Kit Holder on adaptability and stepping into roles at the last minute

Stepping into new roles at short notice is part of life as a dancer. Whether it’s moving positions within the corps de ballet or learning an entirely new role, adaptability is an essential skill and one that can make a huge difference to one's career. Sometimes changes happen during a show. Ideally, we try to give dancers as much notice as possible, but with large-scale productions, touring schedules and limited rehearsal time, that isn’t always realistic.

We saw that recently with Don Quixote, where there were actually more roles in the production than we had dancers available to perform them. For BRB2, where the group is intentionally small, even one illness, injury or absence can create a huge knock-on effect. One of the ways I try to manage that is by encouraging everyone to learn as much repertory as possible. Practically, it helps cover the production if changes are needed, but it’s also central to what BRB2 is about. Even if dancers never end up performing a role on stage, they’re still gaining valuable experience by preparing it to performance standard.

I had one memorable experience early in my own career when I was unexpectedly asked to step into a featured role in Sir David Bintley’s Edward II with only a weekend’s notice. This was before smartphones, so learning choreography quickly was very different. We’d sit in the video library watching cassette tapes, making notes before the building closed, then go home and try to remember everything. I spent the entire weekend learning the role, came in for rehearsal and somehow managed to get through it all before performing at short notice. I was very pleased with my performance, except… What I remember most vividly is that midway through my solo my wig flew off and ended up hanging in front of my face. I pulled it off, threw it into the wings and just carried on dancing in the wig cap! Looking back, it’s an entertaining memory.

Beyond the practical challenge, dealing with sudden changes is also about mindset. Performance is always pressurised, regardless of how much rehearsal time you’ve had. The dancers who cope best are often the ones who can accept the situation, trust their preparation and focus on what they can control. At a certain point, all you can do is prepare as well as possible and commit fully to the performance. The audience rarely knows when changes have happened behind the scenes, and part of being a professional dancer is learning how to adapt seamlessly. For young dancers especially, those moments can become defining experiences. If you’re someone who can step in, stay calm and deliver under pressure, you can build a career on that alone.