SH: Is that an experience you have in all the pieces you dance in?
RF: Not every choreography appeals to me in the same way. But I have loved dance and music since I was a child. And on stage I can show different aspects of my personality, whether it's through the hip-hop-influenced dance language of Marion Motin or the shadow act in La Bayadère. I just want to be true to myself on stage, that's when I'm happiest.
SH: We know that the careers of dancers are shorter than in other disciplines. Do you think about your own professional future and what might come after ballet?
RF: There is this clock ticking, but I still feel very good and want to pursue this profession as long as possible. I don't know yet if I will rehearse choreographies one day, as I am doing now for Le Grand Sot. I am studying psychology part-time at a New Zealand university. Maybe there is a future task for me in sport psychology one day, where I can work with the next generation of dancers.
SH: And how do you see the future of ballet as an art form?
RF: I believe that ballet will always find its audience because of its diversity and its different styles.
In Canada we had an outreach programme where we showed small excerpts from productions to give children and young people access to ballet. That was met with a huge amount of interest. It was a very simple format that was very inclusive. I like to think back on that. Dance and music have been an integral part of virtually every culture throughout history. Dance is our universal language of emotion, connection, storytelling and celebration. Ballet isn't going anywhere. It simply needs positive, personal encounters that welcomes people in.