Rochelle Carmichael

Rochelle Carmichael is the Director of Liquid Skin Peninsula Performing Arts Company  

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A ballerina or a fighter pilot

When did you know you would work in the arts?
Age 7

How would you describe your work to a complete stranger?
Movement and Emotion all wrapped up together full of images that you recognize from the past but with the future in mind.

How hard is it to be authentic in the arts nowadays?
Easy everything everyone does is authentic, just follow your heart.

Is there a mission to your work?
It gives me and others a voice. Most of my works speak on matters of relating to others. My work helps me to understand more about this and I hope that it also helps others to see new ways of relating.

What's your background - are there studies that prepare you for this?
Dance full time studies at The Victorian College of the Arts and The Arts and Educational School in England – Post grad and Masters Degree in Choreography and Directing. Living throughout the world, leaving home at 14 to dance and learning from my mistakes.

What's the first thing career related you usually do each day?
Wake up. Get excited. Wish I was working full time at it.

Can you describe an "average" working day for you?
Teach Pilates to pay the bills and then prepare for rehearsals with the performers. Get their lunch organized, check I have everything I need for the day in my ‘bags’, do my own exercises and jump in the car and arrive early to warm up the studio for the performers. Warm up the performers and then start creating together. Finish at a reasonable hour – depending on how much studio space I can afford and drive home. I call my husband and tell him about the rehearsal and arrive home make a cup of tea and think about what my plan of action will be for the next rehearsal. OR if I am not in the middle of a show I will be writing and researching the next shows.

What else do you do to pay the bills?
Teach Pilates, Run Pilates Workshops, Retreats and Intensives all about town and at my own small studio.

What's the one thing - piece of equipment, toy, security blanket, – you can't work without?
Trust in myself and amazing performers.

What gets you fired up?
Talking about my work.

Who in the industry most inspires you?
People who are not afraid of other creative energies.

What in the industry do you despair about?
The challenges of funding.

What is the best thing about your job? Playing with the way a body can move and emote. Watching how it all unfolds on stage.

What’s the worst?
Wishing I had the resources to work full time.

What are the top three skills you need in this industry?
Desire, Passion, Drive.

What advice would you give anyone looking to break into the field?
Go for it. don’t be afraid and always treat others with respect, no matter who they are.

How do you know when you missed the mark?
It feels wrong. My body stops moving.

Which of the below phrases best suits your career development to date and why?

a. "The road to success is always under construction. "
b. "Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor."
c. "Success is best measured by how far you've come with the talents you've been given. "
d. "No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself."

When do you know you’ve made it?
I have already made it. Now I just would like to ‘make it’ better.

BIO:

Producer & Director: Rochelle Carmichael MA
A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, Arts & Educational Schools in England, is a director & choreographer of contemporary dance and physical theatre. Rochelle has choreographed works for VCA undergraduates, Ausdance Victoria, and the Greenmill Festival.

Her works have received awards, such as the Choreographic Innovation Award for Study at Ground Level presented by Dancehouse; Melbourne Fringe Festival Movement Award and nomination for Artzmedia Antenna Awards for her work Aoroi presented by Theatre Works; Young Choreographers Award for The Plumbing of Venus beneath the Surface of the Vanity Basin from the Greenmill Festival; Audience Choice Award for her work RUSH slips Sex & marbles. Rochelle has been the Artistic Director of Liquid Skin since 1994, she was director of the Melbourne Fringe Fashion Festival 03/04 and runs a successful Pilates business specializing in workshops, intensives, national and international Pilates retreats.

PaPer Man & The 499th Day [A Double Bill]
Presented by Theatre Works and Liquid Skin Peninsula Performing Arts Company as part of the GIRLS AT WORK Season.

A double bill of physical theatre and contemporary dance. Two premiere performances.
PaPer Man delves into one day in the life of a very methodical and sensible man. His achromatic & ordered life is suddenly changed by the delivery of an express post red helium balloon skirt. The arrival of the skirt heralds the appearance of colour, chocolate and of woman. Will he expose himself or forever be filed away under "3D glasses ineffective."
The 499th Day is an intensely powerful & consuming contemporary dance, exploring the adventure of death. With vigour & heat experience the moment before the fire takes hold and transformation begins.

"To die will be an awfully big adventure?"

J M Barrie

Director/Choreographer: Rochelle Carmichael
Organic Director: Jenny Robinson
Design costume: Sera Margaret
Performers : Taurus Ashley, Anna Simm & Kelly Way.
Date: 23 Sep 2010 - 02 Oct 2010
Time: 7pm - 23rd, 24th, 25th Sept / 8.30pm - 28th, 29th 30th Sept, 1st, 2nd Oct / 3.30pm - 2nd Oct.
Price: $25 Full / $20 Conc. / $15 Tuesday, Matinees & Groups / $75 Season Pass [+bf]

THE THEATREWORKS

LIQUID SKIN

MELBOURNE FRINGE