Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I love all of the ballets that have a really strong story in them where I get to play a character. I don't enjoy the ones that are more technical without a story line and it's just me on stage dancing.
For people who know about dance, 'Cats' is a musical that really celebrates dance, and there are so many different styles of dance in this film, too. I was really looking forward to being part of that.
I love acting, but that's also kind of what I love about ballet - the acting. So, obviously, film is like an extension of that, which is amazing, but it's also something I can do a bit later on as well.
I always enjoy ballet when you can read the situation very precisely, when I could tell you exactly which sentence that person is saying to that person even when they're not speaking and just moving their hand.
I definitely have been nervous, but often I get more nervous performing with the corps de ballet than doing a solo. There's so much pressure doing a group number because if you muck it up, you've ruined it for everyone.
I'm very proud of the colour of my skin and that I'm inspiring people from all backgrounds, but I think it will be great for the next mixed-race or black female principal dancer if she doesn't have to be asked about that.
Even in the early stages of my career I've had to dance with principal dancers. I could have easily freaked out and got nervous, but I think that helped when it came to trying to forget I was doing a scene with Judi Dench.
With Juliet, if you read the Shake'speare there is quite a clear idea of how she should be, but with the ballet you can get your teeth into her even more because there are loads of moments when you realise she is growing up.
On stage I have to amplify some of my emotions with my back or make something a little bit more obvious because my audience might be very far away from me, or very high up and find it harder to read what I'm trying to express.
I remember being asked for the first time about my race, and it really took me by surprise, just that it was a point that needed to be raised - and then I quickly realised that it was a point that everyone wanted to talk about!
My dad was teaching in Kenya, and my grandparents came to visit me there. They brought me to England, and my dad continued to teach for a bit after, so I just continued to live with my grandparents, because that became home, really.
Obviously I would never have agreed to be a part of something that would change the colour of my skin had I been playing a human. The bottom line is, I'm playing a cat. There is no more discussion. I am a cat that's white, let's not read into it.
For a long time everyone had a stereotype of ballet that it was easy and that we were just prancing around. But thanks to the Internet, and being able to share live performances and broadcast them to the world so that everyone can experience the ballet, I think it's inspiring people we wouldn't normally be able to reach.