Francesca Hayward
Francesca Hayward is a Kenyan-born English ballet dancer and actress, the daughter of an English father and a Kenyan mother. She is a principal dancer in the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in London. At the age of two, she moved to the Goring-by-Sea suburb of Worthing in West Sussex to live with her grandparents. She started ballet at age 3, after her grandparents bought her a video of The Nutcracker. When she was young, she danced at Le Serve School of Ballet and Theatre Dance in Worthing until her teacher encouraged her to audition to White Lodge, the junior section of the Royal Ballet School. After being a Junior Associate from the age of nine, she entered the School at the age of 11 in 2003, and progressed to the Royal Ballet Upper School in 2008. According to Hayward, due to an injury, she did not officially graduate, but received a certificate of attendance.
Known for
Audrey
Audrey Hepburn
Royal Opera House: Swan Lake
Prince Siegfried's younger sister
The Sun Is God
The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker
Clara
Live from Covent Garden - Royal Opera House
Dancer
Like Water for Chocolate
Tita
La Fille Mal Gardée (The Royal Ballet)
Hen
Cats
Victoria
The Nutcracker (The Royal Ballet)
Clara
Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words
Juliet
Royal Ballet All-Star Gala
Woolf Works
I Now, I Then / Becomings
The Royal Ballet: A Diamond Celebration
Concerto / Enigma Variations / Raymonda Act III (Royal Ballet)
Dora Penny (Dorabella)
Royal Ballet & Opera 2024/25: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice
The Nutcracker
Clara
The Royal Ballet: Within the Golden Hour / Medusa / Flight Pattern
Principal Dancer (Golden Hour)
The Cellist / Dances at a Gathering (The Royal Ballet)
Dancer
Giselle
Pas de six
The Royal Ballet: Mayerling
Princess Stephanie
Dancing the Nutcracker: Inside the Royal Ballet
Herself, Sugar Plum Fairy