Introducing… Brandon Lawrence, Birmingham Royal Ballet
Q&A
When did you start dancing?
I started dancing at 8 years old and then I joined the Royal Ballet School full time at 14
Why did you start dancing?
I’m not sure why… I was probably influenced through films and TV.
Which dancer inspired you most as a child?
As a child Carlos Acosta and Michael Flatley. I love Irish dancing!
Which dancer do you most admire?
Even though she’s newly retired I really admire Leanne Benjamin and also Xander Parish for making the move over to The Mariinsky.
What’s your favourite role?
As I’m still relatively new to the professional dance world so I haven’t danced a huge amount of roles but I really enjoyed dancing Lysander in Frederick Ashton‘s The Dream, and I loved dancing Kenneth Macmillan‘s Concerto. I’m currently working on Southern Cape Zebra from David Bintley‘s Still life at the Penguin Cafe and that’s great fun.
What role have you never played but would have liked to?
Whatever role I get the opportunity to perform is good enough for me for now!
What’s your favourite ballet to watch?
I would have to say Symphonic Variations… it’s pure Ashton class.
Who is your favourite choreographer?
Definitely Frederick Ashton. Although even though I’ve never danced Balanchine before I’m a huge fan.
Who is your favourite writer?
I don’t have a favourite but at the moment Downton Abbey rules my spare time so I would have to say the creator and writer Julian Fellowes.
Who is your favourite actor?
Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Maggie Smith and Dakota Fanning to name a few!
Who is your favourite singer?
Birmingham born Laura Mvula at the moment.
What is your favourite book?
I’m really not a book person, but I do love keeping up to date with the Dancing Times!
What is your favourite film?
A toss-up between The Duchess, The Help and the Harry Potter films.
Which is your favourite city?
It’s between London and New York… both incredible places.
What do you like most about yourself?
I like to think I’m reliable and good with timekeeping!
What do you dislike about yourself?
That I like my own company most of the time.
What was your proudest moment?
Probably when I left Yorkshire to go to the Royal Ballet School. It was an incredible experience that I wouldn’t swap it for anything.
When and where were you happiest?
I’m probably most happy when its meal time and I’m eating!
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Family, friends and my job.
What is your greatest fear?
Not being able to do what I love.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
To believe in myself more, and to not over-think things.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
To be able to do something that I love every day… not everyone has this.
What is your most treasured possession?
Items and photos of my Grandparents.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Cream buns, cakes and sweets!
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Patience!
On what occasion do you lie?
When I want to joke around!
If you hadn’t been a dancer what would you have liked to be?
I really don’t know. I’ve always wanted to do this!
What is your most marked characteristic?
You’d better ask my friends and colleagues!
What quality do you most value in a friend?
Humour, honesty and loyalty.
What quality do you most value in a colleague?
Respect.
Which historical figure do you most admire?
William Shakespeare.
Which living person do you most admire?
I really admire Joan Rivers, Lord Sugar, Wendy Williams, my sister and my mum.
What do you most dislike?
Pushy people.
What talent would you most like to have?
To be able to sing like John Legend or someone of that kind of talent!
What’s your idea of perfect happiness?
I don’t think we’re ever truly happy, but surrounding yourself with people who you love is a good place to start.
How would you like to die?
I don’t like to think about this subject but I would say pain-free.
What is your motto?
‘Let’s see what happens’ and ‘Each to their own’.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
