Swan(sea) Lake! Royal Ballet appoints first-ever Principal from Wales – and dancer’s proud parents reveal they only sent him to classes as an eight-year-old to ‘burn some energy’
- William Bracewell, 31, from Swansea, arrived at the Royal Ballet in 2017
- He has starred in productions including Swan Lake and The Nutcracker
- Spoke to The Sunday Times about learning ballet as a young boy, and admitted telling friends he did martial arts for fear of getting bullied
- His fellow principal is Reece Clarke, 27, the tallest member of the cast at 6ft 3ins
A ballet dancer has become the first Welsh Principal at the Royal Ballet.
William Bracewell, 31, from Swansea, arrived at the company in 2017 from the Birmingham Royal Ballet, having started ballet classes aged eight after he was asked to take part in a show by a friend who needed boys in her cast.
The talented dancer has now starred in productions including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Cinderella and The Tempest.
Speaking to the The Sunday Times, he said there was a stigma faced by male dancers when he started his career, admitting he told friends that he was ‘doing karate’ to avoid being bullied.
William Bracewell, 31, from Swansea, pictured, arrived at the company in 2017 from the Birmingham Royal Ballet
Pride: The 31-year-old’s fellow new Principal is Reece Clarke, pictured left, who is 6ft 3in and the Royal Ballet’s tallest member
William announced the news that the pair had been promoted to principal dancers on Instagram earlier, pictured
The 31-year-old was encouraged by his mother Patsy, a midwife, to do ballet lessons as he was ‘quite hyperactive’ as a child.
He added: ‘It was a good way for me to burn off some of that energy.’
His landscape gardener father Les had tried to get William into rugby to no avail.
The 31-year-old said that due to ‘fear’ he told friends at school that he was doing martial arts instead. He said: ‘That was probably my own fear, the reality might have been different.’
William added that he hoped things would be different now for those doing dance lessons.
The 31-year-old’s fellow principal is Reece Clarke, who is 6ft3in and the Royal Ballet’s tallest member. Reece is 27 and had been accepted into the Royal Ballet School like his brothers Ross, Russell and Ryan.
The 27-year-old is from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire and the son of a former steelworker.
The 31-year-old, pictured, was encouraged by mother Patsy, a midwife, to do ballet lessons as he was ‘quite hyperactive’ as a child
He began dancing at three and started at the Royal Ballet School when he was 11.
The Clarkes were the first four boys from the same family to train at the prestigious ballet school in Richmond Park.
Their time at the school was funded by neighbours and local businesses and they received full scholarships.
This is because their father Robert could not work due to injuries from a car crash and his mother Ann, was a part-time nanny.
Reece, pictured, is 27 and had been accepted into the Royal Ballet School like his brothers Ross, Russell and Ryan
Sharing their happy news online earlier, Reece wrote on Instagram: ‘I am deeply honoured to share the news that I have been promoted to Principal dancer of the Royal Ballet… alongside this wonderful dancer and human @williambracewell who is also now a Principal Dancer.
‘So excited for what’s to come… but for now I am just so grateful for everyone who has been a part of my journey until this point. It’s been a real journey and I’m looking forward to this new chapter.’
Meanwhile, William wrote: ‘So proud of us! Principal dancers of the Royal Ballet @reececlarke.’
Reece said that there had been a ‘lot of people’ on the journey with him and that he is proud for them and himself.
Sharing their happy news online earlier, Reece wrote on Instagram: ‘I am deeply honoured to share the news that I have been promoted to Principal dancer of the Royal Ballet… alongside this wonderful dancer and human @williambracewell who is also now a Principal Dancer’
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