I recently had the chance to ask Quincy McKay some questions about her journey as a ballerina. Quincy is an amazing dancer, she graces the stage with poise and grace, her passion and dedication for ballet is incredible. Below are her responses.

Q1: When did you start ballet?

I started ballet when I was four years old.

Q2: Where do you currently dance?

I currently dance at The Tivoli Ballet School in Copenhagen, Denmark

Q3: How long have you been en pointe for?

I’ve been on pointe for about 5 years now

Q4: What pointe shoes do you currently wear?

I currently wear Russian Pointe Encores. They work well with high arches like mine to keep them supported.

Q5: How did you first get involved in ballet?

When I was young, I was always a very musical child and danced whenever I could so my mom thought it was a good idea to enroll me in ballet. So when I was four, I took my first ballet class and have been dancing since then.

Q6: What is your favourite variation?

My favorite classical variation is Gamzatti variation act 2 from La Bayadère. It focuses on grande allegro which I love but also has a unique performance quality to it. I’ve performed this variation a few times before and it is so much fun to dance.

Q7: What company would you love to work for?

I would love to work with the Royal Danish Ballet because it’s Bournonville style of ballet is quite elegant and beautiful but at the same time very challenging.

Q8: Do you have a favourite memory/moment in ballet?

My favorite memory of dance is when I got my very first pair of pointe shoes. It sounds cliche, but as soon as I put them on I knew this is what I wanted to pursue in my lifetime.

Q9: Who are your ballet roles models? Dancers that inspire you.

I absolutely love watching Natalia Osipova perform. Her expressions and the way she carries herself on stage is so unique and inspiring. She’s fierce and you can truly see her love for ballet when she performs.

Q10: Best advice you’ve ever received from a teacher?

The best advice I’ve been given is to dance big. I’m 5’11 so I’m quite tall for a dancer which has made me want to be shorter like a typical ballerina. But trying to be shorter weakened my performance so my teacher when I was about 13 years old constantly reminded me to dance big and bigger than I could possibly be. I am still learning to embrace my height as a dancer and this advice has helped greatly.

Q11: Classical or romantic tutu?

Classical tutu

Q12: What do you like to do when you aren’t dancing (your free time)?

I don’t have a lot of free time when I’m not dancing since my school work is quite demanding but I love to hangout with my friends at a cafe or by the beach whenever I can. I also love to go to the movies and go to parties every so often.