Interview | Principal Ballerina Bethany Kingsley-Garner

Photo Supplied by Beth Kingsley-Garner

Tell us about yourself.
I'm a Principal Ballerina with Scottish Ballet Company. I trained at the Royal Ballet School from the age of 11 and graduated with Honours after the full 8 years of training. I then joined Scottish Ballet and worked my way up to the rank of Principal after being promoted in 2016. 
I train six days a week, 10 - 6, and do over 120 performances per year. Ballet is my passion as well as my career, and I love what I do. 
My hobbies include baking, walking in the park, appreciating beautiful scenery, dinning out with friends and watching other productions at the theatre as well as cinema.


What type of supplementary training do you, and what benefits have you seen from this training?
I do gyrotonics every day at work, which I've always felt as necessary for my career as a dancer. It uses the same muscles as I would use in a class or on stage, so this is really important in supporting my daily rehearsals. 
I'm also a bit of a gym junkie. I love an intensive cardio session or strength training, and I definitely see the benefits when quickly trying to get my stamina up for an upcoming run of performances. 
If my workload is heavy I turn to yoga to help relieve tension. I especially enjoy Bikram yoga, as the extra heat and intensity helps get rid of the lactic acid that can build up throughout a busy day in the studio. 

At what age in your dance career did you realise that supplementary training was necessary? 
I have always done extra training - even when training at school I was still in the gym or doing yoga. It becomes critical during times of injury, so getting into these habits early is always a good thing. 

How as your attitude to supplementary training changed as your dance career as progressed?
As a young dancer I was always focused on getting better and felt that extra training was crucial in helping me get stronger. As I've progressed through the company I've definitely felt the benefits of this, and my muscle memory has helped me maintain my strength and aesthetic even through the most challenging of tours. 
Now as a Principal Dancer, I also have a better understanding of how and when to listen to my body, and know when not to push too hard outside of the studio. 

What is the support system like at Scottish Ballet for dancers' health?
We have a gyrotonics studio with an instructor 4 days a week, a masseuse 6 days a week, and a physio who is in 5 days a week but on call 24/7. The company has also recently brought in a personal trainer who works with us twice a month to improve our stamina, strength and overall fitness. 

Do you feel there is a different attitude towards supplementary training between male and female ballet dancers?
I used to when I was younger. The boys were taught the importance of upper body training to support their lifts from a young age, while for girls the focus was on cardio and improving your stamina. 
I think though that as advances have been made in the entire fitness industry and more information is available for dancers - whether it's from a fitness expert or YouTube video - everyone has become more athletic and there is more balance between the training of male and female dancers.
Now you're as likely to find female dancers using weights as the boys, while boys understand the importance of cardio and functional training. This has definitely helped when you see some of the amazing athleticism on stage today. 

How do you juggle all you do and make time for supplementary training?
I think it's all about identifying your priorities and understanding what benefits you're going to get from the training. I know that what I do in the gym or in the studio is going to help me on the stage, and that motivates me to make time for it however busy I am. 
More importantly though I genuinely love training and the feeling you get after a good session. I need that sense of accomplishment away from the stage as well as on it.

How do you like to relax?
I find things like cooking and baking really relaxing, as well as watching my favourite programmes like Great British Bake Off or Agatha Christie. You can't beat sitting back on a Sunday afternoon with a good period drama either. 

What supplementary training do you do on tour?
Tour is all about maintaining my fitness and keeping my energy levels up, making sure I have the strength where I need it and that I'm loose for a show. Usually this involves a lot of mat work, though I'll do a bit of cardio as well if I feel I need it.

What is your favourite strength or aerobic exercise to perform?

I love pushing it on a cross trainer. I also had a significant knee injury two years ago, and during my recovery from that discovered the benefits of box jumps, which I really enjoy. 

What is your least favourite strength or aerobic exercise to perform?
It has to be press-ups.


You can find Bethany on Twitter @bethanykgarner or Instagram @bethanykgarner and the Scottish ballet website.

Photo Supplied by Beth Kingsley-Garner

Photo Supplied by Beth Kingsley-Garner