Jillian Vanstone is a Principal Dancer (the highest honor for a ballerina) with The National Ballet of Canada where she lives out all of our dreamiest fantasies on stage in the most beautiful medium that exists. This ballerina trains 5-6 days a week for anywhere from 2.5 to 7 hours a day, but on her downtime (which she likes to keep low key) you can find her at the local farmers markets, having brunch with friends, reading good books, or even watching a scary movie. She’s currently in rehearsals to once again perform as Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty (running March 8-18 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto), and she took us inside what a typical at-home vs. performance evening looks like for her. Read the dreamy details below.
6:30 P.M. This is when my rehearsals for the day typically finish. At 6:30 pm you’ll find me stretching out a bit before climbing the stairs to my dressing room to get showered and changed before heading home.
However, if this were a performance day I would be applying my stage makeup and doing my hair at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, then heading to the rehearsal studio to warm up for the performance. I have a tea while I get ready to clear any cobwebs from my brain.
 
7:15 P.M. I’ve made it home after battling the crowds on the streetcar and I’m super hungry (maybe even a little hangry) after my rehearsals so I start making dinner as quickly as I can. Hopefully my husband has made it home too so we can chat as we cook together. It’s less of a chore with a buddy.
On a performance day this is 15 minutes to curtain. I change into my costume, put on my pointe shoes and finish my warm up.
 
8 P.M. At this point I’m eating dinner and probably feeling like a human again because of it. Onstage, if this were a performance of the upcoming The Sleeping Beauty, this is when the fairies have blessed the baby, the curse has been laid, and we fast forward 16 years to Princess Aurora’s birthday party. I am about to make my first entrance as Aurora and I’m standing just off stage at the top of a huge staircase with butterflies in my stomach. I’m wearing a tutu and tiara, the quintessential ballerina outfit. If my eight-year-old self could see me now!
 
8:30 P.M. My husband and I have moved to the couch and we are deciding what we would like to watch on TV. That’s usually the amount of energy I have left after rehearsing all day, but also I really enjoy seeing the amazing work that is being done on TV right now. There are some brilliant shows available. Some of my favourites have been The Crown, Breaking Bad and this hilariously goofy show called Galavant that we found on Netflix. We saved episodes for when we had bad days because it made us laugh so much. It was cancelled after two seasons and I can’t understand why!
In contrast, during performance season, this would be when I have finished dancing Act I and the show is in intermission. I’m having a quick snack and getting ready for Act II. I’m likely putting on my second pair of pointe shoes that I’ve prepared for the show, as I’ve already worn through my first pair.
 
9 P.M. About half way through our TV show I’ll start to multitask while we watch. I’ll either get out my foam roller or sew some ribbons on a new pair of pointe shoes. I’m tempted to just snuggle up on the couch, but I know I have to be prepared for rehearsals tomorrow.
Or, during shows, I’m in the middle of Act II, my favourite part of the ballet. As Aurora, I’ve been presented as a vision by the Lilac Fairy to the Prince and he falls in love (as one does in fairy tales) while we dance. I’m really excited about dancing with First Soloist Gabriele Frola. He’s one of my very favourite partners, and the way he dances his solos so brilliantly really inspires me to up my own game.
 
9:30 P.M. If I’m smart this is when I put together my lunch and snacks for the following day while my husband sets the coffee maker. Then I run an epsom salts bath to help my body recover. If I’m not smart we start another tv show!
If I’m at the theatre, It’s intermission again and one more act to go! Another shoe change and I practice some of my upcoming choreography. I’m soon to be onstage for the wedding.
 
10 P.M. I’m usually in bed with my book between 10 pm and 10:30 pm. I read for about a half hour. I just finished a fantasy series by Robin Hobb. I’ve now read all of her novels, her characters are so vivid and I was sad to let them go.
During performances of The Sleeping Beauty, around 10:30 the curtain comes down. I chat with my coaches, head up to my dressing room, and put my feet in some ice water while I remove my makeup. Once I shower and change I head home and have some food. It’s really hard for me to get to bed after a show because my adrenaline is still so high. I’ve also done all the things on one of those “bad sleep hygiene” lists. I’ve exercised late, I’ve had caffeine after noon, and I’ve eaten really late at night. I will run a bath and read to help me calm down, but I’m usually not in bed until 1 am or 2 am after a performance.