STRONG WOMEN BEAUTIFUL MEN w/Constantine

Welcome to ‘Strong Women Beautiful Men’. I am Celestine Raven, and this is a program where I talk with beautiful and interesting people about their passions, inspirations, motivations, and goals in life. Today, I have with me a very talented and handsome ballet dancer from the Dutch National Ballet, Constantine Allen. He moved here in 2018 and has now been living in the Netherlands for six years. Originally from the U.S., he has performed in numerous productions, including Swan Lake last year. Currently, he is rehearsing for Dancing Dutch. I’m eager to learn more about his life as an expat, his experience as a ballet dancer, his passions, challenges, and inspirations.

CELESTINE: You moved here six years ago—how has it been living in Amsterdam as an expat?

CONSTANTINE: It’s wonderful! The Netherlands is a very comfortable, functional place to live. It’s a great place to work and build a good life. I remind myself every day how lucky I am to be living in a country like the Netherlands.


CELESTINE: What makes you feel lucky to be here? Has living in Amsterdam changed you?

CONSTANTINE: Has Amsterdam changed me? I’m not sure if the city itself has, but life over the last six years certainly has—both for better and worse, like for most people. But fundamentally, I don’t think it has changed who I am.

CELESTINE: So, what makes you feel lucky to be here?

CONSTANTINE: I live in a beautiful city, I have a great job, and I’ve made wonderful friends—both Dutch and international. Living here has given me the opportunity to focus on my work, wake up every day with a sense of purpose, and appreciate the value of that.

CELESTINE: Can you explain that a little more?

CONSTANTINE: Being a ballet dancer is incredibly physical and mentally exhausting. Having a stable and comfortable life here allows me to fully dedicate myself to my work, my friends, and my family. Waking up every day with a clear purpose is something I never want to take for granted.

CELESTINE: Would you say that Dutch National Ballet contributes to that sense of stability?

CONSTANTINE: Definitely! As a ballet dancer, you work as part of a group, but your biggest competition is yourself. You’re constantly striving to be better than you were the day before. The Dutch National Ballet fosters an atmosphere that allows you to excel while collaborating as a company.

CELESTINE: So, you’re always trying to improve?

CONSTANTINE: Absolutely. Ballet is about striving for perfection, which makes our world particularly challenging because perfection is unattainable. I don’t think I’ve ever walked off stage thinking, Wow, that was perfect. You’re always reaching for it.

CELESTINE: That sounds mentally challenging.

CONSTANTINE: It is. There have been phases where I wasn’t satisfied with my performances, but that’s when you have to remind yourself why you fell in love with the art form in the first place.

CELESTINE: Why did you fall in love with dance?

CONSTANTINE: It’s still not entirely clear to me! I was four years old when I first discovered dance. My mom took me and my sister to see Cats the Musical in Honolulu, where we were living at the time. My mom had received tickets from one of her patients, so I tagged along. Something about that performance moved me to ask my parents if I could learn how to dance. I don’t remember much about the show itself—I just remember leaving the theater, tugging on my mom’s arm, and asking, “Can I learn how to dance?”

CELESTINE: So, it wasn’t just the dancing—it was the entire theatrical experience that captivated you?

CONSTANTINE: Exactly. It was the whole atmosphere—the theater, the lights, the energy.

CELESTINE: And now, you’re in the spotlight yourself. Do you love or hate the attention?

CONSTANTINE: It’s a love-hate relationship. When you’re feeling great, being in the spotlight is exhilarating. But when you’re not at your best, it can be tough. You have to push through and believe in yourself in that moment.

CELESTINE: Let’s talk about Swan Lake. I saw a fragment of your performance from March 2023. There is a scene that was so delicate and precise. How do you see this moment in the ballet?

CONSTANTINE: It’s a beautiful part of the ballet. In this scene, my partner, Olga Smirnova, and I meet for the first time. I play Prince Siegfried, and she is the Swan Queen. At this point in the story, she is unsure of my character’s intentions. My role in this moment is to show her that she can trust me and that I am falling in love with her.

CELESTINE: You seem to be there to support her, to make her shine. That must be challenging.

CONSTANTINE: It is! One of the most important qualities of a male ballet dancer is ensuring his partner feels safe and supported. My job is to make her movements look effortless.

CELESTINE: And yet, ballet is incredibly physical. Do you ever fear injuries?

CONSTANTINE: Of course. I’ve had injuries—I’ve undergone surgeries on both knees. But dancers are incredibly eager to return to the stage. Once you see the light at the end of the tunnel, you forget the pain and focus on performing again.

CELESTINE: How long were you out due to injury?

CONSTANTINE: The longest was about nine weeks when I tore cartilage in my knee at 18. I was lucky—that’s been my longest time away from dance.

CELESTINE: We’ve talked about your passion, but I know a song that inspires you—Bob Dylan’s ‘Boots of Spanish Leather’. Why that song?

CONSTANTINE: It’s beautifully written. The way Dylan plays with perspective—sometimes the man speaks, sometimes the woman—it’s never clear who is saying what. That ambiguity resonates with me. The song speaks about love and longing, which I connect with, especially since I left my family at a young age.

CELESTINE: Looking ahead, what do you hope to achieve?

CONSTANTINE: I want to keep growing—jump higher, turn more, improve. Perfection is impossible, but striving for it is what keeps me going. ∎

Follow Constantine on Instagram:
@constantineallen