mayuko: Japan, Ibaraki prefecture, which is close to Tokyo.
Where did you audition?
Mayuko: In Tokyo.
What was that like for you?
Mayuko: I really enjoyed it, Heidi & Elia both did classes too.
For you to study Ballet, to pursue your career, you’ve had to leave home which is a big decision! Is it the first time you’ve lived away from home? Had you ever been to London before?
Mayuko: I had never lived away from home nor been to London before! I was worried about living in the UK and how the school might be when I arrived. But also I was so excited to be joining the school.
Mayuko: 3
Ella: 3
Have you only ever done Ballet or everything?
Mayuko: Just Ballet
Ella: I did mostly Ballet but sometimes Jazz and a bit of a commercial.
What age did you decide you wanted to be a dancer?
Ella: I think I was around 10, I remember doing my Ballet solo at a festival and I won it and from then I just said I wanted to do this.
Mayuko: I was 16 when I chose to take the audition with Central
Mayuko, in your family are there many dancers?
Mayuko: No, I am the first!
Okay, so let’s talk about that as it’s a big decision! Where are you from?
Mayuko: Japan, Ibaraki prefecture, which is close to Tokyo.
Where did you audition?
Mayuko: In Tokyo.
What was that like for you?
Mayuko: I really enjoyed it, Heidi & Elia both did classes too.
For you to study Ballet, to pursue your career, you’ve had to leave home which is a big decision! Is it the first time you’ve lived away from home? Had you ever been to London before?
Mayuko: I had never lived away from home nor been to London before! I was worried about living in the UK and how the school might be when I arrived. But also I was so excited to be joining the school.
There are a few Japanese dancers around the Central School of Ballet; did you know any of them before moving from Japan?
Mayuko: Yes I knew some of them from home before arriving here.
What about you Ella? Is this your first time staying away from home?
Ella: Yes it is, I’m from Lincoln which is around a 4 hour drive away.
So how was that for you? You’re training to be a professional dancer which is an incredibly stressful, busy thing to do! You have to be self-sufficient and organised, not only at school but also at home. How’s that been, what’s the hardest thing about living without mum and dad?
Ella: Probably cooking!
Mayuko: Yes, definitely cooking.
Ella: Also washing, which we do every Sunday and have to pay for as well.
Let’s talk a bit more about your audition Ella, is there a standout moment from your audition that you specifically remember?
Ella: I remember doing a piece of rep from Matthew Bourne. I do remember that, it was quite different as I originally thought we’d just do a Ballet and a bit of contemporary. So I liked how it went as it allowed us to perform and show a different side.
If you were giving advice to anyone who wanted to audition for a full time dance school, what advice would you want to give them?
Ella: I’d say, to listen to everything that your teacher says because you only get that time once, so really make the most of it and just work hard!
Mayuko: You need to be prepared for hard work; I didn’t expect such hard work until I came here.
What do you enjoy most about being at CSB? What do you enjoy most?
Ella: We both really like doing Jazz as it relaxes you. In the morning we start with Ballet and in the afternoon we are able to let go a bit by performing in Jazz classes.
How old were you both when you both started Pointe work?
Ella: I was 12 years old.
Mayuko: I was 11 years old.
Where did you go to get your first pair of Pointe shoes?
Ella: Mine was about a 45 minute drive from my house; I went to Dance Ministry in Sleaford. I was so excited, you build up to it so much as you are training Demi-Pointe for ages so when you get told you can move onto Pointe, it’s very exciting.
Mayuko: My old Ballet school in Japan was visited by Chacott staff that came to perform shoe fittings on us so we could get Pointe shoes.
What time do you start in the morning? How long is your day?
Ella: We start at 9am but we get here at 8am and finish around 5:30pm. But on Wednesdays & Fridays we go to Body Pump class at the CSB before Ballet and we have to arrive here at 7:30am for that.
So do you Ballet every day?
Ella: Yes, we go into Pointe and Pas de Deux in the morning and then in the afternoon its usually Contemporary and Jazz.
How was Pas de Deux the first time? Had you done it before you had arrived at CSB?
Ella: Mayuko had already done Pas de Deux before me and I hadn’t before arriving at CSB. It is a lot harder than it looks but I really enjoyed doing Pas de Deux.
Mayuko: I did it with my teachers back home in Japan. We did it in class with the boys and it was pretty hard as it was the first time experience for us all.
Do you have class on the weekend?
Ella: On Saturday we have class, Sunday is usually our sewing Pointe shoe day (and laundry). After school in the week we also go to the gym as much as we can to keep fit!
Who is your favourite dancer? Have you got the same or different?
Mayuko: I’ve got two favourite dancers, Yasmine Naghdi & Matthew Bourne; I saw them perform in the UK first. Of course they have perfect skills but I love the artistry.
I understand what you mean; I think they are good actors as well. Dancing isn’t just a technique; it is your song and expression. What is your dream dance role?
Mayuko: Mine would be Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty.
What about you Ella, who is your favourite dancer?
Ella: My favourite is Marianela Núñez, everything she does is just effortless. Her lines and everything are just so clean and strong.
What is your dream role?
Ella: Odette in Swan Lake.
Being at CSB, which teaches a variety of dance styles and has influence from the professional world with top teachers and choreographers coming in and working with the school. Has that changed your idea of what being a professional dancer is?
Ella: I think I’ve always had one set goal, which was to do Ballet always. Coming here has made me love it even more.
Mayuko: Same as Ella, I love Ballet.
It’s interesting, because some students who have never been to a full time dance school, they may have never done Jazz or Contemporary and suddenly it opens up a whole new world for them.
Ella: Yes, there are quite a few girls in our class who are more contemporary now but we still want to do Ballet.
There is nothing wrong with that! We’ve talked about what advice you would give to someone interested in auditioning at a full time dance school, what advice would you give for someone who wants to come to a full time dance school, is it as you expected?
Ella: It is harder then you originally think but you are so wrapped up in everything which just comes into place and you find yourself doing things you never thought you would be able to do.
And of course it’s exciting times as the school is moving into a purpose built building! What year will you guys be in when that move happens?
Ella: We will be in third year and will be the first Ballet Central in the new building hopefully!
Are you looking forward to being part of Ballet Central?
Ella: Yes! We watched them the other week and they were amazing.
When we did the photoshoot, had you ever done anything like that before? You can be honest, did you enjoy it?
Ella: It wasn’t my first time which was more poses, this was more Ballet but with still life shots but I enjoyed it!
Mayuko: The photoshoot was my first time, I was so nervous at first but I did enjoy it.
Being from Japan, the fact that it was a project from Chacott must have been very thrilling, have you told everyone at home? Are they excited?
Mayuko: I told everyone at home in my family, they were very excited to hear and look forward to seeing the release of the campaign and images!
I think it was a wonderful day and I know that the staff from Chacott were thrilled and blown away by how hard you guys worked and you took instructions very well. The final images look great and the leotards really suited you both on the day, I can’t wait to see the launch of the campaign either!
