Inside the Making of an Étoile Ballerina

On stage, Japanese-New Zealand ballerina Hannah O’Neill carries a composed intensity that feels entirely her own. In Contrastes at Palais Garnier in Paris, O’Neill performs Tina Brown’s If You Couldn’t See Me with her back entirely to the audience, totally alone and unadorned on stage. In the stripped-back space, her precise movements become the story: the length of each line, the breath held between gestures and the control she exerts over every muscle. 

It’s the type of mastery that defines O’Neill as an Étoile of the Paris Opéra Ballet, a title she earned through virtuosity and unrelenting persistence. After seven years as a Première danseuse, she was finally promoted to Étoile in 2023.

Of the years leading up to that moment, O’Neill recalls a shift in her approach: “I got to a point where I worked really closely with my coach and took a bit of distance, not from the Opéra, but I just decided that I needed to do this work for myself, and only myself.” It was a recalibration that proved decisive. “It was extremely rewarding and a huge surprise to me, even though it was like I dreamt of it for so long, I couldn’t believe that it actually happened, and at the same time I felt really ready.” 

What is your first memory of dancing? 

Hannah O’Neill I was born in Japan, so I guess to keep our English developing, all our books and videos were in English. I remember we had this kid’s TV program and there was this scene where the girl put on a tutu and did this ballet number. It was my favourite part. I always danced with her. From that, it just developed into always dancing, all the time. 

Obviously, I started ballet lessons. I always loved the atmosphere, but I was never the one who knew how to do everything. My mom was like, “You used to always just hang out in the back, I thought you were going to quit soon,” but obviously I kept going. 

Was there a moment when you decided you were going to pursue ballet as a career? 

HO Honestly, I didn’t really have a moment. As a kid I did a lot of after school activities: tennis lessons, athletics, swimming, ballet, and then within dancing I was doing tap, jazz, contemporary. It got to a point where I obviously couldn’t do everything. So, slowly, I brushed off the other activities to be able to do more ballet. I think from a very young age I decided, oh, that’s what I am going to do. 

How did you end up dancing for the Paris Opéra Ballet? 

HO It was my childhood dream. I think, also, in Japan the Paris Opéra is something that everybody dreams about. For me, ballet was Paris Opéra. All of the ballet videos that I had, the books, and all the dancers that I looked up to, were mostly from Paris Opéra. It was simply just a childhood dream which I didn’t think I was going to be able to actually pursue.

I did try out for the school, but I didn’t get in, so I went to the Australian Ballet School. I was having a great time there and slowly I was seeing my future, staying in Australia. It’s a great company as well, but then I had this moment when I did the Prix de Lausanne [an international competition for young dancers]. It was my first time in Europe. On the way home I came to Paris and London and saw the Royal Ballet and the Paris Opéra. It resparked a thing of, oh, I really want to dance in Europe. In my last year of school it really got to the point where it’s a now-or-never moment. So, I went to my director at the time and I told her. She was really supportive. I had a few companies that I wanted to try for, but the Paris Opéra audition was the first one, and I got a seasonal contract for eight months. I dropped everything else, I didn’t even sit and think, and just arrived here. 

How did it feel to be promoted to Étoile? 

HO We have a system where we have to pass an exam, it’s called a concours. To be promoted, you have to pass this concours every year, and I moved up every year. It only took me two years to get to Première danseuse. But then I stayed as a Première danseuse for quite a long time – seven, almost eight years. 

What’s the average time for that promotion? 

HO I mean, it depends. So many people have beautiful careers as a Première danseuse. But I guess I always felt that I could get there and I didn’t want to let go. I got to a point where I worked really closely with my coach and took a bit of distance, not from the Opéra, but I just decided that I needed to do this work for myself, and only myself. I saw [my coach] every week, for every role, for any small bit of dancing that I did on stage. I really focused on my work and not trying to please others, or wonder why somebody was maybe not appreciating [me]. It was just a mind shift and part of maturing as well. I was really enjoying myself on stage and I was really dancing how I wanted to be dancing. 

Then we had a change of direction and José [Martinez] arrived and I was his first dancer that he promoted to Étoile. It was extremely rewarding and a huge surprise to me. Even though I dreamt of it for so long, I couldn’t believe that it actually happened, and at the same time I felt really ready. It’s a role that I wanted to take on. I didn’t feel like I had to prove myself. I had another coach, Laurent Novis, that I worked with for a long time and still do, he always said to me, “Don’t compare yourself with others, everybody has their own way, you do your way.” At first, I could not understand. I was like, but everybody my age or around me is doing this and that. Our careers end quite young, but I don’t feel very pressured to do everything all at once. I feel like I can just enjoy the moment and the time will come for each role.

How do you maintain the joy of dancing while also striving for perfection? 

HO I guess you have to find the small sensations. Just a small accent that you’ll have in one step can make all the difference. Even though we are very serious, and sometimes we can take ourselves too seriously, it’s about not taking ourselves too seriously. I think, especially in dance now, it’s become so technique-focused and, “who can do the most turns?” and, “who can get their leg the highest?” Pretty much all of the dance videos that I get inspiration from now are from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, when you see them just giving it their all. They have this freedom, this joy. It’s important not to forget that, and to surround yourself with people that are going to help you maintain that.

Is there any part of the work that helps you manage your mental health in terms of stress and burnout? How do you navigate that yourself?

HO Yeah, it’s definitely a subject. I have fortunately been quite lucky where I haven’t really experienced too much of that. But at the same time, I feel very lucky to have a great support system, my family have always been there. I have great friends and my coach, she’s my rock. 

I guess she would understand that because she was an Étoile as well and has been through it.

HN Exactly, and José as well. He and I have a really good relationship so I feel very comfortable sharing things with him, asking him questions and hearing from him. But I mean we can all get cooped up and it can get very overwhelming sometimes. I feel like I live my ballerina life very intensely, but at the same time I enjoy everything that comes with it too. But it is really important to have an outside life. That’s why I love Paris, there’s just always so much to do and see.

When you work on the character development in a ballet, do you try and take inspiration from all the different aspects of the culture of the time the ballet was made?

HO Absolutely. If there’s a narrative I’ll definitely read the book. I’ll listen to the music, and maybe other pieces that the composer wrote during that time. Sometimes there are exhibitions on with artworks to see the postures, the style, to know a little bit more of the era of when it was made. And obviously, going to the movies. It’s a very French thing as well, they love going to the movies and they just rock up by themselves. I remember at the beginning I had never even thought about going to the movies by myself. I do it all the time now. 

What are some of your go-to things to do when you want to have a bit of distance from the intensity of the job?

HO Even just going out to dinner. I’m a real gourmand, I love good food.

Do you have any recommendations?

HO A restaurant that I go to to energize myself with my mum, which we do almost every time she’s in Paris before my premiere, is called Nodaiwa. It’s Japanese and they specialize in eel unagi. I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s supposed to give you energy. Otherwise a good bistro is always so satisfying or the Chinese food in Belleville is nice, too. 

Contrastes is on at the Opéra Garnier until December 31.