A short Talk with Alaia Rogers (Vienna State Ballet): February 19th, 2020

One of the most exciting things about my profession is the precious opportunity to „visit the souls" of artists whose work I much admire, artists I watch regularly on stage and meet quite often at Première Parties, backstage etc.

It was more than a pleasure to interview charming Alaia Rogers, a beautiful member of the Corps-de-Ballet last February. Although we have known each other for quite long, we had never had the chance to sit down and talk longer. I had also heard much about her from her colleagues: they are all unanimous in their opinion about this young dancer's intelligence. Yes. I was really looking forward to this meeting and I can tell you: what a lovely afternoon it turned out to be.

But before going on, I would like to simply add that there are things in life that one can only describe as „it had to be so". What I mean, to paraphrase the Opera is that „La Forza del Destino" (The force of destiny) is arranging the right people on the right time under the right circumstances for my interviews. „It could only be so". But it is more than that.

There's a reason for this kind of follow-up from interview to interview as if there's an addition of notions and emotions concerning dance that serenely and intuitively complement each other in a kind of spontaneous, nearly organic chain/way.

And this considering that all thoughts have been expressed by different persons. To be quite honest; this fascinates me – the fact that until now nearly all artists that I have interviewed, have something in common. May we call it simply a „pure coincidence"? Well… I have heard once that there are NO coincidences!

There are many prejudices about dancers: „Dancers do not know how to dress", „Dancers can just talk about dance", „Dancers can just understand dance and have no other interests" (and the list goes on and on). None of this applies to Miss Rogers: she is not only beautifully and exquisitely dressed and coiffed but also possesses that rare quality of being interested in everything, displaying knowledge and (to quote Jane Austen) “sense and sensibility” about everything she talks about – not limiting her horizons to be just „at the ball" (as sometimes, as some of you may have realized, I refer to ballet).

Yes… that is what I call “to have chic”! A rare quality!

We met at the stage door of the Opera House. I arrived quite punctually but she was already there. After greeting each other warmly we walked to a nearby Café where we sat down for our interview. After ordering, I had to ask her something I had forgotten: „Alaia when have you started working here? I can't remember". She smiled that naughty cat-like smile of hers (but not like a Cheshire cat, I must say!) and just said „2014… I came here from the Royal Ballet school„.

My God, I used to hate when my Great-Aunts or Grandmother used to say „How quickly time passes by!". You see, when you are 9 years old, time does not pass by so quickly – It takes AGES to have another birthday or till Christmas comes again… But no point in reminiscing: here I am today repeating that same litany!

“I have always been curious about one thing: How do you conciliate your American Upbringing as a Dancer with your Training at the Royal Ballet and with your Experience now with such an “eclectic” Repertoire like the Vienna State Ballet’s?” She pauses for one single moment and then answers straight-forward with her usual sincerity “I feel nowadays more like a European Dancer. At home, in the States, it is very apparent that I am not an American Dancer. Not anymore.”

„Alaia, in which kind of roles do you feel „more at home"? I mean, in pieces that tell a story or in abstract ones?" Without hesitating for one second she said „No question: pieces that tell a story. I definitely feel more at home with a story, interacting with the whole cast!"

„And how do you combine that with the creative process of a new role?" Because you can sense that she knows exactly her inner perspectives, and spends lots of time contemplating her inner-self, her answer comes as no surprise to me: „First you have to consider the influence of who's teaching it to you! The musicality is extremely important – and I must confess that this is the hardest part for me. That doesn’t come easy to me. But that's me… You see, I listen and pay extreme attention to corrections – let's talk about the different ways of understanding and executing a certain "épaulement" (Note: which in French can also funnily mean „Rempart de protection contre le feu de l'ennemi") - BUT I always overhear that I should move on „Count 8", for example”, she says and then laughs. I love this: A “little” thing simply called “SINCERITY”!

„And what about Forsythe's „Artifact Suite"? Just watching it makes me tired of counting… „ I say. „Extremely difficult", she sighs.

„I must add", she continues „that loving classical Ballet, I simply adore beautiful and very feminine Ballerinas. I love powerful dancers. And I adore the ones who on top of that can look vulnerable with their gorgeous lines and movements! Especially when they create their roles with elegance. And I also mean the creative process's elegance. I think that during the period of rehearsals to a new piece, it would help a lot having classes taught by the same coaches that are coaching you on rehearsals. Yes, because this way they could prepare us more pin-pointedly for what is going to be asked from us on rehearsals. Oh, and the importance of the whole process of „story passing": It is not only about technique. I keep thinking of the importance of what Nanette Glushak (Rubies) passed to us: the things that Makarova had passed to her!"

„That's most interesting", I say completely absorbed by her ideas and chain of thoughts.

„And also everything about research – that can be so helped by the right coach: For example, Reid Anderson is a profound Connoisseur of Cranko's unique style and I have really appreciated his direction. So precise. Down to the last details." she says excitedly.

I remember writing about Reid Anderson's direction at the time – it had been years since I had seen „Onegin" so clean again, here on the stage of the State Opera. Some people who were not cast in this production complained about Mr Anderson – but if he says that a dancer should not dance a certain role, he is right. Even if this particular dancer had ventured on playing „Onegin" for a certain number of times; he was not Onegin and always gave a wrong “picture” of what he thought that he should play….

How lovely to sit down and have a talk with Miss Rogers. It felt good. Close.

So fascinating this constant exchange of opinions and plenty of understanding that we share: from „what is Balanchine about" till „Judy and Janet Jetson" - a kind of insider joke which I will not explain here… it is anyways described in a critic from September 13th, 2017 – yes, that LONG ago. But to cut a long story short, what I want to come to is the fact that Miss Rogers and I sometimes understand each other without having to utter a word of explanation. Because of our upbringing outside Europe, we do not have to explain many things from being able to understand Balanchine to the „Jetsons" and many other things! Well, a fact of life… Especially if you think of Balanchine and Ballet in the “New World”: some Opera Houses, the, sometimes, so-called „Institutions" fail to understand his choreographies. Completely. I recall being once terribly disappointed and frustrated at the Paris Opera because of that - a complete misunderstanding of what Balanchine is all about – but much of that some other time; that is another story.

„Which were your favourite Ballets during the last years? I mean the ones in which you have performed… „ I ask.”

„Certainly Neumeyer's „Pavillon d'Armide", Mr B's „Jewells", Robbins's „The Concert" and MacMillan's „Romeo and Juliet"… I love it so… “ and then she adds “Have I ever told you that once I watched two different performances of it on the same day in New York?"

„And which would be „your" roles? Don't be humble… Just think of me as a Genius from a Lamp that can make any of your dreams come true!"

She smiles and after thinking for a few seconds she says „ Either „Carmen" or Esmeralda in „Notre Dame de Paris", by Roland Petit or Wheeldon's „Alice in Wonderland". Wonderful Ballets, wonderful roles!"

„Let's talk about „Style", Alaia… „

„Oh well, this is something we could talk about for hours and hours… For example, here at the Vienna State Opera we all come from different countries, studied different techniques and styles in different schools. It is quite a job and it takes quite long to make it look „clean", to achieve the desired uniformity or homogeneity. But time is never enough… I would love to spend more time working on style but on the other hand, I am extremely grateful for having so many shows!"

„And what about this „craze" over technique?" I ask.

„I see things quite simply: I personally admire some gifts that some dancers have because they come naturally for them. That is all. You are right when you mention this „craze" and I think that this is happening in many companies all over the world. That is NOT what I have learned at the Royal Ballet School and I don't think that we are doing this here!"

We could still be there talking, exchanging opinions, laughing…

Unfortunately, due to this Coronavirus pandemic, it took me a long time to feel more relaxed to write about our meeting. But this is fine. I like to let time pass by. Like the joy of preparing a Turkish coffee. You need plenty of time until the coffee ground grains go to the bottom of the cup! It tastes much better! Thank you!

Just some weeks ago Miss Rogers told me that she will be leaving the Company in Vienna to join the Royal Swedish Ballet (a great company and one of the eldest in Europe!).

Our loss in Vienna, Sweden's gain. We wish Miss Rogers further lots of success with her career and I particularly look forward while visiting my friends there to watch her on stage in Stockholm.