Was Audrey Hepburn a Ballet Dancer?

Ballet

Audrey Hepburn was a renowned actress and model who has been remembered throughout the years for her iconic style, grace, and beauty. She is considered one of the most important figures in the history of film, having starred in a number of classic films such as Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and My Fair Lady. She also had an impressive career as a fashion model, appearing in Vogue and other fashion magazines.

However, many people don’t know that Audrey Hepburn was also an accomplished dancer. Born in Belgium to a Dutch father and an English mother, she began taking ballet lessons at the age of five and continued with them until she was 15 years old. During this time she trained with some of the best ballet instructors in Europe, including Sonia Gaskell who taught her the Russian style of ballet dancing.

Audrey Hepburn was so talented that she even danced professionally for a short period of time. In 1948 she toured with Roland Petit’s Ballet Company in Brussels, performing in works such as “Coppélia”, “The Nutcracker” and “Carnival”. After this tour concluded she went on to perform in several Broadway shows before turning her attention fully to acting.

Despite her impressive dancing credentials, Audrey Hepburn never considered herself to be a professional dancer. Her focus was always on acting and modeling; however it is clear that dance had a major influence on her life. She often mentioned that it helped her to stay fit during her film career when other actresses weren’t so careful about their health and dieting habits.

It is also believed that her dance background had some influence on how she moved on screen; for example when playing Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, you can see traces of her classical training coming through in her body language.

So while Audrey Hepburn may not have been a professional ballerina, there is no denying that dance played an important role in both shaping who she was as an actress as well as adding an extra layer of gracefulness to her performances on screen.

In conclusion, while Audrey Hepburn may not have been a professional ballet dancer like many believe, it is clear that dance had an influence on both her personal life as well as her career as an actress and model. Her training helped keep her fit during long film shoots and gave some extra gracefulness to some of the iconic roles for which she is remembered today.