Rose Alice: Interview With A Rogue Ballerina And Choreographer

Rose Alice is an award-winning Rogue Ballerina and Choreographer, and cites dance as being her absolute purpose in life. Her career has taken her to stages around the world, including the Palais Garnier, The Royal Opera House, Lincoln Centre, The Royal Albert Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Sydney Opera House and more. Rose has also worked extensively on film, which she finds very rewarding. This eclectic, debilitating, rewarding, terrifying and unexplainably beautiful journey so far has broken, built and birthed the artist and human being Rose Alice is today, and is the reason behind her resilience, grit and staying power. She talks to us all about her fascinating career, upcoming collaborations and gives us an insight into the creation of her upcoming documentary series which is currently in production. 

Hi Rose Alice, thanks for talking with us at TheatreArtLife! How are you doing, and how are you finding getting ‘back to normal’ after the pandemic?

Thank you so much for having me, it really is a humbling privilege to speak with you and to share a bit of my heart and soul with your audience. I am in a bit of a creative hole with immortal level tunnel vision at the moment, I think coming out of the pandemic I have to almost remember to breathe and take a beat every now and then because there is all of this built-up creativity and also a subconscious need to make up for lost time.

I do feel so grateful to have life back though I guess it is a bit of a cliché, but when the ability to do my craft was taken away it almost enhanced to the fact that is not a job and is absolutely a purpose in life and the reason I exist, which is an overwhelmingly beautiful and confronting thing.

How would you summarise the varied work that you do, and can you tell us a bit about it and how does it differ between projects? For example, what is it like working with professional dancers on a project in contrast to coaching musicians and non-dancers?

I feel like a bit of an artistic chameleon at times, whilst I am in the studio every day doing ballet class to maintain my technique so that I can create physically demanding work for both stage and film, I also have the pleasure of doing Movement Direction with Arlo Parks. What is interesting for me is that whilst both things are completely different physically, they are both 100% emotion led.

I think when I am physically dancing and choreographing on other dancers there is an unspoken chemistry which forms, and is something that I am very aware of – I do everything in my power to take a classical ballet foundation and shift it to being something that makes an audience member feel everything it is humanly possible to feel. There is a strength and vulnerability to this that is so powerful and it is exactly the same working with Arlo.

It is about tapping into the human side and then letting it come through via the art.

I find myself only working with people now who have the same intense relationship with their craft as I do, and then weirdly the fact the crafts are different almost becomes irrelevant, and it is a beautiful explosion of synchronicity and authenticity.

When it comes to looking back on your career so far, is it possible to choose your favourite moments or highlights?

My first full length production in London ‘Human’ is absolutely a highlight for me. It was the first time I had risked it all and brought together dancers and musicians to create something. I think also it was the first time I had complete creative freedom and although there were big stresses attached to it, the adrenaline and out of body experience that occurred that night has always stayed very close to my heart.

I also recently filmed a short trailer/proof of concept film for my next project and there was a freedom and catharsis to it that I can’t quite explain. It really did feel like the beginning of forever, and after a really tough few years, I actively felt the growth and change in myself as an artist for the first time.

And conversely, what has been the biggest obstacle or challenge you’ve overcome in your work?

My second full length production in London ‘Free’ was one of those experiences where everything that could have gone wrong did, and it was so debilitating that my friends and family were genuinely worried for my life.

I have never experienced stress like that, I lost everything, and now realise I actually gained everything.

I have always been very open hearted and willing to put everyone’s needs and wants before my own, and this event in 2019 has strengthened me to the core and also made me implement boundaries on the work front, so that I can keep creating. I wouldn’t wish that kind of stress, panic and heaviness on anyone, however it changed me as a person more than I can possibly explain and I feel so free (yes, I see the irony) to say “no”, and to push back without sacrificing my kindness and warmth, which I think for longevity in the entertainment industry is an absolute necessity.

What advice would you give to your younger self if you could go back in time? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

I wish I knew that not fitting in a pre-existing mould wasn’t a negative thing. It is hard to not conform to the normal routes of “work” for a dancer, however if you are willing to risk, sacrifice and practice staying power, you can thrive outside the box.

If you can’t find the right path, it is probably because it doesn’t exist and you have to create it.

That is how you grow, change, and share your gift with the planet. Not by conforming and feeling like your wings are clipped or chained for the sake of a little security. Instability and discomfort are necessary to level up and leave an original legacy!

I understand you’re currently working on a documentary series on the life of artists and the creative process, which will conclude with a live show at the United Palace Theater in Manhattan. That sounds fascinating, what can you tell us about the project?

My masterpiece and life’s work is in development at the moment, this will be a documentary series about the life of artists and what it really takes to build and create something from scratch. We will be filming in London and New York, and throughout the series I will be creating the live show to conclude the series which will take place at the United Palace in Manhattan.

This series is genuinely my entire world right now – I am living it 23 hours a day and it is all-consuming in every way imaginable. I feel very grateful to the tribe of humans unconditionally supporting me and keeping me grounded along the way. We will be in production by the end of this year into 2023, however everyone involved agrees that we need to take our time so that we create an honest, raw, original and timeless body of work, that can help educate and enhance how valuable and important artists are to this planet, especially in the midst of such turbulent times.

And what can we look forward to seeing from you next – are you working with any artists that we might know on any upcoming shows?

As well as my documentary series I am working with Arlo Parks on her upcoming support shows of Billie Eilish, Harry Styles and Glastonbury Festival.

And final words from you Rose Alice, what would you like to say to our readers at TheatreArtLife?

I think I would just like to remind artists of any genre to “keep on keeping on”, and to have grit and resilience in the most gentle, yet forceful way possible. The world needs you now more than ever, I truly believe. Although it is anything but easy, we are the lucky ones to have a gift and a purpose that is a force stronger than most humans can comprehend, and that alone is infinitely worth everything!

It is a blessing and a curse to feel so deeply, but to stay fiercely original, true to the core and to have unwavering integrity whilst sharing your magic is the most generous, empathetic, compassionate and beautiful thing and it really is valued and needed beyond measure.

Website

https://www.rosealice.co.uk

Social Media

@rosealiceofficial

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