Meet Rose Barbantan | Freelance Dancer

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

Hi Rose, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
If I pursue an artistic career it is by inheritance, in my family we are artists from generation to generation. I am the only one who has chosen the path of dance, since childhood I dream of making the audience dream, to provide emotions. When I dance I feel free, without constraints, we can express so many subjects and all this without words than with the expression of body and face.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Since the age of 14 I have been travelling the world for dance, taking with me only my ballet slippers and my crazy desire to dance. Passing through Portugal from my 14th to my 16th birthday, then in Paris and to finish in New York at the Ailey school on the eve of my 17th birthday, I can say first that I am proud of all these trips and meetings that allowed me, to develop my sense of communication, To be able to speak 4 languages but above all to be courageous and to do all this alone away from my family. I’m often told that “you’re lucky” but behind what people call “luck” is actually work. Since I was 7 years old, I have never missed a dance class, and I am proud of it, today at 21 years old, all the rigour that dance has taught me serves me immensely in my new life as a young professional dancer. Today to be a professional dancer and to have almost succeeded my dream because the path is still long, it is a pride when I remember the little girl I was, who looked at the big ones and wanted to do the same and now I do almost better.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in New York it’s hard to find places without tourists in peace. This may sound crazy, but for me, where I feel the loneliest and most escaped is on Times Squares, because no one cares about you, everyone, and happy to be on the most popular place in the world, so first it would be Times Square. Then we would go for a caramel macchiato, and we would take a walk around the lakes of Central park and sit on a bench to watch the New Yorkers pass.Then we would probably go to a musical on brodway, like Aladdin or Michael Jackson, to make us dream and come out of the enchanted show. And to finish a little drink on a rooftop in the middle of the buildings. I will make him live as a real tourist to remind me also the beauty of this city that when you live there gets lost quickly I find.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The first two people without whom everything would not have been the same are my parents. Thanks to them I have always been able to realize my dreams and my stages as dancers one after the other. They always helped me, encouraged me. I was able to do my school studies at home thanks to my mother who tirelessly prepared my classes, and led me to dance classes after school morning. My whole family has supported me and believed in me from the beginning. Coming from a small village in France I am much followed and encouraged by people who know me since very small. On the dance teacher side I had a lot that made me progress and develop a strong and stable technique. I think of the International Ballet Conservatorio e Dança Annarella Sanchez in Portugal from the age of 14 to 16. Then in Paris with Maggie Boogart in Graham technique. And to Mr Freddie Moore my advisor of the Certificate Program at Ailey School.

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Image Credits
red dress and headshot: Nir Arieli Black and white: Richard Pelchat pink and yellow: Paul the.thief.of.time