Former Premier Dancer

Antoinette is from Somerset and joined Northern Ballet in 2008. She trained at The Trull School of Dancing in Taunton and was a Junior Associate of the Royal Ballet School before joining the Royal Ballet School (Lower and Upper Schools). Antoinette retired from Northern Ballet in December 2021.

Learn more about Antoinette

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Taunton. Somerset and then shortly after moved to Hong Kong for a couple of years before returning to the UK at the age of 3.

At what age did you start dancing?

I started dancing before I can even remember!

Where did you train?

I trained at my mum's school, the Trull School of Dancing in Taunton up until the age of 11. I then studied at the Royal Ballet Lower School and then the Upper School.

Awards/nominations/prizes

I came second in Young British Dancer of the Year when I was 15 and won the Phyllis Bedells Bursary in 2004.

Favourite Northern Ballet roles?

Cathy (Wuthering Heights), Daisy (The Great Gatsby) and Lucy (Dracula).

Career highlights

Dancing the role of Hippolyta/Titania from A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

What do you like most about being a dancer?

Expressing oneself through movement and getting to listen to beautiful inspiring music everyday.

If you could adapt one work into a ballet what would it be?

Harry Potter.

What is your favourite book?

I love the author Lesley Pearse so anything by her.

What is your favourite post-show meal?

Anything with a glass of wine!

How do you like to relax?

Yoga, curling up with a good book and sleeping!

If you weren’t a dancer what would you be?

A musician!

Header photo taken by Lisa Stonehouse. Other photos taken by Riku Ito and Emma Kauldhar.