Eric Underwood (dancer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eric Underwood
Underwood with fellow dancer Melissa Hamilton in 2014
Born	1983/1984 (age 40–41) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Citizenship	American British
Education	School of American Ballet
Occupation	ballet dancer model actor
Former groups	Dance Theater of Harlem American Ballet Theatre The Royal Ballet

Eric Underwood is a talented American-British ballet dancer, model, and actor. He was a main dancer, called a soloist, with The Royal Ballet in London. He left the company in August 2017. Eric was one of the few black dancers in this famous ballet company.

Early Life and Dance Journey

Eric Underwood was born in Washington, D.C., in the United States. He grew up in a tough neighborhood in Maryland. Even though there were challenges, Eric felt loved and supported at home. He remembers police officers visiting his school to build good relationships with students.

Starting Ballet Training

Eric loved to dance at home when he was little. However, he did not start formal dance lessons until he was 14 years old. His mother wanted him to study acting at a special arts school. But Eric got nervous during his acting audition.

As he was leaving, he saw a ballet class. He asked the teacher if he could try it. That day changed his life! He began training as a ballet student at the school. He was one of the few boys in the class.

Moving to New York

Just one year later, Eric received an amazing opportunity. He got a scholarship to train at the School of American Ballet in New York City. This is a very famous ballet school. He was the only African-American student in his class there. Eric worked hard and graduated from the school in 2000.

Eric's Professional Dance Career

After graduating, Eric joined the Dance Theater of Harlem. He quickly became a soloist, which is a lead dancer, by the end of his first year. In 2003, he moved to the American Ballet Theatre. Here, he and Misty Copeland were the only black dancers in the company.

Joining The Royal Ballet

In 2006, Eric joined The Royal Ballet in London, England. He had been noticed while on tour there. He started as a First Artist. During his first season, he helped create new roles in ballets like Chroma and DGV: Danse à grande vitesse.

He was promoted to soloist in 2008. Eric continued to work with famous choreographers like Wayne McGregor and Christopher Wheeldon. He created roles in many productions, including Aeternum, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Infra, and Woolf Works. He also helped with the Royal Ballet's community programs. Throughout his time there, he remained one of the few black dancers. Eric left The Royal Ballet in 2017.

Making Ballet More Inclusive

In 2015, Eric shared a video online. It showed him putting makeup on ballet shoes. At the time, ballet shoes mostly came in only pink and beige colors. This made it hard for dancers of color to find shoes that matched their skin tones.

Eric then worked with Bloch, a company that makes ballet shoes. Together, they created ballet shoes in more colors to match different skin tones. This was a big step towards making ballet more welcoming for everyone.

Beyond Ballet: Acting and Modeling

Eric has also explored acting and modeling. In 2019, he played the character Admetus in the movie Cats. This film was based on the popular musical. He performed in many dance scenes in the movie.

He was also set to act in a play called Clybourne Park in London in 2020. However, the play's performances were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Eric is also a successful model.

Selected Ballet Performances

Eric Underwood performed in many ballets with the American Ballet Theatre and The Royal Ballet.

Main Roles

• After the Rain (a duet)
• Afternoon of a Faun
• Agon
• Rasputin in Anastasia
• High Brahmin in La Bayadère
• Officer in Cinderella
• The Four Temperaments
• Gaoler and Gentleman in Manon
• Serenade
• Von Rothbart in Swan Lake
• Apollo in Sylvia
• Mrs Pettitoes in Tales of Beatrix Potter

Roles He Helped Create

Eric also helped create new roles in these ballets:

• DGV: Danse à grande vitesse
• Acis and Galatea
• Aeternum
• The Caterpillar in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
• Chroma
• Electric Counterpoint
• Infra
• Live Fire Exercise
• Multiverse
• Obsidian Tear
• Raven Girl
• Tetractys
• Woolf Works

Personal Life

Eric Underwood is also a British citizen. He became a naturalized citizen of the United Kingdom.