Cooper in reviews Rambert Reviews Our Rambert page Rambert Website

Once back from the massage couch Simon was ready to answer our questions, joking that he hoped they would not be too hard. We tried to be gentle. So how did it all begin? Six year old Simon and brother Adam, 13 months younger, were taken by their father to watch the open day at a local dance school. Dad was playing the music for the group and the two boys were particularly taken by the tap dancing: 'Can we do that please?' They started Saturday classes and soon added midweek ballet lessons. There was obviously promise there because at the age of 11 Simon, and later Adam, attended the Arts Educational School at The Barbican.

'Before that I liked sports as well. I think I knew I wanted to do something physical, either play football or be a dancer'.

Arts Ed gave him the chance to study other aspects of performance but it was the dance that attracted him. What was it that made the dancing catch fire in young Simon's imagination?

'It gives you a type of freedom, especially if you are playing a role. Not just physically but psychologically. You can delve into different worlds. It gives you a great feeling inside.'

At 16 he went on to the Royal Ballet School, closely followed by Adam but these schooldays were not to prove the happiest of his life.

'No, not really. I wasn't one of the favourites.'

Students who had not come up through White Lodge and whose training had not been so focused found that they had a lot of catching up to do. Sibling rivalry played its part too as Adam was moved up into Simon's year. It was to put a severe strain on their relationship. This is the only point in the interview when a shadow passes behind the dark eyes.

'The worst thing for me was at the end of it because Adam did everything. At that age you are impressionable, you take things to heart. Even though you are not consciously trying to compete, there will always be comparisons. I was the older one as well, which didn't help. You want to impress your family.'

Happily these things are behind them now and the brothers are very close. It has even become something of a joke with Simon forestalling the question with 'Yes its all right I'm Adam's brother - it's fine'.

All this aside, Simon's dancing career was soon under way at English National Ballet where he was able to perform in most of the classical repertoire and work with a number of choreographers. It was during this period that he first worked encountered Christopher Bruce, who became Artistic Director of Rambert in January 1994.

As Bruce began the renaissance of the Rambert, Simon made the decision to move away from the classical style and into contemporary, joining Rambert in September 1994. What prompted the change?

'I did not have the ambition to be a prince. I never looked at it and thought "God, I really want to do that"'. He got a lot more out of contemporary movement.

'For me it was freer, more personal in a way, deeper.'

The change was obviously the right decision and in 1998 Simon was presented with the Time Out Award for Best Performance in Christopher Bruce and Lindsey Kemp's 'Cruel Garden'. Perhaps not surprisingly this is one of his favourite pieces.

'There was a character there that I could get my teeth into.' Similarly with Bruce's 'Swansong'.

'I could be nasty and get away with it. Marvellous!'

Other choreographers on Simon's list of favourites are Mats Ek, Per Johnson and Jeremy James, although it is a regret that he never worked with James personally. In 1997 came the chance to take on the challenge of the role of 'The Swan' in Matthew Bourne's hugely successful version of 'Swan Lake'. With youthful rivalry a thing of the past it was Adam who suggested Simon for the role. It was to prove a very different experience to anything that had gone before.

'I thought it was a great chance because I thought it was a great role to do and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It gave me a lot of confidence. When I came back here people said they noticed a difference in my dancing, the way I was on stage. I seemed more assured. With a role like that you can't get away with it if you're not.'

The role was an exacting one, requiring command of the stage.

'which I was scared of doing because I had never had to do that before. It was very daunting but once I got into it, it was great.' With help from Adam, Matthew and others in AMP he came to love the role, which he reprised in the Dominion season in 2000. He admits to finding the third act more difficult as he finds 'the sex bomb in leather pants' far from his own modest character.

'I found that very hard. You could hide behind an animal in the other acts.'

Well all I can say is that I saw it and it worked for me!

The 75th Anniversary year has been a good one, back at Rambert. The highlight for Simon has been dancing 'The Hurricane', the heart-rending solo piece based on the case of boxer Ruben Carter, who was wrongfully imprisoned on a murder charge. Another chance to dance a character role and one close to Simon's heart, as he is an avid boxing fan. It has been an exciting year for Simon and for the Company, and Simon is pleased that some of his colleagues have had the chance to demonstrate their own choreography.

'There's good things happening. We just need more tours…….abroad'

Simon is an immensely likable person, with a ready smile and ability to laugh at himself. On his list of things that make him laugh, apart from favourite comedians, is looking in the mirror in the mornings. Join the club. Among his pet hates are people's attitudes to each other and having to get up in the morning but one thing that really annoys him is being stereotyped by certain members of society as effeminate just because he is a dancer. Things are changing for the better but there are still a few.

So what might the future hold? For fans such as myself the short-term answer is reassuring.

'I can't see myself moving away from here now. You get settled, have commitments. Obviously if people asked me to do things that would interest me, I might consider it'

And after dance?

'I have a kind of an idea I would like to get into music, the production side.'

Music is his second passion. He loves to listen often sings along. He is also learning to play the bass guitar, having played the cello as a youngster.

'I would love to be involved in music and the creation, production side of it. I definitely want to get out of dance, just to do something different. I would also have to do something physical'

Our very pleasant afternoon ended with Simon and Jane, a karate black belt, swapping martial arts stories. Simon did do some martial arts as a teenager but had to give it up as he was developing the wrong muscles.

Simon was a pleasure to talk to and I am sure that whatever the future holds it will be bright for this delightful dancer. Thank you Simon.