Amy Watson, new director of the Royal Danish Ballet, speaks to Alastair Macaulay

On October 31, 2024, the Royal Danish Ballet announced that its new artistic director would be Amy Watson. She has already been artistic director since August.

Nikolaj Hübbe, director from 2008, had let it be known in 2022 that he would retire in 2026 - but, due to events in Denmark (see below), in late October 2024 he announced that he would now retire with effect on November 1. Hübbe had trained in Copenhagen and risen through the ranks of the Royal Danish Ballet, becoming a principal and star, before joining New York City Ballet in 1992. There he created roles for Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, and other choreographers; he danced leading roles across the repertory, becoming in particular a noted interpreter of the title role of Balanchine’s Apollo. When he retired from that company in 2008, it was known he would become artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet.

Amy Watson, American by birth and training, had moved to Copenhagen in 2000, joining the corps de ballet of the Royal Danish Ballet as soon as she graduated from the School of American Ballet. She became a soloist in 2003 and a principal in 2007. She retired from the stage in 2021. She had already begun to teach in 2017. Hübbe had been her teacher and coach when she was a student in New York, but in Copenhagen she worked with other directors, teachers, and coaches before Hubbe rejoined the company in 2008.

She gave me this interview - via Zoom - on October 30, 2024. We had not met before. It was a happy meeting, with laughter. I have omitted some topics on which we only touched, but I hope to return to them in later conversations. AM.

I.

AM. Obvious question. You’re an American from California: what attracted you to Denmark and the Royal Danish Ballet?

AW. It was kind of Kismet for me.  When I was thirteen, the Royal Danish Ballet came to Orange County, the Performing Arts Center there, and they were doing Et Folkesagn (A Folk Tale). And at that time I believe they werein a transition period. I believe Peter Schaufuss has suddenly left them, and times were changing.

There was a big audition with hundreds of little girls, to find the four bridesmaids to dance around Hilda and Junker Ove. And Frank Andersen and Anne-Marie Vessel chose me.

I’ll never forget it, dancing around Rose Gad and Silja Schandorff, and thinking “I’ve never seen such beautiful artists up close.” I’d never been onstage with professionals before. And I followed the careers of those two women ever after that, those two in particular.

And then Dance Magazine did a huge cover picture, I remember, of six women in the Napoli pas de six costumes – and I thought “I want to be one of them!”

And then I went to School of American Ballet, where I had Stanley Williams, the last two years of his life. I was very, very lucky with the timing. But I will say this (and admit it with shame): I did not full appreciate him at the time.  I can go back and reflect on that –

AM. We’ve all had teachers we weren’t ready to appreciate -

AW. And I had Nikolaj Hübbe (who was so influenced by Stanley Williams) and I believe I was in his first female class. He had already been teaching the School’s men, maybe a year earlier, maybe two. I was in his first female class, and then in the first class he staged a ballet on, which was Bournonville’s Konservatoriet. And that was an incredible kind of destiny for me. I had been offered a contact while I was rehearsing Konservatoriet, but I hadn’t decided where I was going to go, because I had other contracts. And then working with Nikolaj on Konservatoriet completely changed my mind. I said “I’m going to Denmark. This is what I’m doing.”

II.

AM. Obviously your career in Denmark took you, fairly fast, to tough roles like the first-movement ballerina in Symphony in C. At what point did you start to think “I want to teach” or “I would like to stage”?

AW. I started teaching back in the United States every summer, I think from after my first year in the corps de ballet here. I had a teacher back home in Virginia (my father worked for the government – we kept moving around. So I went back home to Virginia in the summers and I started teaching.

But I didn’t know whether teaching students was my passion. I later found out I was interested in working with professionals. And I had a conversation with Nikolaj when I was about thirty-four. I had accomplished quite a lot in my career, and I said to him “You know, if you don’t need me in the first part of this next season -” (I don’t think I was cast in the main ballets) – “then I’m interested in studying teaching.” So he gave me this big grant – he found the money from a foundation – and I went and worked with Darla Hoover for four weeks. Then I went to the School of American Ballet, where I shadowed. I watched Kay Mazzo and Suki Schorer and Suzy Pilarre, for two weeks.

I was very lucky with him letting me do that. When I came back, he said “You know, one of my company teachers is ill, I’m throwing you in the deep end. How do you feel?”

At this point, no company dancers had recently been teaching company class. But I said “I think it’s time. I’m ready.” That was it. I was about thirty-five, and now teaching company class. Then I started instructing, and assisting in instructing, pretty much around the same time, all due to transitions, people leaving, changes within the company.  

III.

 AM. When you teach now, what pedagogical elements do you think you are drawing from?

AW. The teacher – and this is just my own experience – from an anatomical point of view, and a scientific point of view that really clicked for me was Truman Finney. How he worked with the body and alignment – that changed everything for me from a physical point of view. So he had a huge impact on how I teach. I focus a lot on barre, and the stability that that brings.in the centre.

And then I was very lucky with School of American Ballet teachers – and with Nikolaj – with musicality. Musicality for me – forefront! I focus a lot on that. I encourage dancers to close their eyes, to listen to the music. How grateful we are to have a live pianist every day! And to really encourage dancers to be brave in class and rehearsals and just concentrate on music. The dancing will come. “Everyone is at such a high level technically. Let’s really focus on the music.” Interpretation and collaboration with the orchestra every night: that for me is Number One

IV.

Since 2023, the Copenhagen ballet world has been rocked by a series of pieces in the newspaper about allegations and reports of institutionalized eating disorders and physical insensitivity the Royal Danish Ballet School. Former students and their parents have made these allegations to the journalist Ida Herskind. A particular target was Nikolaj Hübbe, famous in Denmark not just as artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet since 2008 but as a judge on the Danish TV Dancing with the Stars. 

Perhaps predictably, some Danish readers feel that Herskind dislikes ballet itself and, in particular, the slender body type often – if not always accurately - associated with the Balanchine ideal. They also feel these Copenhagen complaints should be disregarded as the “It’s not fair” moans of those who failed to win employment with the Royal Danish Ballet. When I visited Copenhagen in October 15-19, some people also told me that Danish culture itself is currently out of kilter with the Apollonian and rigorous demands of ballet. 

  Nonetheless both the Royal Danish Theatre and the Royal Danish Ballet School have taken the allegations very seriously. Lawyers and children’s associations have been consulted. 

The Politiken pieces have forced two particular and major changes. One: the Royal Danish Ballet School – which is government-sponsored - will close most of its teaching for junior students beneath age eleven. Since most ballet students need to start ballet training before that age, this is necessitating major structural changes, some of which are yet to be finalised. But the company must now search for younger students from other schools for its annual production of the Balanchine Nutcracker and for most of its Bournonville productions. Two: Hübbe, who more than a year ago announced his plan to retire in 2026, took sick leave during the summer. More recently, Hübbe officially announced that he would retire on November 1, 2024. 

   Watson became acting artistic director of the company in August 2024. In late October, it became clear that she would be given the post. The appointment was made official on October 31.  

AM. I have to ask you about this whole Politiken scandal. I don’t fully understand its details, but I know that it was a series of really strong attacks on various aspects of the Royal Danish Ballet School; and, as I understand it, the School has decided to close its several junior years and to take in students only from age eleven or twelve upwards.

Can you tell me about that, and about what changes you hope to make?  

AW. I’m just now building up my questions and my thoughts and reflections on the actions they’re making - so that, when it’s my time, I’m looking forward to having a collaborative conversation with the management of the School. So I actually don’t know more than you, really.  

I know that the board is making some crucial and important decisions in the next few months. I trust fully that they’re going to do the right thing.  And also with the children’s associations they’re working with and the lawyers’ recommendations from outside and inside – they’re going to put everything into priority.

In a few months, I hope to have some concrete examples of how I would like to influence the School. But of course nothing is concrete right now. I have to trust that the ballet management of the School and the board are doing what they believe is correct. So I’m absolutely clear that we do need to transition and that there are some changes needed to modernise us in becoming an influential school. But I’m not privy to what I think will be the most productive output. I’m supporting what they’re doing as right.

V.

AM. I understand that you’re beginning your régime with “Bournonville 100”, a period of intensive study of Bournonville. Tell me about that.

AW. Yes. I plan that my first hundred days - like the next president, shall we say? – I’m going to concentrate on a huge Bournonville strategy.

I don’t want just to concentrate on the Bournonville classes. I want the strategy to be longterm. How do we become the centre of Bournonville education? How do we get people to come here so that we can educate them with the Bournonville knowledge? We’re also at a very sensitive time, finding who the next Bournonville interpreters are – onstage and the instructors. We need to find out who wants that responsibility. Also who is right for that responsibility. And who is right for passing on certain Bournonville ballets: Sylphide compared to Napoli compared to – Who can teach the schools? Who can teach those international members of the company without an extensive Bournonville background? At the time I came in, I had a very huge Bournonville immersion, under a different director. And we need to go back into asking the dancers when they come “Why is Bournonville important to you? How do you interpret Bournonville?” This is our legacy here: we need to provide them with some education. How do we do the education?  All of those elements need to be part of a new strategy.

And perhaps to build a particular Bournonville team that will have its main focus on all these issues. I’m going to work on this strategy rightaway.

VI.

AM. You as a dancer were attracted in your teens by Bournonville and, perhaps later, by Balanchine. There is a connection between those two. But when we talk of Bournonville we also talk of an innate acting quality, in the sense of a social world around the dancing.

A: Is that what attracts you in the Bournonville repertory?

B: Which Bournonville ballets would you like to make central to the repertory if you can? 

AW. Good questions. I absolutely was inspired by both Balanchine and Bournonville. In my teenage years, I can say I had an equal passion for both of them. At the School of American Ballet, there’s always this very high level of passion and love for Balanchine. Now, as an adult, I can go back and look at myself in those teenage years and know that, although I loved dancing Balanchine, I always felt more comfortable in the Bournonville style and technique. They suited by body and my natural talents: the lightness, the airiness, the jumping.

And then, on top of it, the storytelling! I worked very closely with Suzanne Farrell – very closely, when I was a teenager. And I think both she and I had a feeling for the storytelling underneath – whether or not she told explicit stories onstage! There’s something there that – I always wanted to do that.  And I didn’t know whether I could until I came to Denmark. I was incredibly lucky, in my second year, to be given Olga in John Cranko’s Onegin by Reid Anderson.

That opened my eyes up. John Neumeier then cast me in roles, whjle I was very young. I had a huge team, behind me, supporting me and giving me all the tools. But I certainly didn’t know if I could do it – until I fell in love with it. And that definitely, for me, is Number One about Bournonville. We’re storytellers.

And a great thing about Bournonville is that, as Teresina in Napoli, I don’t have to stand in formal B+ positions! I don’t have to be the perfect princess! I can be the human that slouches! While I was also dancing such taxing roles as Études and the first movement ballerina of Symphony in C, I found great freedom in those Bournonville roles.

The Sylphide! That role just brings out every side of us humans, from passion to death toseduction to scarcity…. There’s everything in that role one must give – and that can take you to some interesting places as a human. For an artist, what a gift to do that role.

 In terms of ballets that will be central to our repertory, definitely Sylphide and Napoli and A Folk Tale.

I’m looking into Ponte Molle, the Bournonville ballet that Dinna Bjørn and Frank Andersen reconstructed for the Royal Swedish Ballet. I would also like to take a dig into how we might – with cultural sensitivity - revive Abdallah and Far From Denmark. Abdallah: the steps are incredible, the music is wonderful. I really would love to get that back in the repertoire, but we need to take a hard look at the cultural issues involved.

AM. What about The Kermesse at Bruges and Konservatoriet?

AW. Kermesse, I can tell you, is scheduled for next season. With Kermesse, there will be slight changes we’re going to make.

But Kermesse is where I hope to make my mark with who’s staging it, because Kermesse is filled with character roles, filled with miming.  To pass on those is sometimes trickier than the steps. So we have to see who’s able to take on that responsibility. 

VII.

AW. I believe that I first saw you – certainly first saw you in Copenhagen – dancing Balanchine. When I visited in April 2009, you danced the first movement of Symphony in C. You also danced in Symphony in Three Movements, though I don’t remember which role now.

AW. Nikolaj wanted to cast everything very democratically, so I was only supposed to concentrate on Bizet (Symphony in C). Due to life, I was also able to dance in Symphony in Three, which was lovely: the third soloist, with all the turns.

AM. First movement Bizet is already a tough role for any ballerina.

AW. Oh yes. But an amazing, amazing, amazing opportunity.  And I learnt it from Merrill Ashley. I’ll never forget it: she was so tough in the best way, but she wrote the most beautiful card for me at the premiere. I cherish it. It was so kind and honest. A wonderful memory.

VIII.

AM. Tell me about the tension – or the connection - between dancing the Bournonville repertory and the “Petipa”repertory. (And by “Petipa”, I include Ivanov.)

AW. Yes, yes. It is very different. I had to approach Petipa with a very strict agenda. Maybe that’s my Balanchine background, possibly; I was insecure, possibly intimidated. But when I had my first Petipa role, my first big role I think was Kitri (Don Quixote). And then I later did Aurora. And I really had to put all of my efforts into going the Petipa way. I had to re-learn how to do épaulement, port de bras… It took a great deal of effort, and coaching, and not replying on my natural abilities. Because to be a great Petipa dancer – if you weren’t raised in that, that’s not something that happens overnight. 

I was fortunate enough in my career to have incredible coaches. I had Loipa Araujo for my first Kitri. I had Christopher Wheeldon and Jacquie Barrett for my first Aurora. I was given the knowledge, and that great responsibility. With Petipa, it’s very different from dancing Bournonville - Your body language as well. I naturally became much more, let’s say, statuesque, much more broadand bravura… How I approached my class also became very different. When I was dancing Balanchine and Bournonville side by side, it was more cohesive, I’d say, especially when I was working on my petit allegro and my fast footwork.  But with Petipa I really had to dig into the adagio, dig into the control. 

IX.

 AM. You’ve danced Jerome Robbins.

AW. Oh Robbins! With Robbins I have to say, next to Bournonville, I felt the most “Amy Watson the human being.” Doing both Dances at a Gathering and Other Dances brought back everything in my childhood reason for loving ballet. I felt the little girl just waltzing across the studio without even thinking. But I was also at a very technical level when I reached those ballets, and I felt all the hard work paid off. I could just enjoy the beautiful music, the beautiful choreography. I just felt great joy. I didn’t have to put too much depth into them, I didn’t have to think too much about them, it was just sheer dance at the best, in the best way.

That was Robbins. I also did other Robbins roles too: The Queen in The Cage, The Concert, Anita in West Side Story Suite. 

X.

AM. Other than Balanchine and Bournonville – and you’ve mentioned Cranko and Neumeier – what other choreographers have stretched you personally most? Ones that you would like to see stretch your dancers as artists?   

AW. I’m a huge fan of both his artistic ability and his work ethic – Alexei Ratmansky. He really made an impact on me throughout the years. His passion for finding the choreology and everything about those old ballets.

He’s due to come here to create the Bach Art of Fugue ballet, the one on which he had begun work in Moscow in 2022 when the Russian hostilities to Ukraine made him leave Russia quickly. I would love to pick his brain also about old ballets: “Can you reinterpret a Bournonville ballet perhaps?” And I know he hasn’t done a Raymonda yet…  

He's someone I’m fascinated by. And his musicality, and how he works with the dancers, and the love and passion he brings to the studio – I’ve rarely met anyone with such gifts. So he’s definitely on my radar.

And then there’s two of the younger generation I’ve never yet worked with personally.

Emma Portner for her feministic viewpoint. Not necessarily even for her choreography, though I’m a fan of that and I can see where it’s coming from. But the feministic viewpoint - if she can take the female point of view in dance and ballet viewpoint (what are we representing nowadays? What are we talking about?), there’s something interesting I’d like to work on with her.

And then I’m a huge fan of Kyle Abraham and his movement. I’m coming to London in November to see his The Weathering in the Royal Ballet’s Encounters programme. I’ve never seen his work live. Whenever I watch it on line, it’s made me want to watch what this man can do.

We have a few talented choreographers in Denmark. I’m very interested in working with Eukene Sagues: she’s producing Blood Wedding for us in November. She has a special acting heritage, and a love for mime and storytelling. It’s something very interesting. I don’t know where it’s going, but I want to see it.

And then Sebastian Kobborg. The dark humour he brings, his Danish dark humour, into his very  - he has his own body languageand his own vocabulary that I’m fascinated with.

So those two I would like to invest in more. 

XI. 

AM. Do you have any ideas about bringing in different teachers?

AW. That one I need more time before I can answer it as I’d like. As a dancer, I was a huge class person. I miss class very much. I think it’s a place where one can explore oneself and one can learn a lot about oneself and reflect about oneself. So that decision for me is going to be very hard.

Our roster of teachers right now is wonderful: it’s very versatile. It’s very big. And I think maybe I’d like to condense that. I need to take some time with that one. That one for me is not going to be an easy fix.

I’ve seen throughout the years that bringing a teacher to Denmark from elsewhere can be a hard life decision for that teacher. To move to another country, to move to another culture – there’s a couple of teachers I would like to be able to convince to make that move!  But I don’t know if that will happen, so I don’t want to say too much.

XII.

AM. When I first came to Denmark, the Royal Danish Ballet was probably composed entirely of Danes. As I don’t need to tell you, that’s changed over the years. How controversial, is that change, do you feel, in Denmark? Is there still some xenophobia around?

AW. It’s interesting. In some circles, yes.

But what still surprises me, after twenty-four years, is, if I go to a dinner party or a reception or an art exhibition, people here always get surprised “The ballet is big here? The ballet attracts international dancers to come here?” It always surprises me.

I think it’s something that the Danes call “jantelov”: the unwritten law or unspoken law about how everyone’s equal. So there’s no “Oh, you’re part of the ballet, this great stardom”, as in Paris or in Russia, or New York for that matter. Here everyone is very much - You don’t want to talk yourself too much up. So there’s still that level of not being made to think you’re a star or anything.

At the same time, they’re very proud of what they can offer the world in this wonderful small country – from Hans Christian Andersen to Novo Nordisk! Nikolaj did an amazing thing with putting dance on the map here. He was on TV on Friday nights. So we’re in a good position right now.

And Denmark is a society where everyone loves art.  They want more and more and more.

Yet they’re still missing that layer – they don’t appreciate the greatness of the cultural legacy and honour that we have here in Danish ballet – that’s still not appreciated by Danish society.

AM. I’m glad to hear you say how much you’ve learnt from Nikolaj Hübbe. Are you able to say at this early stage to say in what ways you might diverge from him? (I’m probably sounding like a journalist  encouraging Kamala Harris to say how she diverges from Biden!)   

AW. I have huge respect for him; I’ve learnt a great deal from him. What he’s done for ballet in Denmark - the level of the talent in this company is incredible. What he’s created with some of the Bournonville ballets, renewing them, refreshing them. And everyone can have a different opinion on whether or not he’s done it “correctly”. But I think to take those chances is what it means to be an artistic director.

He and I, perhaps we may have different tastes. And I think we have great respect for each other – although we’re very different people in terms of leadership style.

I think I would like to have a very collaborative leadership style, and to have a few more voices. I’m considering building an advisory board, especially with the Bournonville strategy. To have an academic such as Inger Damsholt from Copenhagen University on the board; perhaps a critic, and then a dancer , and a former Bournonville instructor….To have voices.

“Okay: What do we want to do with these stories? What is important to each of us? What are you missing in these new versions? Okay: how can we perhaps be more culturally sensitive?” I think that is a way in which we’ll perhaps be different.

I also just like to surround myself with people who challenge me constantly! I don’t know everything, I don’t have the key to all the answers, I am human and I will make mistakes. So I think there’ll be a different structure in leadership style.

@Alastair Macaulay 2024