These celebrities may be best known for other professions, but they began with ballet.
Rio Ferdinand’s Childhood Ballet Lessons
Did you know this footballer from Peckham had classical ballet training?
One of England’s most recognised footballers is a celeb who did ballet. He won a scholarship to The London School of Ballet at just age eleven. In his autobiography Rio wrote about defying stereotypes: ‘I’ve never been one to be boxed in by other people’s prejudices.’ He goes on to say that he enjoyed gymnastics, so he did it, despite his worries.
Rio attributes some of his success on the pitch to ballet training he received at The London School of Ballet. He wrote that ‘learning to dance there left me in good stead in terms of balance and flexibility, and I’m sure it helped my movement as a footballer.’
Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rio_Ferdinand_by_Walterlan_Papetti.jpg
Jamie Bell: Billingham Ballet to Billy Elliot
Like his character in
Billy Elliot (2000), Bell came from humble beginnings. This Billingham born future celebrity found a passion for ballet after accompanying his sister to dance lessons. With dedication and training he quickly sky rocketed to fame by playing the Northern underdog Billy. Bell said: ‘After
Billy Elliot, I’ve been able to dip in and do whatever I wanted. I’ve worked with directors I like and I’ve done all kinds of films.’
Ballet began his career, and through training he built the foundation of hard work and dedication he needed to become a successful actor.
Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jamie_Bell_2011.jpg
Madonna’s Bay City Ballet Beginnings
Perhaps the most recognisable performer on this list, this Bay City born diva at first tried to gain public recognition through ballet. In Mary Cross’ book ‘Madonna: A Biography’ she wrote that Madonna ‘was lithe and agile and had the discipline and commitment to do well’ during her dance scholarship at the University of Michigan.
Madonna is a celeb who did ballet, and a celeb who is passionate about introducing ballet to the wider public. She is directing Michaela DePrince’s upcoming biopic
Taking Flight.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madonna_at_the_premiere_of_I_Am_Because_We_Are.jpg
Cheryl Cole’s Royal Ballet Summer School Stint
This Newcastle Upon Tyne born Girl’s Aloud star started dancing when she was just three. At age nine she was able to attend The Royal Ballet’s two week summer school because a local newspaper raised the £300 she needed.
While Cheryl did not pursue ballet, she did find fame through another creative avenue. In her autobiography she wrote, ‘Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved performing, being on stage, singing, dancing and showing off. There was just always something inside me, like, I knew there was no other option.’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cheryl_Cole_Cannes_2014.jpg
Mia Wasikowska’s Prima Ballerina Training
This film star is best known for her role as Alice in
Alice In Wonderland (2010), but before she turned to acting at age fifteen she spent years training to be a Prima Ballerina. In a previous interview Mia said: ‘Dancing itself is so liberating, you feel fantastic.’
Mia was devastated when she could not attend her ballet classes at age fourteen after developing a spur in her ankle. She said: ‘I had a substantial enough injury to get some time off- I’d got used to practicing 35 hours a week, leaving school at 1pm and dancing till nine every day.’
From training in the discipline of ballet Mia learned the strictness and self-expression needed to master other creative professions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mia_Wasikowska
Dita Von Teese: Ballet Soloist to Burlesque Performer
This Michigan born burlesque performer was classically trained as a ballet dancer, and danced solo for her local ballet company at the age of thirteen. At age fifteen she decided to pursue a career in a different kind of creative performance.
To show her passion for ballet, Dita includes on pointe in her shows, saying, ‘I was always strong on pointe, even thought I wasn’t a very good dancer.’ She also said, ‘I’m just a big fan of the beauty of ballet, and the fact that it’s so feminine. There isn’t one ugly move in ballet. If you snap a picture anywhere you’re going to have perfect body lines, really feminine, beautiful body shapes.’
In 2016 Dita began taking ballet lessons again and made her fans jealous with a picture of her custom made Louboutin ballet shoes.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dita_Von_Teese_at_Cannes_2007.jpg
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBKxbvLQrnB/
Did you know this footballer from Peckham had classical ballet training?
One of England’s most recognised footballers is a celeb who did ballet. He won a scholarship to The London School of Ballet at just age eleven. In his autobiography Rio wrote about defying stereotypes: ‘I’ve never been one to be boxed in by other people’s prejudices.’ He goes on to say that he enjoyed gymnastics, so he did it, despite his worries.
Rio attributes some of his success on the pitch to ballet training he received at The London School of Ballet. He wrote that ‘learning to dance there left me in good stead in terms of balance and flexibility, and I’m sure it helped my movement as a footballer.’
Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rio_Ferdinand_by_Walterlan_Papetti.jpg
Jamie Bell: Billingham Ballet to Billy Elliot
Like his character in Billy Elliot (2000), Bell came from humble beginnings. This Billingham born future celebrity found a passion for ballet after accompanying his sister to dance lessons. With dedication and training he quickly sky rocketed to fame by playing the Northern underdog Billy. Bell said: ‘After Billy Elliot, I’ve been able to dip in and do whatever I wanted. I’ve worked with directors I like and I’ve done all kinds of films.’
Ballet began his career, and through training he built the foundation of hard work and dedication he needed to become a successful actor.
Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jamie_Bell_2011.jpg
Madonna’s Bay City Ballet Beginnings
This Newcastle Upon Tyne born Girl’s Aloud star started dancing when she was just three. At age nine she was able to attend The Royal Ballet’s two week summer school because a local newspaper raised the £300 she needed.
While Cheryl did not pursue ballet, she did find fame through another creative avenue. In her autobiography she wrote, ‘Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved performing, being on stage, singing, dancing and showing off. There was just always something inside me, like, I knew there was no other option.’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cheryl_Cole_Cannes_2014.jpg
Mia Wasikowska’s Prima Ballerina Training
This film star is best known for her role as Alice in Alice In Wonderland (2010), but before she turned to acting at age fifteen she spent years training to be a Prima Ballerina. In a previous interview Mia said: ‘Dancing itself is so liberating, you feel fantastic.’
Mia was devastated when she could not attend her ballet classes at age fourteen after developing a spur in her ankle. She said: ‘I had a substantial enough injury to get some time off- I’d got used to practicing 35 hours a week, leaving school at 1pm and dancing till nine every day.’
From training in the discipline of ballet Mia learned the strictness and self-expression needed to master other creative professions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mia_Wasikowska
Dita Von Teese: Ballet Soloist to Burlesque Performer
This Michigan born burlesque performer was classically trained as a ballet dancer, and danced solo for her local ballet company at the age of thirteen. At age fifteen she decided to pursue a career in a different kind of creative performance.
To show her passion for ballet, Dita includes on pointe in her shows, saying, ‘I was always strong on pointe, even thought I wasn’t a very good dancer.’ She also said, ‘I’m just a big fan of the beauty of ballet, and the fact that it’s so feminine. There isn’t one ugly move in ballet. If you snap a picture anywhere you’re going to have perfect body lines, really feminine, beautiful body shapes.’
In 2016 Dita began taking ballet lessons again and made her fans jealous with a picture of her custom made Louboutin ballet shoes.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dita_Von_Teese_at_Cannes_2007.jpg
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBKxbvLQrnB/