Dancing With My Passion:
Kaneko Fumi / Principal of The Royal Ballet
Kaneko Fumi was promoted to Principal of The Royal Ballet this year. Behind her captivating stage presence lie major injury and pandemic. She talks about overcoming setbacks and her passion for ballet.
Kaneko was chosen to play the lead role of Odette in "Swan Lake." After 6 weeks of rehearsals and costume-fitting, just as she was finally ready to go on stage, the spread of the coronavirus led to a lockdown in the UK. The performance was canceled and the Royal Opera House, along with the rest of London's theater district, was closed.
Kaneko couldn't practice at the Opera House due to the lockdown, but she managed to keep in shape by continuing her classes at home.
When the lead Principal was injured, Kaneko was asked by the director of The Royal Ballet to play the leading role of Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty" for live cinema. The three-hour performance was a great success and was a big step towards her promotion to Principal.
Since March 2020, the corona pandemic has hit The Royal Ballet hard. On-and-off lockdowns and online performances lasted for almost a year. In May 2021, the Royal Opera House finally reopened its doors to live audiences. At the same time, it was announced that Kaneko was to be promoted to Principal. She danced in front of an audience for the first time as a principal, in the contemporary dance, "Within the Golden Hour."
