Lauren Cuthbertson – On Pointe
She is the Royal Ballet’s only British principal ballerina and, at 27, reaching her peak. Here, Lauren Cuthbertson reveals how her rise has been more like a fight for life in recent years than a twinkle toe fairy tale.
Lauren Cuthbertson is not making New Year’s resolutions for 2012. The principal ballerina says she’ll be happy if this year simply continues the way of the last 12 months.
And who could blame her? 2011 was a groundbreaking year for the Devon-born 27-year-old who is not only the Royal Ballet’s only female British principal, but one of the country’s youngest.
There were the ballets she danced which were written specially for her (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland) and the rave reviews she garnered in the press. But, more importantly, 2011 was the year Lauren Cuthbertson staged one of British ballet’s biggest comebacks.
Having enjoyed a stellar career throughout her childhood and teenage years – including winning Young British Dancer of the Year in 2002 (aged 17), becoming a first soloist at 21 and a principal at 23 - she had the kind of career most ballerinas only dream of.
Crowned the next Darcey Bussell long before the former prima ballerina had hung up her pumps, Cuthbertson was drawing increasing international attention with her high-octane performances. Yet, unbeknownst to everyone, life was about to change dramatically.
It started with a sprained foot in 2009. Making her grand debut in Giselle, by the time she came to perform, Cuthbertson was suffering from inexplicable fatigue that left her barely able to function.
“I didn’t miss ballet. I didn’t even want to do it. In fact, I couldn’t imagine anything worse! I couldn’t even get out of bed”
Glandular fever was diagnosed, and resulted in her being bedridden for weeks. This would only be just the start of a prolonged period of extreme illness however. Within days of recovering from that, she was diagnosed with post-viral fatigue syndrome – better known as ME.
“It was like a vacuum of time,” she says, remembering back on that 18-month period now. “I try not to think about it. Then, now and again, I get asked to talk about it and it makes me realise how deteriorated I was.
“I didn’t even realise how ill I was until I started to get better. I was in such a daze, I couldn’t really judge where I was at. I didn’t miss ballet. I didn’t even want to do it. In fact, I couldn’t imagine anything worse! I couldn’t even get out of bed.”
For most dancers, it would have been curtain call on their career – but not Cuthbertson. Determined to rebuild her strength and return to dance, she began an exercise regime that increased by two-minutes increments every day.
“I had to work so hard to get back from that, I think anyone fighting illness knows how much discipline and hard work and support you need. It was really tough. But I’m so happy I fought through. I’m in a much better place now than I was before.”
She has gone on to achieve what was thought previously unachievable – not only would she return to her former glory as a ballerina but, over the past year, she has surpassed herself. This, she puts down to a renewed lease of life and professional focus.
“My sickness made me realise that this is exactly what I want to do. You often don’t get to see the bigger picture and having time out gave me the space to really gain perspective on everything.
“I’m now doing everything in my power to have the life that I really dreamt of,” she continues. “That means not being full of self-doubt, not being insecure about your performances and how you deal with roles. And just realising how special all these opportunities that I get are. I really believe it’s been the making of me. I feel more Lauren than I’ve ever felt.”
And the timing couldn’t be better. In any other industry, including business, achieving what she has at 27 would mark her out as a serious, rising star. In the ballet world, however, Cuthbertson is entering her prime, with a short eight to ten-year career still ahead of her.
What then though? Cuthbertson is relaxed about this. In many ways, she says ballet is like any other job. Rehearsals run daily from nine to five, and she’s often juggling numerous roles at once.
It’s the night shift that sets it apart, though. When not performing, she admits: “Some evenings you might want to meet friends or do something social but you actually need to schedule a few nights a week of rest and recovery time – especially for me after being sick. So you’re almost being a dancer even when you’re resting.”
“People may think it’s all tutus and pink tights, but what keeps adults in ballet is not the fairly tale, it’s the gritty stories”
But Cuthbertson insists it’s no sacrifice. Having come so close to never dancing again, she says: “The biggest sacrifice would be to attend all those engagements, do all those social things and be there for everyone and everything – and not do the one thing that I love in life.”
She’s also conscious that she’s working against a clock and is determined to enjoy every minute. “People may think it’s all tutus and pink tights but what keeps adults in ballet is not the fairly tale, it’s the gritty stories that you get to tell and express.”
She’s excited about life beyond ballet though. “I think it’s a very good thing that the body can’t dance forever. If I could, I probably would, and then I’d never know what another life could be.”
Come that time, the arts world will the passing of another great British ballerina. But it won’t be the end of Cuthbertson. She will take that focus, determination and drive, and apply it to whatever comes next in life. And undoubtedly rise forth in that too.
See the Royal Opera House website for Lauren Cuthbertson’s 2012 performance schedule in The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
By Barbara Walshe
