Image & Copyright Angela Stirling

Ted Brandsen has been the Artistic Director of Dutch National Ballet for almost 20 years. Prior to his directorship at Dutch National Ballet he led West Australian Ballet in Perth, Australia. Ted has choreographed numerous successful ballets that are performed by companies throughout the world. With an extensive knowledge and wisdom, Ted has experienced this art form in all its varied facets and has generously agreed to share some of his insights on what he looks for in an artist as well as a story of his unique beginnings as a professional dancer.

When a dancer auditions for a company or school, it is important she/he knows what they are auditioning for and make sure that they are informed about the school or company and its requirements – too many people don’t do that and blindly show up at auditions without knowing anything about repertoire/curriculum, history and the people who work there. Be informed is first!

Present yourself well : clean and neat ballet clothes, preferably in solid colors, which show the body well but are also flattering, clean (pointe) shoes, no hiding behind warm ups and only short skirts for the women. Watch out with bright patterns as they can distract from your actual dancing, be sparing with make- up: a natural and clean look is much preferable over too much pancake/blush/eyeliner/mascara etc.

Desirable qualities of a dancer, there are many!

• Good physique – it starts with what you have been given
• Good technique – then it’s a matter what you have learned to do
• Physical strength – can you actually perform what you have learned?
• Musicality – essential for a dancer
• Coordination- not everybody has that in equal measure and although one can improve in this respect, a natural mover always stands out
• Personality – not everybody needs to be a star, but there needs to be something personal, something special and unique in your dancing, a confidence and sense of urgency – one has to be able to feel you need to dance and are not just doing it because someone told you to do so
• Intelligence- a dancer needs to be able to learn quickly, adapt to many different styles, to different choreographers and colleagues and understand how things work, so intellectual intelligence, physical and emotional intelligence are required.
• Perseverance- things don’t happen by themselves and it takes long hard work to become a good dancer. Never take things for granted. Sometimes people with less physical talent than others actually get further in their career, because they have to fight harder, be smarter and work more to get somewhere
• Know yourself – it is super important to have a cold objective look at yourself and your abilities – and to not let this get you down. No body is perfect, nobody has everything going for them . Identify your own strengths and weaknesses, work on improving your strong points and keep working on your weaknesses – and don’t try to hide them , from yourself or from others. Be proud of who you are and what you can do, but be humble as well and know where you are in the bigger scheme of things.
• Confidence – based on knowing yourself and what you have to offer and knowing that you are unique in the world. Don’t confuse this with arrogance or a high opinion of yourself. The greatest dancers I have known all had a sense of confidence, but also questioned themselves , were curious to discover more and never satisfied with what they could already do
• A true artist is always looking to learn more, is never happy with standing still and will look at every class, every rehearsal every day as an opportunity to learn, to work on something specific, to develop artistically
• As an artist, you need to know about the world, about history, about art, about life. You need to be interested in others – otherwise how can you portray different characters onstage?- you need to be curious, and you have to realize that there is more to the world than just dance, even if that’s the most important thing for you

Ted shares his story of inspiration...

I myself was a late starter in dance and had to work very hard to catch up. I did not have the ideal physique either, but I was driven – I really , really wanted to dance. For years I struggled with the idea I was never good enough and wanted to be like some of my colleagues, who seemed to have everything going for them. Until I worked with a choreographer who wanted ME, who created on me and made me feel that I was able to contribute something unique and worthwhile. She gave me the confidence to accept who I was and that I did have something to offer to the world of dance. I improved not only in this particular ballet, but in everything I did. It was like the right button had been pushed and now the lights were on- and this stayed with me throughout the challenges and disappointments that come with a career in dance.

Later on, when I was talking to colleagues, I discovered almost everyone had felt at times they were not good enough – we all went through the same doubts, even the most successful and talented dancers.

Overcoming your own self-doubt, while remaining open , curious and questioning your artistry, is super important.

I wish for all young dancers to have that !

Ted Brandsen 2022