Meet Marcelis Alexander | Artist, Dancer, Teacher & Clothing Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcelis Alexander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marcelis, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
The life style of a creative was something that was written in the stars, my imagination has been running wild since childhood and as i grew so did it. I see life as a musical, there is always music, colors and movement going on in my head. If day dreaming were a job i would be a full time employee but as they say “with great power comes with great responsibility”. What i do isn’t a job or career, it is a way of life, I do what i do because it is within me, i do it because it is me. The artist plays a very important role in society, they create and set the tone for that era. When looking back at history you can understand what life was like based on music, fashion and content in the entertainment. That’s because the world is full of creators, creations and consumers, so whatever is created is being reflected on society. I want to shed my light on the world and bring a sense of strength and willpower to the people so they too can let their brightest light shine. De’kre is more that just a brand, it is a statement. To decree (de’kre) is to speak with authority and when you speak over your life with authority anything is possible. As an artist, i like to think of myself as magical or even a super hero, the ability to make a vision a reality, bringing light to dark situations or the darkness to the light is a power. I chose to follow my path as an artist because; it is my duty to touch hearts, make them laugh, cry, upset, smile, feel empowered or just to feel anything. Some people go their entire life not knowing how to express themselves, but when they come across art that stimulates a part of them that they didn’t know existed it has the power to change a life. If i had to sum it up, creativity is my life and if you so happen to catch my vibe it must have been written in the stars.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am very excited about releasing my first clothing collection with my brand De’kre on October 14th. This collection is titled “Power by De’kre” as it represents what i found within myself over the past few years. The Collection is heavily comprised of felines, as they are in my opinion the very essence of power. The collection can be found on my website www.dekre.us. The road to where i am now has not been easy, but i am thankful for my suffering because my art would be meaningless without it. My career as an artist began with dance. I received my B.F.A in Dance Theatre from AMDA in Los Angeles and went on to have a very successful career performing and traveling. However in early 2019, i tore my achilles tendon, which is a nightmare for a dancer as it could lead to the end of your career. With me being the person that I am I didn’t let that stop me. I continued to heal and allow my body to regain it’s strength and by October I was performing again. You may think that it was the experience and the physical pain that i was in that lead to me finding my power, but it wasn’t. God told me to rest because there was something he wanted me to hear, however i couldn’t hear because i was too busy thinking about “When will i dance again”? It was not until the Pandemic hit the U.S and we were living in that state of “will it ever end”? It was that period of isolation that i could hear God’s voice say ‘Your Gifts are not bound’ and then De’kre was born. The most beautiful part of this experience is that it is still growing, because i am still growing and discovering it and this part of myself. My slogan “I decree ____” came about because we are what we eat, and we are constantly eating our words so be clear and precise about what you speak over yourself. At this phase in my life it is all about experience, my rewards will come later, and the gag in that is i wont see them coming because i will be to busy having fun living in it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am not much of a planner because so many variables involved and i am full of “what if’s” I typically just go with the flow but with out a doubt we are having fun! I Would honestly put a bunch of activities in a hat and just pick at random. We are going to try Rudy’s Chicken, Griff’s, Off The Bone BBQ and we’re getting Tex-Mex with a margarita from some where. This week will definitely involve a lot of Tex-Mex and margarita’s FYI. Also with small business on the rise, we will support and check out something new. I also really enjoy riding the TRE and just exploring a random area, there is always so much happening in DFW you can’t go wrong. On another note why just limit to DFW, Texas is huge, ‘did somebody say road trip?” I’m thinking Galveston, Houston, San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I like to give a special shout out to Kendu, the creator of Art IV Play @artivply and Christina Brown founder of Cosmopolitian Dance Theatre @cosmodfw as well as my loving family and all their support.

Website: dekre.us
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcelis_alexander/ https://www.instagram.com/speakdekre/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcelisb