#MotivationMonday: Rose Adagio Edition

May 7, 2017


Mondays are hard. So is dance. And you know what’s just really, absurdly difficult? The Rose Adagio. So for your #MondayMotivation this week, we present to you five famous ballerinas tackling that epitome of classical elegance, technique and deceptively straightforward choreography—because if they can conquer four suitors in the first act of The Sleeping Beauty (not to mention a ridiculously long balance in back attitude), you can definitely tackle this week.

The Most Famous Aurora of All?

Aurora was one of Dame Margot Fonteyn’s signature roles, not only because it was a perfect vehicle for her legendary stage presence, but also because of its significance to British ballet: The Sleeping Beauty was the ballet with which the Royal Opera House reopened after World War II. Fun fact: It was Fonteyn who popularized the attitude balance sequence that has since become standard fare.

Serious Star Power

Aurelie Dupont’s Aurora is absurdly fleet-footed—the Paris Opéra Ballet director was certainly nothing to sneeze at in her étoile days.

Strictly Beauty


With her playful musicality, elegant deportment and exacting placement, it’s not difficult to see why Darcey Bussell was such an adored presence at The Royal Ballet for nearly 20 years. These days, you can catch her presenting The Royal Ballet’s frequent telecasts and as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

Legs. For. Days.

Svetlana Zakharova is one of Russia’s most exemplary classicists, and few roles test that more stringently than that of Aurora. Don’t mind us, we’re just crying (again) over the perfection that are her legs.

You Wish You Could Balance Like This

Okay, so this isn’t really the Rose Adagio, but we couldn’t resist including this old video of Alina Cojocaru practicing her attitude balances back when she was a principal at The Royal Ballet. #goals