JADAR

Ahead of English National Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty coming to Manchester, we sat down with Lead Principal Sangeun Lee to discuss the ballet, her career, her aspirations, and more!

Could you tell us about Sleeping Beauty and what makes it special to you? 

I’ve done Sleeping Beauty before, but I was performing as the Lilac Fairy, so this is my first time dancing as Aurora, and my first time dancing in Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet. This Sleeping Beauty by McMillan is very rarely performed so it’s really great to have this opportunity and to perform it.

But it was a little bit overwhelming in the beginning to start as Aurora, because I’m very tall, and I thought I was not really fit for the Aurora role. But actually, now I’m doing it more, I’ve started finding such beautiful things, which is simplicity and elegant, and everything is in the music, all the steps. So I really enjoy rehearsing at the moment. Of course, it’s very challenging, but I still try to put everything in my body, because every step is new, and there are so many things. It’s been quite a journey, but I’m enjoying it very much. 

So, ballet is such a universally loved genre of theatre. What do you think makes ballet so entertaining and accessible for audiencess?

I think music plays a big part, especially in Sleeping Beauty. It’s a beautiful score – I think it’s one of my favourite of Tchaikovsky’s music. And actually it’s the best thing to be a principal, dancing the best part of the music. Whenever I listen to the music, I just have a goosebumps, and whenever I see someone else dancing to this music it just brings me such memories. It’s just beautiful. And I think everyone can recognise this music.

So, English National Ballet are known for spell-binding set and costume designs. Would you say that these make it easier to get into your roles? Make it easier to slip into roles? Is it tricky to get into character?

I just had my costume fitting, and I haven’t seen the set yet, but the costume is beautiful. They made a brand-new one for me, so I’m really excited.

Would you say that the aesthetic of a show has a big impact on ballet?

I really enjoy learning the style because there’s something very simple, you don’t have to add anything. I think it already gives an aesthetic of elegance, and it’s a very beautiful. 

It’s weird, because it feels so exposed as a dancer, just to do simple arabesque pique but everything has to be simple. I’m working very closely with Loipa, the ballet master here, and she said, “You need to differentiate the styles in the ballet, because otherwise it’s the same arabesque in Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty. It’s the same movement with a different costume”. So it’s very important to learn the style the upper body and then it gives you the right the aesthetic naturally.

Would you say that touring adds any extra challenges or hurdles?

It is challenging because you have to go to different cities, and you have to travel, and the theatre is new. I did perform in Manchester, and actually, I really enjoyed it. It’s exciting to meet new audience, and you don’t know what to expect when you perform in new cities and it’s nice to revisit places where I enjoyed performing. It’s nice to meet the audience. 

The choreography in ballet can be extremely demanding and intricate. Are there any routines you found particularly challenging or fun? 

I mean, it’s hard to learn because I’ve never danced it before, and it’s a little bit new to me, these styles, but how it’s done is so beautiful. Everything is in the step, every step is in the music, so when I start understanding the purpose of each step, it’s challenging, but it makes sense, and everything has its own purpose. But of course, it takes a lot of time to rehearse and to repeat and to work on it, and I’m watching lots of videos. 

I had to do some research, but I enjoy all those processes. I think that’s important when you prepare new roles… to learn the new steps, to understand the musicality, to watch different people. I do a lot of video work to watch the other people. It helps a lot when I do something new.

There’s been several ballets that perform to recorded soundtracks. Does having a live orchestra change your interactions with a piece? Is it easier to perform to?

It’s so beautiful to hear this orchestra music – to hear all this violin, it just brings me extra response, and it inspires me a lot. 

How do you unwind after a show?

Sometimes it’s hard to sleep after the show, because you prepare it, and there was a lot of excitement and you still have this feeling, but you just try to have a dinner and watch some Netflix and think a little bit about what I did in the shows, and try to recover for next day.

Did you always know that you wanted to perform ballet?

I think it was one of the things I really wanted to do. My mom asked me to do a lot of different things when I was a kid, I was swimming, painting, playing pianos, but I couldn’t continue more than a month.
Ballet is really hard. I found it was very difficult to do it, but I really like the challenge, and it is still difficult, but I still enjoy it. I wasn’t sure, but I liked doing it. I was very lucky to have a good teacher who always encouraged me and gave me motivation to continue so I was very lucky.

You’ve also modelled with Vogue! Do you think your experience in ballet helps with crafting dynamic poses?

It was a really fun shoot actually. I did it with Vogue Korea, and I was actually quite flattered when they asked me in the beginning. I think they were surprised by how athletic I am. I think it gives you a bit of strength but elegance at the same time, so I think it was quite interesting. So yeah, I’m sure it definitely helps with some aesthetic positions. And then you have all the people doing your makeup and hair which helped a lot!

If you had the opportunity, would you try exploring other dance styles or dance fusions? Is there any style you’d be particularly interested in exploring? 

English National Ballet always brings a new repertoire, and I’m always interested to work with the choreographers. It’s always my pleasure to create something, or to be part of inner creation. I think it gives me a certain purpose and fulfilment as a dancer, to create something. It’s a hard process when you create new ballets, but I always learn something. It’s always rewarding when you see the result. So I am always interested working on new pieces. 

What has been you’re favourite career moment so far or what have you learnt the most from?

I mean, every time I do something! There’s a lot of unexpected things. It’s hard to just pick one thing. Also, coming to the UK and joining the ENB – I never thought I was gonna join ENB, and be working in London. So it’s always unexpected. But it’s been an incredible journey. 

Would you say that ballet is accessible for young dancers to get into? 

I think so. ENB offers a lot of things for young people. There’s a program called My First Ballet. And I think if you look it up there’s a lot of programs that people can use to get access to ballet, not just for performers but also for young kids. I think it’s quite nice what the ENB does.

Do you have any dream roles?  

Giselle was one of my dream roles, because I thought I was never going to be Giselle, but I had my debut two years ago and it was quite a dream come true. And also dancing Aurora!

Do you have any hobbies outside of ballet? 

I’m a very boring person! No, but I enjoy going to the theatre to see other performances and have nice dinner with my close friends. You have to have a balance with work and life, and I’m always working on that.

English National Ballet: Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s The Sleeping Beauty plays at Palace Theatre Manchester from November 19 to 22 2025, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton from November 26 to 29 2025, and Royal Albert Hall, London from June 25 to 28 2026.