Artist of the Week
Alex Fine - Pedestrians en pointe
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Artist: Victoria Paine
Artform: Dancer What do you do and what are your main focuses? I am a dancer and singer. My main focus is classical ballet however I also trained in contemporary and jazz which I have now begun to teach alongside performing. I believe that classical ballet is the backbone of many styles of dance and a great foundation for a successful career. Where have you studied? I trained at The Central School of Ballet where I attained a First Class Honours degree in Dance and Performance. Before this, I attended The Royal Ballet School Associate Programme for five years. Why do you dance? I dance because it’s a part of who I am, I have danced my whole life and could never be without it. It engages you physically and mentally so that it makes me feel completely present and completely absent all at the same time. It’s a way to turn your emotions into movement and to escape reality; it gives you so much freedom. |
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Who are you influenced by?
I am influenced by other creatives that I am surrounded by, especially those with determination to achieve their goals. I believe it is so important to learn from others, watch other dancers whether it be in class or at a performance as they will always have new ideas. This motivates me to continue improving myself and building on what I already have achieved. I am also heavily influenced by music. Music and dance complement each other which gives me so much inspiration and takes me into another world. Tell us about your work in 'The Phantom of the Opera' I was a part of the world tour of 'The Phantom of the Opera' from my graduate year in 2013 to 2017 as a ballet girl and understudy Meg Giry. I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of one of the most successful shows in the world and to perform in some incredible theatres. One of the things I loved most from my time in this show, was the opportunity to work alongside not just dancers, but actors and singers which meant I was constantly surrounded by copious amounts of talent. This would give me the drive to constantly want to improve my technique and performance in the show, even when we were doing 8 shows a week which is tough, physically and mentally. |
Bill Cooper
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What is the most exciting thing you have done to date?
The most exciting thing in my career so far was performing Meg Giry (a principle role in POTO.) This was a challenging role for me as it meant singing a solo in front of thousands of people and as I trained at a ballet school, I had very little singing experience and at first, I never thought I would overcome my nerves. This moment in my career will always be a fond memory as I pushed past boundaries that I never believed I could to perform that role. The adrenaline was incredible.
I also met and performed the show for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Knowing that he was sat in the audience watching the show that he had created and nurtured for so many years was nerve-wracking yet exhilarating; a moment that will stay will me forever.
The most exciting thing in my career so far was performing Meg Giry (a principle role in POTO.) This was a challenging role for me as it meant singing a solo in front of thousands of people and as I trained at a ballet school, I had very little singing experience and at first, I never thought I would overcome my nerves. This moment in my career will always be a fond memory as I pushed past boundaries that I never believed I could to perform that role. The adrenaline was incredible.
I also met and performed the show for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Knowing that he was sat in the audience watching the show that he had created and nurtured for so many years was nerve-wracking yet exhilarating; a moment that will stay will me forever.
The Phantom of the Opera, II Muto Ballet (far right)
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The Phantom of the Opera, Stockholm
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What advise would you give to anyone wanting to become a dancer?
My advise would be to never give up on your dreams, it takes a lot of hard work but it is so rewarding. No matter how many times you fail, try again and don’t let time dictate your improvement. Finally, learn from the dancers you are surrounded by every day and rejoice in their success as much as your own.
My advise would be to never give up on your dreams, it takes a lot of hard work but it is so rewarding. No matter how many times you fail, try again and don’t let time dictate your improvement. Finally, learn from the dancers you are surrounded by every day and rejoice in their success as much as your own.
Alex Fine - Pedestrians en pointe
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What are you afraid of?
The one thing in my career that I am afraid of is not fulfilling my goals. A dancers’ career is much shorter than others so I am determined to continue working as hard as I can to achieve my goals. This industry can be so uncertain and I don’t want to look back on my career and think I should have done more. Anything interesting coming up? I have been offered a contract for the Danish version of Phantom of the Opera beginning in August so I will be moving to Copenhagen for 8 months. I am so excited to live in a new city (Phantom has now taken me to 11 different cities across the world) and to learn the show in another language! What is more important, talent or hard work? Definitely hard work. If you want a career as a professional dancer then you will never be successful if you don’t work hard. I love this quote I was once told, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.’ |
