Cupcakes & conversation with Tamara Rojo, Principal, The Royal Ballet
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What motivates you at 8am on a Monday morning ?
A good coffee.
Who would you most like to dance with ?
I am very lucky, I dance with the partners I want but maybe one day I would love to share the stage with Mr. Baryshnikov.
How do you prepare your pointe shoes ?
With a lot of work. I sew them, varnish them, bang them, cut them....
Tamara & Carlos Acosta dance Manon in Cuba
What is your daily routine at the moment?
Very unpredictable. At this moment I’m flying from one continent to the other, at 3 day intervals, and performing in between.
You can ask six famous people to dinner - who would you invite?
Mats Ek, Vargas Llosa, Lars van Trier, Jude Law, Simone Veil, Placido Domingo.
What would surprise people about you ?
I am quite a funny person.
Tamara & Yoel Carreño in Cuba
Who inspired you to dance ?
My first teacher, Lola Grande, and Lynn Seymour.
How would someone else describe you ?
How can I read their minds?
What is your best piece of advice ?
Work hard, travel, discover new ways..
Tamara & Alicia Alonso in Cuba
Which role has tested you the most & how ?
I think plain roles like Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. I find it difficult to be inspired by them.
What is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you ?
I am not a very funny person.
If you designed your own stage costume, what would you create?
Something red.
Tamara dances Isadora
What are you most proud of ?
My friends and family.
Who would play you in the film of your life ?
My life is still happening so the script is not finished yet and I hope it will be a long, long, long, one.
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Tamara dances Isadora
What is your favourite quote ?
“She is like caramel but not so sweet”
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Posts
WOW ! The Star of the Royal Ballet - you have done very well Elise. This interview is packed with interesting snippets and those pictures - fanastic ! Thank you for writing it.
ReplyDeleteI love Tamara's quote - she is such an intelligent and eloquent lady. Thank you for bringing us this lovely unique interview
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures - another of your quite excellent interview - well done
ReplyDeleteI do love the way that you manage to reveal some interesting facts about well-known dancers and that you don't go over old ground as so many journalists have a wont to. More please !
ReplyDeletePerfect
ReplyDeleteTamara is the most fabulous dancer - thank you for this interview
ReplyDeleteI avidly follow your "column" as you know....and I enjoy these pieces. What does come across, to me and my aspiring daughter, is how down to earth, modest and straightforward these stars are.
ReplyDeleteFortunately they would know, from the continuing rapturous applause which follows their hard work, how wonderful we consider them to be.
To that extent, as an art form, ballet is almost unique.
A delightful review with amazing photos to go with it, Well done.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful interview. I love her contradictions. Also love the pictures you have chosen to go with the interview.
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! What a gorgeous blog you have!
ReplyDeleteIt is like every little girls dream to be a Ballerina...
And How wonderful it is some big girls living dream too!
Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting my blog. I just read your post on your blog, very inspiring. To answer your question about what kind of things I find and keep... not to darn many, I seem to alsways put them in my shop. Right after your post I posted a pic of an old medical cabinet I just finished. Boy would I love to keep it!! You will have to go back over and check it out and tell me what you think. Blessings, Janna
ReplyDeleteThat was FASCINATING and fantastic........
ReplyDeletei will be coming back.....
What a great interview and I love the pictures. I desperately wanted to be a ballerina when I was a child, unfortunately it never happened. :)
ReplyDeleteI love interviews! Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment (I also love comments).
ReplyDeletethe interview above made a pleasant read.. and I am glad you liked what you read at my blog..
ReplyDeleteGod bless
Rane
Thank you to all the Anon's.
ReplyDeleteBrian - thank you for your continuing support & I'm glad you are enjoying the articles.
Pam - thank you, and welcome !
Mo - I'm glad you got the "contradictions" - they are meant to be there !
A Bite of Country Cupcakes - thank you so much for your kind words.
To Artsy - thank you and welcome !
To Vodka Mom - again, thank you and welcome.
Akelamalu - didn't we all !! I'm so delighted to be able to report on the lives of the very few who do make it - it's not easy as I think these interviews are showing. They work incredibly hard, without complaint, for what is really a very short career.
Rae - don't we all !
Rane - welcome and thank you
Please stay tuned as there is much more on the way...
Thank you so much for visiting my blog so that I might follow you back to yours...
ReplyDeleteI ADORE the ballet and you have constructed such an honest and personal interview. I love it. Beautifully done.
b
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos and wonderful questions for the ballerina!! She is amazing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful wonderful pictures and writing - I studied ballet for so long and minored in it during my bachelor's degree work. I still love it, and my daughter studies it now. I am so happy you commented on my blog and led me here - I look forward to reading more of your work.
ReplyDeleteI've seen Tamara perform at the Covent Garden and it was fascinating to read this interview.
ReplyDeleteI love ballet. I had no idea there is a whole blog out there dedicated to ballet!
Kathy B - welcome & thank you for your lovely comments
ReplyDeleteHit 40 indeed ! Welcome ! All the featured dancers are amazing and there is much more to come !
Medora - welcome and thank you for your thoughtful comments - great to have your input.
Polly - welcome - and yes, it's here !
What a lovely and exciting blog!
ReplyDeleteGlad you found mine.
I'll never forget Nurvey dancing at Lincoln Center. He hung in the air supernaturally and shined!
Hope tosee you in da spiral again soon.
Aloha, friend-
Comfort Spiral
I loved reading this interview Elise, you've done a marvellous job with these questions. I guess tamara was in a rush but still - what comes over is her intelligence and sense of fun !
ReplyDeleteAnother corker elise - how do you do it ?
ReplyDeleteTamara is probably the best dancer on the planet today. Perfect feet, artistry in every step. Well done for interviewing her for your wonderful website and bringing her life to a bigger audience !
ReplyDeleteI love tamara's favorite quote - sounds just like her !
ReplyDeleteCloudia and Anon's - thank you so much for your lovely comments. I'm delighted you enjoy my writing and this website.
ReplyDeleteTamara is an exceptional dancer and just as talented when it comes to speaking. Thank you for asking such insightful questions - I hate reading the same old stuff in the papers - your website is refreshingly exciting and I can't wait for more !
ReplyDeleteI have met Tamara a few times and I can say that she is a lovely lady - talented to her fingertips and beyond. I love this new interview and the way you have asked unusual questions - must be nice for Tamara to be asked something different after all the interviews she's done.
ReplyDeleteHaving read most of your interivews and articles Elise I can say that as an expert in your field, no other journalist can touch you. You have such a range of experience and a way of writing that inspires me and others I've spoken to - your website is one of a kind !
ReplyDeletelovely interview
ReplyDeleteLoved it !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait for the new season...please keep us posted...
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for a knowledgeable journalist at last. Spotted the pages in the Observer cast aside on the train today - quite awful writing and why weren't there any decent pictures ? Really didn't like it and stopped reading after a few paras.
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased to have discovered your wonderful website because you give the dancers time to express themselves so thoughfully and with such insight. Plus you write extremely fluently, your style is great to read and your pictures - well, they go perfectly with your interviews and other writing. Well done - I think you are alone in bringing us such great news, so well packaged.
Loving this blog; it's just so filled with "awesomeness and win"... You are so bookmarked!
ReplyDelete(Why does this post have so many anon posters? It's a blog about ballet not handguns!)
BTW, I gotta do painting of the photo: "Tamara dances Isadora" It looks like she danced herself out of a Maxfield Parrish painting.
Way cool!
Thank you to the Anon's for your comments.
ReplyDeleteTony - welcome and thank you too ! To answer your question, in my experience the Anon's are well-known people in their own right - dancers or those working in the profession - and despite what you may think, because they perform, they are a shy bunch.
Lovely blog! It makes me want to go see a ballet!
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