Wayne Sleep on Dance Proms & the Secret to His Success...

Ballet dancer and performer Wayne Sleep is one of the Patrons of Dance Proms, a collaboration between the major dance organisations and the Royal Albert Hall. As Dance Proms is supported by Dancewear Central we got the chance to interview Wayne Sleep and put our top 6 questions to him - sent in by fans!

Wayne Sleep started on the path to becoming a professional dancer at age 13 at the Royal Ballet School, this led to him joining the Royal Ballet Company five years later in 1966. At just 5'2" in height, he didn't conform to the traditional physique of male ballet dancers, but this didn't stop him becoming a Senior Principal Dancer and having roles created just for him in a number of productions.

In 1980, he formed his own dance company DASH, which aimed to bring dance to a wider audience by presenting a mix of styles including ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary. DASH toured the world as well as performing for many seasons in London's West End.

In 1998 he was awarded an OBE for services in Dance and Drama and over the last 20 years he has appeared on a number of TV shows as a dancer, actor, guest judge and as himself. In February this year, he took part in the Channel 4 show "Big Ballet" alongside prima ballerina Monica Loughman, to train a group of plus-size amateur dancers to perform Swan Lake.

I wanted to get involved because Dance Proms unites different syllabi from different awarding bodies: they all come under one roof and I don’t think this has ever been done before! Students can compare their styles, have chats together, and this inspires them. It is a wonderful day of inspiration to help participants to continue towards their future career.

You have achieved so much in your life as a dancer, what’s the secret to such a long, successful career?

I think keeping healthy and always be ready for the next job. Don’t stop working and be tenacious! We all have our ups and downs, but when the down periods come, keep going – just go for it!

Going back to the very beginning, who first introduced you to the world of ballet?

When I was eight years old I went into the Song & Dance competition that my local dance teacher sent me for a tap dance – I wanted to be Fred Astaire. I tap danced with my feet perfectly turned out which is the natural stance for ballet.

When I got the cup for the under twelves, the adjudicator stood up and said “Where is this boy’s mother, he must learn ballet” and my mother creeped out of the auditorium and didn’t reply because she thought ‘my son – ballet – never!’ but I was persuaded to go in for the scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dance when I was ten and that set me on my way. When I was twelve I got into the Royal Ballet School, out of three-hundred other children.

Was there a moment in your career when something seemed impossible and made you want to quit?

Yes there was – I didn’t grow! I’m the smallest boy to have ever gone to the Royal Ballet. I was just about to give up when the founder of the Royal Ballet, Dame Ninette da Valois, said “well you’re just going to have to spin twice as fast and jump twice as high as everybody else so that you get in as a Soloist” and that was it.

If you weren't a dancer what would your next career choice have been?

I’d like to have been a graphic designer – I love drawing!

And finally lots of people are asking this one – Are there any plans for a second season of Big Ballet?

The show has been such a success and has been shown all over - I have received enquires from Italy, Australia and the USA, and it’s all in the melting pot at the moment. For children to be denied even the chance to go to a ballet class because of bullying is remarkably bad, so I am trying to raise awareness.