Francesca Hayward facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francesca Hayward
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Hayward in 2020
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| Born | 4 July 1992 Nairobi, Kenya
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| Nationality | British |
| Education | Royal Ballet School |
| Occupation | Ballet dancer, actress |
| Height | 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) |
| Current group | The Royal Ballet |
Francesca Hayward, born on July 4, 1992, is a talented ballet dancer and actress. She was born in Kenya but is British. Francesca is a main dancer, called a principal dancer, with the Royal Ballet in London. In 2019, she played Victoria the White Cat in the movie Cats, which was based on a famous stage musical.
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Early Life and Training
Francesca Hayward was born in July 1992 in Nairobi, Kenya. Her father was English, and her mother was Kenyan. When she was two years old, she moved to Goring-by-Sea in West Sussex, England, to live with her grandparents.
Francesca started learning ballet at age three. Her grandparents gave her a video of The Nutcracker, which made her fall in love with dance. She danced at a local school until her teacher suggested she try out for the Royal Ballet School. She joined the junior part of the school, called White Lodge, when she was 11 in 2003. Later, she moved to the Royal Ballet Upper School in 2008.
Her Amazing Career
Francesca Hayward joined the Royal Ballet in 2010. She quickly became known as a very gifted dancer. She was given more important roles in big shows. She moved up through the ranks, becoming a First Artist in 2013, a Soloist in 2014, a First Soloist in 2015, and finally a Principal Dancer in 2016. People who watch ballet have praised her talent and dancing skills a lot.
Dancing on Stage
In 2012, Francesca danced a special duet, called a pas de deux, from The Flower Festival in Genzano. She performed with another Royal Ballet dancer, James Hay, in Canada. That same year, she danced the role of Clara for the first time in The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House in London.
Her performance as Clara in The Nutcracker was even recorded for a DVD. She also appeared in a BBC documentary film called Dancing the Nutcracker: Inside the Royal Ballet.
Starring in Movies
In November 2018, Francesca joined the cast of the movie Cats. She played the role of Victoria the White Cat in this film, which was directed by Tom Hooper. She also sang the song "Beautiful Ghosts" in the movie. To be in the film, Francesca took a break from the Royal Ballet. She returned to dancing with them in May 2019.
In 2020, a documentary film called Audrey was released. This movie was about the life of the famous actress Audrey Hepburn. Francesca played Audrey during her Hollywood years, showing her life through dance.
Recent Performances
Francesca's first time dancing as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake was delayed in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. She took part in a special fundraiser called Swans for Relief, where she danced The Swan. This helped raise money for dance companies affected by the pandemic.
In 2023, Francesca performed at the Coronation Concert. This concert celebrated the coronation of Charles III and Camilla.
Awards and Recognitions
Francesca Hayward has won several awards for her dancing.
- In 2009, she won the Lynn Seymour Award for Expressive Dance.
- In 2010, she won the Young British Dancer of the Year Award.
- She also won a silver medal and the Audience Choice Award at the 2010 Genée International Ballet Competition.
- In 2014, she won the Best Emerging Artist award.
- In 2016, she received the Grishko Award for Best Female Dancer at the Critics Circle National Dance Awards.
In September 2019, Francesca was one of fifteen women chosen to be on the cover of British Vogue magazine. This special issue was guest-edited by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. In 2020, she was also named one of the most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage in the United Kingdom. She was included in the 2021 edition of the annual Powerlist.
Images for kids
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Francesca Hayward in 2020
