Sophie Richardson

I danced for a hobby throughout my childhood, alongside acting, singing, and artistic gymnastics; it wasn't, however, until the age of 12 that I made the decision to pursue a career in the ballet industry. From 2011 to 2014 I studied RAD ballet and pointe at Pat Barker Academy of dance. In 2012 I successfully auditioned for Midland Theatre Ballet, a prestigious youth ballet company based in Birmingham, where I trained for 2 years under the tutelage of Birmingham Royal Ballet dancers such as Ruth Brill and Errol Pickford; I also performed my first full length ballets- Sleeping Beauty (2012) and Beauty and the Beast (2013). In 2013 I successfully auditioned for Ballet Theatre UK Associates, and attended their Summer School on a scholarship in 2013 and 2014. I also attended summer school at Opes (2013), Midland Theatre Ballet (2012, 2013), Joffrey Ballet NYC (2015), and Ecole Europeanne de Danse Classique (2016).  I commenced my vocational training at Ballet West in 2015, studying classical ballet, pointe, repertoire and pas de deux, as well as supporting subjects such as contemporary, jazz, choreography and anatomy. Having the opportunity to dance in Ballet West's UK tours of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake gave me an invaluable insight into the workings of a professional ballet company. Since moving to London, I have had the opportunity to train with teachers such as Anatoly Sidarov (Mikhailovsky Theatre) and Chilian Heredia (Cuban National Ballet). I have performed in a variety of productions such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Chopiniana; I am currently dancing with Chelsea Ballet.