Women who move us
Hayley Ryan
"Hayley Ryan is Creative Programmes and Partnerships Manager at The Royal Ballet and Opera, where she has led the award-winning Create & Dance programme for over a decade. Before joining the organisation, she worked as a freelance dance artist for five years, delivering creative projects across education and community settings.
Hayley holds a Master’s in Dance Performance, with research focused on gender representation of ballerinas across the 19th and 20th centuries, reflecting her long-standing interest in identity and storytelling through ballet. She is passionate about creating inclusive, playful spaces that build creative confidence in teachers and support children’s wellbeing and emotional literacy through movement. Her work is rooted in the belief that dance education should be both empowering and accessible."
When was the moment you knew you wanted a career in dance?
Dance has been part of me since I was born. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. It’s always felt like the most natural way to express myself and connect with the world.
What is a quote you live by?
"Brené Brown’s powerful interpretation of Theodore Roosevelt’s words deeply resonates with me:
“It’s not the critic who counts... The credit belongs to the one who is actually in the arena.” Theodore Roosevelt
“When we choose to show up and be seen, we are daring greatly.” Brené Brown
This quote reminds me that vulnerability is not weakness, it’s courage. Being in the arena means risking failure, criticism, and discomfort, but it’s the only path to meaningful connection, creativity, and leadership."
If you could have lunch with any woman (living or from the past), who would you pick and why?
"Ninette de Valois. As the founder of The Royal Ballet and a pioneer of British ballet, her legacy is extraordinary, yet she openly spoke about her fear of being “found out.” That imposter feeling, which so many of us carry, is striking coming from someone who built institutions that still shape the dance world today.
I’d love to ask her how she navigated that vulnerability while leading with such vision. I’d want to hear more about her “recipe for the establishment”, how she balanced artistry, politics, and pragmatism to create something lasting. Her story reminds me that even the most influential leaders wrestle with doubt, and that courage often means moving forward despite it."
Is it more important to be liked or respected?
In leadership, difficult decisions are inevitable. While being liked is lovely, I believe being respected is essential, it builds trust, clarity, and long-term impact.
How do you manage stress?
I take ice baths first thing in the morning. It’s a way to build resilience and reconnect with my body. I also meditate while I take the cold plunge, it’s the only time of day I’m truly still and focus on my breathing. This is followed up by a workout before my days gets going.
Where is your happy place?
In the garden on a sunny day, surrounded by friends and family, a glass of rosé in hand, and my son’s laughter filling the air.
If you were a fruit or vegetable, which would you be and why?
I’d be a pepper, small but mighty. Peppers bring heat, depth, and surprise to any dish, much like how I approach my work. I often come into a process with intensity, creativity, and a spark that can shift the energy. Whether it’s leading a team, shaping a curriculum, or creating a moment of magic in a dance workshop, I aim to add flavour, challenge expectations, and leave a lasting impression.
In our dance sector, what do you think is the most pressing issue for women and girls right now and what are you doing about it?
I believe one of the most pressing issues is wellbeing, particularly how early experiences in dance shape self-worth, confidence, and identity for girls. The sector still carries echoes of perfectionism and pressure, and we need to create spaces where girls feel safe to express, explore, and grow.
Through my work with Create & Dance, I’ve been actively measuring its impact on children’s wellbeing. We’re looking at how creative movement can support emotional literacy, resilience, and joy, especially for girls who might not see themselves reflected in traditional dance narratives. It’s about shifting the focus from performance to process, and making dance a tool for empowerment.
What’s something you regret in your professional dance career?
Honestly, I don’t have regrets. Every so-called failure has been an opportunity to learn, grow, and refine my path. Dance teaches you to fall and get back up, and I carry that lesson into every part of my career. The moments that didn’t go to plan often led to the most meaningful insights or unexpected breakthroughs.
What question do you wish more people would ask you?
How do you stay creative while managing others? And here is my answer - I stay creative by carving out space for curiosity and play, even in the midst of leadership responsibilities. Managing others can easily become about logistics and outcomes, but I make a conscious effort to stay connected to the why behind the work. I build creativity into my routine through journaling, movement, and surrounding myself with inspiring collaborators. I also believe in modelling creativity for my team through my vision for the Create & Dance programme, showing that experimentation, vulnerability, and imagination are not just welcome, but essential. Creativity isn’t something I protect from leadership; it’s something I lead with.
What are the 3 leadership traits that best define you?
Passion, integrity, and direct communication.
What book/film/documentary do you recommend most to others?
Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. It’s transformative in understanding how trauma lives in the body, essential reading for anyone working in movement, education, or care.
Film: Barbie! Beneath the pink and playful surface, it’s a bold, clever exploration of identity, gender roles, and what it means to be human. It challenges perfectionism, celebrates emotional complexity, and invites us to question the systems we live in, all while embracing joy and imagination. For anyone working in creativity, leadership, or wellbeing, it’s a reminder that storytelling can be both powerful and playful.
Two talks I return to often are Brené Brown’s The Power of Vulnerability and Sir Ken Robinson’s Do Schools Kill Creativity?. Brené’s talk is a masterclass in emotional courage, she reminds us that vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, connection, and leadership. It’s foundational to how I lead and how I design spaces for children to feel safe and seen.
Sir Ken Robinson’s talk challenges the way we think about education and creativity. He argues that we need to nurture imagination, not suppress it, a message that deeply resonates with my work in curriculum and dance. Together, these talks offer a blueprint for leading with heart and building environments where creativity and wellbeing can thrive.
Which lesson has been the hardest to learn?
Rest is productive and leadership requires vulnerability, not just strength.
What's next for you?
What’s next for me is staying curious. I’m exploring how to lead with softness and strength, how to protect joy in the midst of responsibility, and how to keep my creative fire burning while supporting others. It’s less about a title and more about a way of being. I’m focused on deepening the impact of Create & Dance, expanding access, and embedding emotional literacy into movement. I want to help build a sector where children, especially girls, feel seen, safe, and empowered through dance.
Cinderella, Pocahontas, Alice in Wonderland or Malefica?
Alice in Wonderland, a curious bookworm who questions everything and isn’t afraid to carve her own path.
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