From 11-19 October, 18-year-old ballerina Eliza Michie will take part in one of the most highly-anticipated ballet competitions in the world.
The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition
Hosted in a different country each year, the dance competition is an annual event where ballet dancers from around the world compete for medals, cash prizes and ballet scholarships. It is heralded as one of the best within the international dance community, and it’s not easy to make it as a competitor. Last year, only 60 candidates made it to the final, a decrease from the 80 finalists in 2023.
The competition is a flagship event of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), so candidates must have passed the RAD Advanced 2 exam with distinction to apply. Other criteria include being between the ages of 15 to 18, providing young aspiring professional dancers the chance to learn and showcase their skills on an international stage. The structure of the competition follows intensive coaching sessions, semi-finals and finals, and competitors will get the chance to work with world-renowned choreographers and dance professionals.
Eliza’s dance journey so far
Eliza has been dancing since the age of three. Her mother, a dance teacher at Laine Theatre Arts, enrolled her in baby ballet where the young dancer grew to enjoy both the craft of performing and watching it for herself. She told me that as a child, she would ‘watch an entire three-act ballet and be mesmerised the whole time’. Her favourite ballet dancer is Francesca Hayward, a principal (meaning a lead dancer) at The Royal Ballet. Some of Eliza’s favourite ballets include Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale and Alice in Wonderland, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake, among many others.
At the age of 14 she began to take ballet more seriously. In 2023, she completed a year in the Central School of Ballet’s associate programme, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s dance classes the following year. Today Eliza continues her training in preparation for the competition and, eventually, company auditions – the next steps towards a professional dance career. Stamina is one of the most important things for a dancer, she notes, so she’ll complete exercises, rehearsals for showcases and practice her solo for the competition.
Preparing for the stage
To qualify, Eliza worked her way through her dance studies and got the grades to apply. “I always wanted to go for the Fonteyn, it’s not a toxic competition.”
As we continued our conversation, Eliza shared her excitement to visit Sao Paulo, one of the world’s biggest cities, travelling with her parents and childhood dance teacher. She and the other competitors will learn a variation – a ballet term for a solo dance – choreographed by the Brazilian Royal Ballet Principal, Mayara Magri. Eliza told me she is excited to both meet and learn from her.
Alongside coaching and choreography from leading artists, Eliza has also been preparing with her dance teacher Ludivoic Onidivela, who has worked with the Royal Ballet. Of the variation, Eliza tells me that it is both “classical and contemporary”, allowing her to challenge herself. Her costume will be designed by Needle en Pointe, a business run by an old dance teacher of Eliza who is also a talented costume maker.
Hopes for the future
I asked Eliza about her dream roles and she had this to say: “All the principal roles are amazing, so are the iconic court de ballet pieces […] the Gisele Corps de Ballet is gorgeous and La Balladeire, Romeo and Juliet.”
Advising younger dancers, Eliza highlights the importance of individuality. “You should know your own journey and path. My path definitely hasn’t been easy. Social media can be deceiving, especially in dance. You see incredible people who are so young. Know that you are on your own journey as well.”
