Interview with Richmond Ballet's Ariel Rose

© Liza Voll Photography/www.LizaVoll.com

Richmond Ballet's Ariel Rose has been around the world and back. At just 20 years old, he was a soloist guest artist at Ballet Municipal de Lima in Peru after training at ABT's JKO School and Ballet Academy East (where we trained together). His budding career in both ballet and choreography is enviable.

Read my interview below with Ariel about his experiences abroad and his new position at Richmond Ballet.
---

What has the start of your ballet career been like thus far since BAE and JKO? Where have you been dancing, and what have been some of the highlights?

In 2008 I went to Boston Ballet to be a trainee for two years. However, as a trainee, I was luckily chosen to perform with Boston Ballet's corps in a few ballets such as Kudelka's "Cinderella,” Nissinen’s "The Nutcracker", Balanchine's "Diamonds" and "Coppelia" and the Royal Ballet's "Sleeping Beauty." During this time, my dancing changed dramatically, not only from the rep I was dancing but also because the incredible artists I was seeing everyday in class. When I took company class, I would study and try things that I observed from their different techniques. I was constantly inspired to push myself further and take myself to a new level I didn't think I'd reach.

You spent the summer dancing abroad with Ballet Municipal de Lima, right? How did that opportunity come about?

I have always had family in Peru (everyone from my mother's side that is.) Every year, we would usually fly down to visit them for a week; however, we never knew of the dancing going on within the country. During one vacation in which I couldn't afford to not dance for a week due to Boston Ballet's schedule, I found The Ballet Municipal de Lima online and asked if I could come take class for a week. In the summer of 2010, I was invited to guest with the Ballet Municipal de Lima as a First Soloist in Peru during their production of Alicia Alonzo's “Coppelia.” After being a trainee for two years, this seemed like a giant step forward but I did not hesitate in answering yes. A week after rehearsals, I was told that I would be learning Franz (the leading male role) due to an injury of one of their own principal dancers. Although a little intimidated, I went in head first, throwing all of my self-doubt out the window (I couldn't imagine doing a principle role any other way). I ended up dancing 5 performances of Franz (1/3 of the shows) and was pretty well received by the Peruvian audiences. When I look back, the jump from student to such an experience is actually frightening, but I feel that at least on an emotional level, I was ready for it and it was an experience that I needed. No, that I craved.

What was your experience like abroad?

Dancing abroad is something that I didn't think I would do at such an early age. Although I do not think it is good for every at twenty years old, I feel that it really brought me into the professional world. I went to somewhere completely new where I knew no one and in which the language was not English, and just engaged myself in ballet without anything else on the side. It was very easy to just focus and direct all of my attention to the art I was working on at the time and also find out what it takes to perform a three act ballet on and off the stage. Along with opening new doors, traveling to dance somewhere new really changes ones perspective on things in the dance world one way or another and to be perfectly honest, I think this is one thing that is necessary for a dancer to survive for a long time healthily and inspired. Along with dancing new and exciting repertoire, traveling abroad lets one meet new people, learn new languages, customs and more importantly, actually realize that ballet is done differently around the world. Yes there are different styles but people actually see and appreciate ballet in different ways depending on where you go.

(More plus video after the jump...)