Laura-Jane Fenney Earned Her Place on Stages Where Details Matter Most

In the classical world, nothing is accidental. A hand, a head turn, the timing of a breath. It all counts. Presence is earned one performance at a time, and the dancers who last are the ones who respect every small detail. That is the environment Laura-Jane Fenney grew up in. She started dancing at two, in a household where dance was part of daily life because her mother owned a dance studio. “I started when I was two, and my mum trained me until I was ten,” Fenney said.

By ten, she was ready to test herself outside the familiar. She auditioned for The Royal Ballet School and won a place. Only 12 dancers from around the world were selected. The pace that followed was not gentle. Fenney went to college at 15, already deep into the level of training where you learn to repeat excellence, not chase it.

For dancers, early training is not about collecting titles. It is about learning to hold your technique when the pressure rises. It is about staying clean when your body is tired and your mind is loud. Fenney came up inside that standard, and it carried her onto stages that do not forgive guesswork.

She performed at a Buckingham Palace gala for Queen Elizabeth II, an amazing honor for any dancer. She also danced with The Royal Ballet Company at The Royal Opera House. Those auspicious credits represent years of rehearsal, constant correction, and the expectation that you will deliver on the night that matters.

Fenney did not keep her career inside one lane. She moved into commercial theatre and touring work, where the schedule is relentless and the show has to stay sharp. She became dance captain on the national tour of Grease. She thrived in a role that put responsibility on top of performance. She earned the job because she was trusted to hold the standard, not just hit the steps.

From there, her career stepped into an entirely different kind of stage. Fenney performed as a principal artist with Cirque du Soleil, including a leading role in “Viaggio.” That world demands technique and stamina, but it also demands presence that reads at distance. Every choice has to be clear, even when the movement is fast and the physical demands are high.

She is direct about what it takes to stay working in a competitive field. “The dance industry is hugely overpopulated,” she said. “There are so many talented people going for the same work.” The only way through, she says, is resilience. “There will always be knockbacks, so resilience is important.”

Fenney ties her progress to hours, not hype. “I have grafted hard,” she said. “I put in so many hours to hone my skill set and style.” For her, that work started in the studio and proved itself onstage, where no one can hide behind intention. You either deliver or you do not.

After years of performing at that level, Fenney began to widen her work into choreography and education, but she frames it as an extension of her stage life, not a replacement for it. “After years of performing, I realised I wanted to move into inspiring others through educating and creating,” she said.

Her choreography has reached mainstream audiences, including work for the National Diversity Awards. She also choreographed for Britain’s Got Talent, where the group piece “Unity” became Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer choice. The performance world is still part of her identity, even when her role shifts behind the scenes.

Fenney also has an opportunity with Royal Caribbean to instruct cast members in their shows. “I would love to take on that role and continue to grow in the company,” she said. She also keeps her ambitions pointed at the biggest stages. “I would love to be an educator at the huge conventions in the USA,” she said, “or even choreograph a Broadway show.”

When you look at Fenney’s path, the through line is not a mission statement. It is performance, discipline, and the willingness to earn her place again and again. She came up in the strictest corner of the dance world and carried that standard into every stage that followed.

For more information on Laura-Jane Fenney, visit her Instagram.