Three Inspirational Individuals...

1. Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong is my absolute hero. Period. I personally feel as though he alone counts for all three of my ‘inspirational individuals’! Most people today are aware of Armstrong and his story, but just to be sure I shall run through the details that make him such an admirable athlete and human being.

Armstrong’s greatest achievement as a professional cyclist has been to win Le Tour de France, which is universally known as the toughest cycling race there is. It is classed as one of the most challenging sporting events on the planet, with its competitors enduring 21 days of racing over a 23 day period, covering a staggering 2,200 miles in total. Riders face individual ‘time-trials’ (cycling solo as fast as they can for around 30 miles) as well as days spent cycling through the Alps and the Pyrenees, usually for 5 or 6 consecutive hours. (The total elevation of the mountain stages of a Tour is equal to climbing three Everest’s!) Cyclists who complete a Tour can only be described as super-human, so punishing is the training and competition that they endure. In illustration of this, four cyclists have tragically died whilst competing in the Tour.

Clearly, to complete the Tour de France is an exceptional accomplishment; to win it is prodigious. Armstrong has won it not once; not five times (the long-standing record for number of victories); but SEVEN times.

However, this unparalleled sporting accomplishment is overshadowed by another feat of Armstrong’s. The battle he fought against cancer. At the age of 25 he was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer, a cancer that had also spread to his lungs, brain and abdomen. Fortunately for Armstrong, the months of vigorous treatment proved to be successful, despite his survival chances being less than 40%. Almost immediately, Armstrong launched himself back into training, with the aim of reclaiming his career as a professional cyclist. Many of those around him –medics, cyclists and friends- did not believe that Armstrong would be able to return to his former standard of cycling after such an aggressive treatment schedule. So to surpass his former achievements, and become arguably the greatest cyclist of all time, proved an incomprehensible triumph.

I am sure you can see why I find Lance Armstrong such a fascinating individual. I greatly admire his total disregard of odds and probability. I have learnt through his life-story that if you have a goal, perseverance and a lot of fighting spirit will go a long way. It is not always helpful to study the chances you have of reaching your aim; Lance proves that these can often be overcome with the right mentality.

I frequently re-read his two autobiographies: It’s Not About the Bike and Every Second Counts for inspiration within my own life. Whilst learning of such extreme levels of determination and self belief, it is inevitable that the reader will set down the books with a renewed sense of motivation for their own personal quests, be they cancer-related, sport-related or otherwise.


2. Deborah Bull

Deborah Bull and Darcey Bussell share many common factors. They are of a similar age; both trained at The Royal Ballet School, and both progressed to principal dancer status with The Royal Ballet Company. They even share the same initials.

Darcey Bussell, however, is the one that everybody knows and admires. I too have great deal of admiration for Darcey; but it is Deborah whom I have chosen to write about here.

Bull’s dance career has been an impressive one in its own right, her repertoire ranging from traditional classical roles, to her celebrated performances in neo-classical works such as Forsythe’s Steptext. But Bull has many more strings to her bow than her abilities as a dancer. She has embarked upon a wide variety of projects that, whilst being linked to dance, have proved her to be a highly intelligent and multi-talented individual. Bull has written or co-written a number of books, as well as frequently offering her skills as a presenter, often for Royal Opera House performances that are broadcast on television. Admirably, Bull has shown a keen interest in politics, campaigning for better funding within the arts and creating an ‘Artist’s Development Initiative’ at the Royal Opera House. For me, Deborah Bull is proof that a career in dance is not the be all and end all, but that there are plenty of ventures that can stem from it.


3. Matthew Bourne

I just love the concept of Matthew Bourne’s company ‘New Adventures’ – creating and performing full-length dance works with a unique theatrical emphasis. Bourne himself has choreographed some of the most successful works of or time, including Edward Scissorhands, The Car Man, Dorian Gray, and, of course, his globally recognised all-male Swan Lake. Bourne has won no fewer than five Olivier Awards, and his works regularly delight audiences across the UK, Europe, USA and Australia.

The aspect of Bourne’s work that I most admire is the theatrical element involved. When you go to watch a New Adventures production, you know that you will be experiencing more than just a ballet. In fact, you come away from the theatre feeling as though you have witnessed a ballet, musical, play and film, all rolled into one! Bourne does not merely choreograph steps to a score of music; his work has so much depth and attention to detail. For instance, at the start of his choreographic process Bourne will often involve his dancers in a series of workshops, encouraging them to explore and develop the characters that they will be taking on in the production. This idea of cultivating a background for the character you will be playing is a popular technique used by actors, and contributes enormously to Bourne’s focus on drama alongside dance. Further techniques that Bourne employs include an extensive use of props; frequent incorporation of sets and scenery within dances, and meticulous attention to detail in terms of costume –even as far as styling the dancer’s hair to match the era that a piece is set in. The combined result of these factors is to make the audience feel totally immersed in a performance, and is what gives Bourne’s work that distinct edge over many other contemporary choreographers.



Above is a clip of Bourne's The Car Man, my favourite of his works to date. Note how much detail there is to be found in the sets and costumes, not to mention the standard of acting shown. It is easy to see why Bourne's work lends itself so well to camera too.