Hello! I’m Mia Nicholas and I’m 15 years old. I am currently in my final year of training at The Dance School of Scotland and my ambition is to become a professional ballet dancer.

 

Ever since I bought my first Freda Silk skirt I have been keen to become an ambassador. I love the brand and products so much, the way the skirts elegantly flow make them the perfect choice ballet class and photo shoots.

Where were you born and raised? 
I was born in Scotland and I live in the lovely seaside town of Helensburgh. 

Do you recall when or how you caught the dance bug? 
I started dancing when I was 7 years old, but I really fell in love with ballet when I was 9 after performing with Scottish Ballet and experiencing the excitement of performing with a professional ballet company on a stage.

What different styles of dance do you learn? Do you have a favourite style? 
4We learn a variety of different styles at school which are ballet, tap, modern, jazz and national. Although I adore ballet and it is definitely my favourite, I do enjoy tap dancing sometimes too. 

Do you learn/enjoy choreographing, or prefer to perform other people’s steps? 
I enjoy creating my own choreography and thankfully we get the opportunity to do this quite regularly in school, but I much prefer to perform other people’s work.

What is your dream dance role? 
There are so many dream roles I have including Kitri from Don Quixote, the black swan in Swan Lake, The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland and so many more! Hopefully one day….

Who is/are your ballet idol or idols 
I have so many role models who inspire me everyday, but my top four have to be Zenaida Yanowsky who I adore, she is fabulous and I also like that she is a tall dancer like me. Marianela Nuñez, Isabella Boylston and Lauren Cuthbertson. I also love Steven McRae as he is such a versatile dancer and is amazing at tap!

What was the last dance performance you went to see
The last performance I went to see was Christopher Hampson’s The Snow Queen performed by Scottish Ballet.

As a designer and maker of dancewear, I’m really interested in dance photography. You model beautifully for dance photo shoots. Do you have a favourite photographer – either someone you’ve worked with or would like to work with in the future? 
My favourite photographer has to be @rimbaudpatronphotography who is a dancer with Scottish Ballet. Rimbaud and his fiancé Claire (who is also a dancer with Scottish Ballet) make me feel so relaxed which really helps get the most from the photoshoot. 

Do you find that putting on a costume or a beautiful flowing rehearsal skirt changes the way you feel? Is there a difference in the way you perform when in costume as opposed to studio wear? 
Definitely! When I wear a costume or a rehearsal skirt it gives me more confidence when I dance and therefore makes me perform and get into character. It just adds to the overall feeling of the performance. 

I’m not a dancer, but I love the elegance and grace of the clothes worn by ballet dancers. Do you take it for granted now, or do you get excited about a new ballet skirt, pointe shoes etc? 
I always get excited about new ballet clothing or a new pair of pointe shoes. We have a very strict uniform in school so I love getting the opportunity to wear my own leotards and skirts when I can. I think the fact that I wear a uniform every day makes it even more special when I get the chance to put on my own dance wear. 

Do you have some essential / favourite things that you keep in your dance bag? 
I always have my Flexistretcher and thera band to warm up with, water, my pointe shoes and a dance diary where I can keep notes of my corrections. 

If you could use your social media following to raise awareness for something besides ballet, what would it be? 
I would use social media to highlight the importance of being kind to yourself and others. I think good mental health is so important and as a dancer there is a lot of pressure on you from the outset - getting in to a certain school, doing well in an audition, having to look a certain way etc and it can be really detrimental to how you feel about yourself and also how you perceive those around you. It’s really important to be positive and have fun! 

How do you like to relax? 
I love a pampering bath with bubbles and bath bombs from Lush! I also love watching Netflix, especially Friends! 

Do you have any achievements of which you are particularly proud?
When I was 9 years old I successfully auditioned to perform with Scottish Ballet in The Nutcracker and got to play the part of a party child and mouse!

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Follow Mia on Instagram @mianic1