The Dirt with Leanne Cope
She may be a Brit, but when she’s onstage as Lise in An American in Paris, Leanne Cope is the image of Parisian chic. Cope, who will make her Broadway debut in the role this month, is a first artist with The Royal Ballet. But it wasn’t simply her flawless technique that caught An American in Paris director Christopher Wheeldon’s fancy. Cope took voice lessons as a kid, and after joining The Royal in 2003, she quickly became known for her theatricality in ballets such as Liam Scarlett’s Hansel and Gretel and Sweet Violets. Want to get to know the real-life Lise? Read on for The Dirt. —JD
Leanne Cope with New York City Ballet principal Robert Fairchild in An American in Paris (photo by Angela Sterling, courtesy An American in Paris
What did you want to be as a kid?
A florist, a nurse or Julie Andrews
What dancer would you drop everything to see?
Sylvie Guillem
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?
Reality TV
Who’s your dance crush?
Other than my husband, Paul Kay, I would have to say Baryshnikov
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
I like having a scented candle in my dressing room while I put on my makeup.
Who is your role model?
My mum
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Fear has two meanings: Forget everything and run, or face everything and rise.
