Today I am speaking with Steven McRae, Principal Dancer with the Royal Ballet, London. Steven grew up in Western Sydney, in a suburb called Plumpton, 45kms West of Sydney. His Dad was a drag car racer, and no one in the family had ever learnt to dance. But somehow, dance found Steven, And at the age of 7, he asked his Mum and Dad if he could start dance lessons and he enrolled in a local studio around the corner from home. It was a life changing decision. By 17, he had not only won the Genée and the Prix de Lausanne, he was standing alone in London having been accepted into the Royal Ballet School—his heartbroken mother on the plane home. In this beautifully candid conversation, Steven talks about his journey to Principal at the Royal Ballet by the age of 23— and that, it’s not all as it seems; he speaks about early bullying, crippling home sickness, not always fitting in, and devastating injuries.

But Steven speaks of more than that; he talks about starting his own family with his wife Elizabeth Harrod—also a dancer at the Royal Ballet, his post retirement plans, and the moment he snapped his Achilles tendon live on stage in front of 2,500 people, and how he climbed back from the impossible, to perform with the Royal Ballet once again.

Steven continues to perform as a Principal Artist with the Royal Ballet in London, all the while juggling life with his wife Elizabeth and their 3 children Audrey, Frederick and Rupert. If you’re in London, the Royal Ballet is back on stage, for show times and tickets head to roh.org.uk, and to follow all of Steven’s adventures, you can follow him @StevenMcRae_

Steven and I recorded our conversation remotely, with Steven dialling in from London, while the podcast recorded on the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects.

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

This season of Talking Pointes is sponsored by Energetiks. Energetics, specialize in creating sustainable for the stars of tomorrow. Perform and feel your best at every stage of your dance journey in energetics, premium, high performance fabrics. Talking Pointes listeners receive a discount code of 20% to use on their extensive range online @ energetics.com au or for our US listeners, it's energetics.com, Ts and Cs apply. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios