Q&A with Lauren Cuthbertson

I was quite naughty and happy-go-lucky as a child, so my mum took me to a local ballet class to focus my energy. I was captivated as soon as I entered the studio.

When I was younger I used to have rituals before getting on the stage. The more experienced I have become, the more I have realised that I just need to be me, and rituals are just a superstition that won’t make my performance any better or worse. I like to stay warm during the day, eat an early lunch and grab a coffee a few hours before stepping on stage.

I met Erdem when I presented an Olivier award and I wore an Erdem gown on the night. I have been a fan of Erdem’s work for a long time, and I wrote him a thank you letter inviting him to one of my performances. Erdem’s fashion shows are theatrical and captivating and his designs are stunning, you could be in a white room and the garments still reflect such brilliance and detail. The more Erdem and I became friends the more I thought he would be an amazing person to design the costumes for a ballet.

I think the minute you put on a costume it adds to the performance significantly, it puts you into that character. It’s about becoming that person, and the costume has always been integral to finding the essence of a role.

I think that’s down to the brilliance of Christopher Wheeldon as a choreographer, he always manages to strike a balance. The contrast between strength and elegance is very clear in the movement which he created for Corybantic Games.

The costumes have Erdem’s signature touches, the corseted bodice, the pleated skirts are very reflective of his designs. The black ribbons add a flash of elegance and athletic spin, giving the costumes movement. The material which Erdem used was also so incredible, catching the light and shimmering on stage. The costumes were very liberating and empowering to perform in.

The Royal Opera House in London is my home theatre and of course I love performing there, it’s a truly stunning building. Nearly every theatre I go to in Italy is like going into a small jewel box, even the smaller ones are intricate and beautiful. I recently performed in Argentina at the Teatro Colón and at the curtain calls after the evening show they put the lights up around the theatre, so I would be taking a bow to a fully lit audience whilst also being able to see the unbelievable architecture of the auditorium.

John Pawson designed the set for Wayne McGregor’s ballet Chroma, a stunning white box. Dancing in the set is very special. You enter the stage via a sleek platform and our bodies would be displayed against the white background of the set. The whole design made the space very intimate. You’ve also got Bob Crowley’s designs for Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale. There’s an amazing scene in Act 2 of The Winter’s Tale where the curtain goes up and there’s this incredible tree, decorated with the most delicate trinkets and charms.

I work with a perfumier to create scents for each character I dance. We talk about the role and discuss whether the piece is a narrative or abstract, the period in which the ballet is set, the score and feel of the piece, all these elements go in to making a bespoke scent which I wear during the performance. When I was 20 years old I would often wear well known perfumes but it just felt inappropriate. Then I started spending time in the perfume departments of Selfridges, Liberty’s and Harvey Nichols sourcing scents for roles, but it still wasn’t quite right, it was then that I started working with a perfumier.

It would be do not compare yourself to others but always try to look at other people’s qualities and celebrate the great things that they have got. I think ballet has broken down so many barriers and what I would say to any young dancer is don’t think there is an ideal, being true to yourself is what counts.

Lauren Cuthbertson, Principal dancer with The Royal Ballet