04 December 2009

'That was really frightening actually', says Carol-Anne Millar. 'I didn't really think about it until it actually happened, I don't think you do!'

The Canadian-born, Scotland-raised Birmingham Royal Ballet Principal is recounting leaving home at the age of 11 to enrol in White Lodge. After displaying a talent for dance at an early age ('My mum says I always danced around the house, but I think all mums say that!') weekend classes led to auditions for Royal Ballet summer schools, before Carol-Anne won a place at the residential ballet school.

' You get really excited but then realise that you're a million miles away from home. And that's horrible.

'So I loved White Lodge but at the same time I hated it,' remembers Carol-Anne. 'I missed my mum and my brother and my sister back at home in Scotland. I didn't see them until the major holidays, and at the end of each visit getting back on the plane or train and saying goodbye to my family used to make my feel physically sick! But at the same time it got me to where I am now.' Right now, that place is on stage as Clara, the central role in Birmingham Royal Ballet's production of The Nutcracker.

'For me personally Clara does have a special place in my heart,' explains Carol-Anne, 'because it was one of the first roles that was ever given to me. I was in my second year when the part was given to me and I think that's what Clara is about, it's a young person's role, it's about giving a girl an opportunity to go on stage and just enjoy herself and for it to be a little bit of a push artistically.'

Taking on big, iconic roles is something that Carol-Anne has never shied away from, and she has become known for dancing parts requiring great commitment and energy: The Firebird, Juliet, The Chosen One in Rite of Spring, The Taming of the Shrew's Kate in The Shakespeare Suite, Wild Girl in Beauty and the Beast and lead roles in Twyla Tharp's In The Upper Room – all roles requiring great commitment and energy.

'From when I was young I used to love athletics and used to love to run. If I hadn't become a dancer I would probably have been a runner. I feel it comes through in my performances and has shaped what kind of dancer I am.'

It certainly showed in David Bintley's recently created E=mc², part of Carol-Anne's first season as newly promoted Principal dancer.

'That was good fun,' she says of the enormously kinetic Celeritas ('speed') movement . 'I wasn't sure what to expect when I went in for the first few days of work on it. It was extremely different for David I thought, a completely different style of piece for him, but I really enjoyed it.'

Jumping between different styles seems to come naturally though. 'I've never seen myself as being a classical dancer or having that classical grounding that a lot of Principals have.' She says. 'I've done La Fille mal gardée and I've done Coppélia which I love, but I don't think I would be comfortable doing the pure classics, like Odette/Odille or Sugar Plum.'

'But I've been really fortunate to get some amazing roles. Juliet is one that I never expected to get. It's not about energy and it's completely out of my norm, but it's one that I absolutely love. I love to act on stage, that's the best thing. And comedy, and making people laugh, and crying on stage and being dramatic!'

In fact the only time that Carol-Anne seems to have experienced nerves on stage was when she wasn't actually dancing. While she may not think of herself as a classical dancer, the Critics' Circle disagreed at the end of the 2007-08 season, and awarded her their Female Classical Spotlight Award.

'That was a huge, huge shock, a massive surprise,' she confesses, remembering stepping up to collect the award in front of an assembled crowd of VIPs. 'I can't even remember most of it!'

'I remember first being nominated and everyone saying: 'You've got to think of something to say if you win' and I laughed it off because it really didn't enter my head that I was going to win this award. So I was absolutely mortified when I won, and didn't have anything ready to say! I just quickly said 'Thank you very much, I'm very honoured' and just ran away in complete embarrassment! I was massively out of my comfort zone!'

You can see Carol-Anne back within her comfort zone as Clara in The Nutcracker right now! Click here for details.