Erina Takahashi - Giselle and I
As Akram Khan’s iconoclastic Giselle returns to Sadler’s Wells, English National Ballet’s lead principal dancer Erina Takahashi discusses ballet's tragic heroine
Erina Takahashi and artists of English National Ballet in Akram Khan's Giselle © Laurent Liotardo
The doyenne of English National Ballet, in 28 years with the company Lead Principal Erina Takahashi has seen five directors, danced every major role in the ENB repertoire and built up a stellar reputation among audiences and colleagues alike.
Critics have consistently highlighted her expressiveness and ‘finely tuned grace’ (The Guardian), with Bachtrack writing of her Clara/Sugar Plum Fairy: ‘a dream of a dancer, so soft on pointe you could imagine her steps causing puffs of icing sugar to billow.’
Erina Takahashi and Aitor Arrieta in Nutcracker © Laurent Liotardo
Fellow dancers, too, reached for superlatives when asked to contribute to the celebration of her 25 years with ENB: ‘a legend’, ‘an inspiration’, ‘the epitome of grace, humility and quality’, ‘professionalism at its finest.’
The woman who walked into a meeting room at ENB’s ultra-modern Canning Town HQ wears all that praise and adulation lightly. At the end of a long day’s work her petite frame radiated energy, her open smile was warm and welcoming, and she came across as self-assured yet modest
We were there to talk about one of the best loved of all ballet heroines, Giselle, whom Takahashi will bring to life twice within the next four months: in the traditional über-Romantic ballet reconstructed by Mary Skeaping from the 19th century original, and first in Akram Khan’s intense, iconoclastic Giselle for our times, which premiered in 2016 and returns to Sadler’s Wells this autumn.
Emma Hawes, Erina Takahashi and James Streeter in Akram Khan's Giselle © Laurent Liotardo
The same character – a young woman betrayed by her feckless lover, who returns after death to forgive and save him from the murderous spirits of spurned women – but two very different interpretations.
Akram Khan’s Giselle is a factory worker locked out with her workmates by the heartless factory owners. She is passionately in love with Albrecht, not knowing he is the son of the factory owner. Unlike the fragile, naive peasant girl of the Romantic ballet, this Giselle, says Erina Takahashi, ’is very strong. She has a feminine side, of course, but she is the leader of the group. She has seen suffering and been able to overcome, and that’s why everyone trusts her.’
Takahashi feels, however, that Giselle’s strength also plays a part in her downfall:
‘I think being a strong woman that everyone thought would always get through anything, Albrecht’s betrayal must have broken her. It’s like when you’re first in love and you have a great relationship, but then first love doesn’t work and you’re broken so much, because you only know how to love that person. So, when it comes to Act II, although she has this strength, she must also have something broken inside.’
Another difference lies in the choreographic language.The original Giselle uses classical ballet language; Khan’s blends classical ballet with his own South Indian kathak.
‘With Akram it's not just the movement,’ she explains. ‘The movement comes because of the intention behind it.'
Far from clashing, though, Takahashi finds the two Giselles inform each other.
‘Before I did Akram’s Giselle, Mary Skeeping's Giselle was my favourite ballet – I loved it so much, Then this Giselle came and it was a totally new experience. By working with Akram I realised that I’m using his technique towards the classical, too, using that emotion to go deeper, get more intention, putting that intention into the steps, so there’s a meaning. That made it more interesting, and I think we can use that with any ballet.’
Erina Takahashi as Giselle in Mary Skeaping's Giselle. Photo: Isabella Turolla
In Khan’s Giselle, Takahashi’s Albrecht will be danced by her own husband, ENB First Soloist James Streeter. In different ranks of the company they don’t often get the chance to dance together, so I wondered whether this on-stage partnership was special, or the very least different.
‘The difficult side is actually the preparation, because we know each other so well that we can’t hide what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling. We are a lot better now working together, but there will always be a slight…’ she pauses to find the right word, ‘...not fight, but argument: “What’s wrong?, “No, no I’m OK” but then he says, “No, something IS wrong..”
‘So, that sort of difficulty I think you always have if you’re dancing with your life partner. But the beauty is that we can breathe together, we start talking. When I’m dancing Giselle I don’t see myself as Erina, I think I’m that person, so my own personality I leave that in the dressing room. When I see James, I don’t see James, I see Albrecht. I do that in rehearsal as well, so I’m now able to put aside being husband and wife.'
Erina Takahashi and James Streeter in Akram Khan's Giselle © Laurent Liotardo
They become husband and wife again when they go home to their seven-year-old son, Archie.
‘I think we’re lucky that we have a son, who makes us switch off from work. We tend not to bring anything about work home; so, as soon as we are home we both become mother and father.’
In her long career with ENB, which she joined at 17 straight out of English National Ballet School, Erina Takahashi has danced with very many partners; her Albrecht in the traditional production at the Coliseum in January will be fellow Lead Principal Francesco Gabriele Frola. What makes her ideal partner?
‘Of course, a good technical partner is amazing to dance with, but for me you have to have some kind of connection to be able to enjoy it. For me, even if the partner is not perfect, it we get some connection, I prefer that.
‘Gabriele [Frola], is a great partner. The more that we get into that connection, the more we think and aim the same way. I’m used to working with him, so we have a laugh sometimes. I can read his mood when we are in the studio... OK, he’s not happy today.’
She laughs.
Erina Takahashi and Francesco Gabriele Frola in Le Corsaire © Laurent Liotardo
Erina Takahashi thinks luck has played a part in her career, starting with the unstinting support from her parents back in Japan, even when she left home at 15 for school in a country on the other side of the world: ‘they never said “no, you can’t go out of Japan, or you have to come back”’, to her husband: ‘James was always there to help me’, and people within the company who saw her through difficult times, particularly ballet master David Wall.
‘There was a time especially when I became a principal when I was up and down, I used to cry a lot if things didn’t happen, but David Wall was there for me, and that’s the important thing, always have someone you can trust, or talk to, or just cry in front of that person.’
Already admired for her willingness to help and encourage younger colleagues, Erina Takahashi has just been appointed Repetiteur, a role she adds to that of Lead Principal and which she is thrilled about.
‘These last five years or so I started to enjoy helping the young dancers: you get to help them, but also you get to see them growing and I appreciate that they take my word and I can see them getting better. I’ve been here for a long time, this is my home and I love to be able to share my knowledge, the help that I can give.’
Akram Kahn’s Giselle is at Sadler’s Wells, 18 - 28 September.
Erina Takahashi dances Giselle on 18, 21 and 24 September at 19:30
Mary Skeaping’s Giselle is at the London Coliseum 15 - 18 January 2025.
Erina Takahashi dances Giselle on 15 and 18 January at 19:30
Critics have consistently highlighted her expressiveness and ‘finely tuned grace’ (The Guardian), with Bachtrack writing of her Clara/Sugar Plum Fairy: ‘a dream of a dancer, so soft on pointe you could imagine her steps causing puffs of icing sugar to billow.’
Erina Takahashi and Aitor Arrieta in Nutcracker © Laurent Liotardo
Fellow dancers, too, reached for superlatives when asked to contribute to the celebration of her 25 years with ENB: ‘a legend’, ‘an inspiration’, ‘the epitome of grace, humility and quality’, ‘professionalism at its finest.’
The woman who walked into a meeting room at ENB’s ultra-modern Canning Town HQ wears all that praise and adulation lightly. At the end of a long day’s work her petite frame radiated energy, her open smile was warm and welcoming, and she came across as self-assured yet modest
We were there to talk about one of the best loved of all ballet heroines, Giselle, whom Takahashi will bring to life twice within the next four months: in the traditional über-Romantic ballet reconstructed by Mary Skeaping from the 19th century original, and first in Akram Khan’s intense, iconoclastic Giselle for our times, which premiered in 2016 and returns to Sadler’s Wells this autumn.
Emma Hawes, Erina Takahashi and James Streeter in Akram Khan's Giselle © Laurent Liotardo
The same character – a young woman betrayed by her feckless lover, who returns after death to forgive and save him from the murderous spirits of spurned women – but two very different interpretations.
Akram Khan’s Giselle is a factory worker locked out with her workmates by the heartless factory owners. She is passionately in love with Albrecht, not knowing he is the son of the factory owner. Unlike the fragile, naive peasant girl of the Romantic ballet, this Giselle, says Erina Takahashi, ’is very strong. She has a feminine side, of course, but she is the leader of the group. She has seen suffering and been able to overcome, and that’s why everyone trusts her.’
Takahashi feels, however, that Giselle’s strength also plays a part in her downfall:
‘I think being a strong woman that everyone thought would always get through anything, Albrecht’s betrayal must have broken her. It’s like when you’re first in love and you have a great relationship, but then first love doesn’t work and you’re broken so much, because you only know how to love that person. So, when it comes to Act II, although she has this strength, she must also have something broken inside.’
Another difference lies in the choreographic language.The original Giselle uses classical ballet language; Khan’s blends classical ballet with his own South Indian kathak.
‘With Akram it's not just the movement,’ she explains. ‘The movement comes because of the intention behind it.'
Far from clashing, though, Takahashi finds the two Giselles inform each other.
‘Before I did Akram’s Giselle, Mary Skeeping's Giselle was my favourite ballet – I loved it so much, Then this Giselle came and it was a totally new experience. By working with Akram I realised that I’m using his technique towards the classical, too, using that emotion to go deeper, get more intention, putting that intention into the steps, so there’s a meaning. That made it more interesting, and I think we can use that with any ballet.’
Erina Takahashi as Giselle in Mary Skeaping's Giselle. Photo: Isabella Turolla
In Khan’s Giselle, Takahashi’s Albrecht will be danced by her own husband, ENB First Soloist James Streeter. In different ranks of the company they don’t often get the chance to dance together, so I wondered whether this on-stage partnership was special, or the very least different.
‘The difficult side is actually the preparation, because we know each other so well that we can’t hide what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling. We are a lot better now working together, but there will always be a slight…’ she pauses to find the right word, ‘...not fight, but argument: “What’s wrong?, “No, no I’m OK” but then he says, “No, something IS wrong..”
‘So, that sort of difficulty I think you always have if you’re dancing with your life partner. But the beauty is that we can breathe together, we start talking. When I’m dancing Giselle I don’t see myself as Erina, I think I’m that person, so my own personality I leave that in the dressing room. When I see James, I don’t see James, I see Albrecht. I do that in rehearsal as well, so I’m now able to put aside being husband and wife.'
Erina Takahashi and James Streeter in Akram Khan's Giselle © Laurent Liotardo
They become husband and wife again when they go home to their seven-year-old son, Archie.
‘I think we’re lucky that we have a son, who makes us switch off from work. We tend not to bring anything about work home; so, as soon as we are home we both become mother and father.’
In her long career with ENB, which she joined at 17 straight out of English National Ballet School, Erina Takahashi has danced with very many partners; her Albrecht in the traditional production at the Coliseum in January will be fellow Lead Principal Francesco Gabriele Frola. What makes her ideal partner?
‘Of course, a good technical partner is amazing to dance with, but for me you have to have some kind of connection to be able to enjoy it. For me, even if the partner is not perfect, it we get some connection, I prefer that.
‘Gabriele [Frola], is a great partner. The more that we get into that connection, the more we think and aim the same way. I’m used to working with him, so we have a laugh sometimes. I can read his mood when we are in the studio... OK, he’s not happy today.’
She laughs.
Erina Takahashi and Francesco Gabriele Frola in Le Corsaire © Laurent Liotardo
Erina Takahashi thinks luck has played a part in her career, starting with the unstinting support from her parents back in Japan, even when she left home at 15 for school in a country on the other side of the world: ‘they never said “no, you can’t go out of Japan, or you have to come back”’, to her husband: ‘James was always there to help me’, and people within the company who saw her through difficult times, particularly ballet master David Wall.
‘There was a time especially when I became a principal when I was up and down, I used to cry a lot if things didn’t happen, but David Wall was there for me, and that’s the important thing, always have someone you can trust, or talk to, or just cry in front of that person.’
Already admired for her willingness to help and encourage younger colleagues, Erina Takahashi has just been appointed Repetiteur, a role she adds to that of Lead Principal and which she is thrilled about.
‘These last five years or so I started to enjoy helping the young dancers: you get to help them, but also you get to see them growing and I appreciate that they take my word and I can see them getting better. I’ve been here for a long time, this is my home and I love to be able to share my knowledge, the help that I can give.’
Akram Kahn’s Giselle is at Sadler’s Wells, 18 - 28 September.
Erina Takahashi dances Giselle on 18, 21 and 24 September at 19:30
Mary Skeaping’s Giselle is at the London Coliseum 15 - 18 January 2025.
Erina Takahashi dances Giselle on 15 and 18 January at 19:30
TRY CULTURE WHISPER
Receive free tickets & insider tips to unlock the best of London — direct to your inbox