Top 68 Quotes & Sayings by Francesca Hayward

You can't live your life with regrets about not doing something. It's so much better to just go for it.

I always critique myself but I'm realistic - I know I can do better but I'm never that hard on myself, either.

At aged eleven, you're learning taking criticism every day and making it a positive thing - otherwise you will never make it in ballet.

It took me a while to process myself as a cat - it's not something you see every day.

Telling the story from start to finish, that adrenaline fuels me and keeps me going.

I've loved CATS since I was a child - particularly the role of Victoria, so when the opportunity to audition came about I was very interested.

I'm so happy that I ventured out beyond the Royal Ballet - which is my home, and I love it - but I would never have pushed myself outside of my comfort zone.

There was never really a moment that I decided that I wanted to be a ballet dancer. It's always just felt like it's what I was meant to do.

I'm rubbish at maths but I would like to have been a pilot.

I learned after a while that you are the only one who can take care of yourself.

I've always just done ballet, and I feel like I'm sort of living the dream.

I'd like to be remembered a little bit for my performances.

For a long time everyone had a stereotype of ballet that it was easy and that we were just prancing around. But thanks to the Internet, and being able to share live performances and broadcast them to the world so that everyone can experience the ballet, I think it's inspiring people we wouldn't normally be able to reach.

The force for change I represent is of course from being a mixed-race ballerina.

No one recognises me in the street.

I feel that while my body's able and I'm young, I'd have so many regrets if I didn't go for it now with the ballet, because that's everything I've always wanted to do.

For people who know about dance, 'Cats' is a musical that really celebrates dance, and there are so many different styles of dance in this film, too. I was really looking forward to being part of that.

I was a waitress at a local pub. I was really bad with money and it taught me the value of it as I was on minimum wage.

I got the performance gene.

When I'm performing I just want to tell the audience something. I want every person watching to walk away feeling something.

It sounds a cliche but when I'm on stage I'm at my most relaxed, I feel most like myself. When I have the music and the costumes and everyone else around me, that's when I feel most free.

I don't like wearing frilly, puffy skirts.

I feel in control when I'm on stage.

I definitely have been nervous, but often I get more nervous performing with the corps de ballet than doing a solo. There's so much pressure doing a group number because if you muck it up, you've ruined it for everyone.

I just want always to move people at every performance. If someone cries, that's brilliant.

Manon' still feels like it didn't really happen, because it is such a mammoth ballet and I can't believe I did that.

Everyone knows that I'm not very nice when I'm hungry.

I love acting, but that's also kind of what I love about ballet - the acting. So, obviously, film is like an extension of that, which is amazing, but it's also something I can do a bit later on as well.

My dad was teaching in Kenya, and my grandparents came to visit me there. They brought me to England, and my dad continued to teach for a bit after, so I just continued to live with my grandparents, because that became home, really.

Sometimes I wonder if people really want my smelly old shoes, but some people seem quite thrilled by them. So I'm like, OK, well, this is something you can't buy, so there you go.

It's not a normal every day thing to see yourself with fur, but I loved it.

I already don't read reviews, I don't seek them out. Sometimes my family will tell me if there's a nice one.

I always enjoy ballet when you can read the situation very precisely, when I could tell you exactly which sentence that person is saying to that person even when they're not speaking and just moving their hand.

I would love to be a fashion designer but that's easier said than done.

Since the E.U. referendum I've been keen to know more and be a bit more active. It highlighted how important politics is to our lives.

It's very British of me, but I'll always choose beer over anything else.

I love to laugh as much as possible.

It's just very surreal for someone who doesn't sing in public to suddenly be singing with Jennifer Hudson.

In ballet, it doesn't matter who you are. If you're good, it's such a rare thing, so unusual, that the talent will go wherever you want it to go.

I love all of the ballets that have a really strong story in them where I get to play a character. I don't enjoy the ones that are more technical without a story line and it's just me on stage dancing.

Obviously I would never have agreed to be a part of something that would change the colour of my skin had I been playing a human. The bottom line is, I'm playing a cat. There is no more discussion. I am a cat that's white, let's not read into it.

Dancewear is very different from sportswear. Sportswear doesn't quite suit what we need to do with our bodies, so I'm always fiddling with my clothes in the studio.

When I was a wee baby, if I heard any music, I would just get up in my buggy or my pram and start bobbing around.

I'd definitely like to do some more film acting.

My favorite leisurewear brands are Lululemon and Nike. They feel like a second skin, they never restrict my movements, and they keep me cool and warm.

I didn't expect to be so tired sometimes on stage. There are moments when you're so tired you could pretty much collapse.

I believe that when we die, we die - but I believe people's energy stays behind.

With Juliet, if you read the Shake'speare there is quite a clear idea of how she should be, but with the ballet you can get your teeth into her even more because there are loads of moments when you realise she is growing up.

When I was younger, in my living room, I used to put 'Cats' the stage musical video on and I used to copy Victoria.

I remember being asked for the first time about my race, and it really took me by surprise, just that it was a point that needed to be raised - and then I quickly realised that it was a point that everyone wanted to talk about!

When I was younger I used to dance to lots of ballet videos.

I had to learn about how to use my voice as an instrument, like a muscle in my body when I dance. I had no idea how much you could do with your voice and how much you have to look after it.

Even in the early stages of my career I've had to dance with principal dancers. I could have easily freaked out and got nervous, but I think that helped when it came to trying to forget I was doing a scene with Judi Dench.

I recycle and try to reuse bags in shops but, like most people, I don't do as well as I could.

On stage I have to amplify some of my emotions with my back or make something a little bit more obvious because my audience might be very far away from me, or very high up and find it harder to read what I'm trying to express.

Finding ways to unwind and switch off is just as important as working very hard.

I sew my own shoes - I don't trust anyone else to sew the ribbons exactly how I like them.

When I found out that I was going be Juliet, it felt much more real than 'Manon,' because 'Manon' is one of those ballets that you probably do after Juliet, so that never really sunk in to be honest.

I'm quite relaxed - I know it's important not to get too uptight about things as a dancer, but when it came to my voice I realised that everything you eat, everything you drink affects it.

I'm very proud of the colour of my skin and that I'm inspiring people from all backgrounds, but I think it will be great for the next mixed-race or black female principal dancer if she doesn't have to be asked about that.