Meet Ilisa Rosal | Dancer, Instructor, Choreographer and Founding Artistic Director of Ballet Flamenco La Rosa and PAN, Performing Arts Network

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

Hi Ilisa, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success and the success of my brand is that I pay attention to detail and always stay true to my vision for my work. I don’t compromise on quality, and have the perseverance to make it work regardless of the challenges or obstacles. I have a passion for the work itself, regardless of the financial or other reward, and care about my students and audiences. I give the best of myself and my art no matter what else is going on in my personal life or my professional life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have a unique personal vision for the art of Flamenco, even though it is within a very traditional and structured art form. My work is informed by my life experience as an American, having traveled extensively and studied intensively a variety of dance forms. Having come form a theatre background, I bring to Flamenco a new perspective, while remaining true to its great tradition. When I returned from working and studying in Spain, I started my own dance company, and found ways to make Flamenco accessible to larger audiences. My earlier work was mostly in pure flamenco and fusion between Flamenco and other forms of music and dance, including Middle Eastern, African, Indian, Jazz, Tap, Blues and American Country Music.

I went on to create original Flamenco narrative works inspired by classic theatre and literature by such authors as Euripides, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekov, Strindberg, Flaubert, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neil.
I have found a way to bring together my two great passions-Flamenco and classic theatre, and found my voice in this genre that I have created. These are the works that I am most excited about.

I have had many obstacles and challenges- both with health issues and people trying to sabotage my efforts. I have overcome these challenges by reminding myself to stay calm and keep moving forward.

A lesson I have found helpful is: “Slow and steady wins the race.”- especially in an arts field, where a tremendous amount of training and discipline must accompany talent and inspiration in order to be successful.

My brand and my story are the dedication to the very best and most authentic version of my art, shared with others in order to instill insight, inspiration and awareness of our human condition- my “grain of sand” offered to our troubled world, in hopes of shifting perspectives, judgements, cruelty and ignorance toward tolerance, respect, empathy, compassion and connection.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would tell them to check out all of the theatres, music venues and concert halls. There is such a variety of cultural experience here that I would recommend first checking all performance schedules, and working around that. Oleta Park, The Everglades, and The Spanish Monastery are not to be missed.

I would check out all of the museums as well, walk around Little Havana and Coral Gables, and find a beach in Central or North Beach that is not too crowded.

For restaurants, I would recommend the small, family owned ethnic restaurants like Little Saigon (Vietnamese), King Palace (Chinese), Kon Chau, Tropical Chinese and Gold Marques (Dim Sum), Zaika (Indian), Bangkok Bangkok (Thai) and Siam Rice (Thai and Sushi), Chef Creole (Haitian), Garcia’s Seafood Grille, The Big Apple and Bagel Bar East (Jewish Delis). For Flamenco, Cava and Madrid Tapas y Tintos.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
All of my teachers, mentors and students have helped me develop my work-especially my Ballet teacher Susan Stadler and Flamenco mentor Manolete. My parents were invaluable influences on my character, ethics and education.

Website: https://balletflamencolarosa.com/

Instagram: @bflrmiami

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilisa-rosal-4b52b435/

Twitter: @bflrmiami

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilisarosalbflr

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoS7KQMYVxxGeRlOGHKwww

Image Credits
photo 1. Ballet Flamenco La Rosa Artist Director, Singers Antonio Servano and Jose Miguel Herrero Photo by Vincent Tom photo 2. rehearsing with Manolete in Spain photo 3. production of Callejon Flamenco with soloist Maria Mercedes Perez and guitarist and singer Paco Fonta photo by Jenny Abreu photo 4.  production of Camino Flamenco with soloist La Emi photo 5.  production of Dracula with Pepe Flores as Dracula and La Emi as Lucy photo by Jenny Abreu photo 6. production of Dracula with soloists La Emi, Alesandra Torres, Maria Mercedes Perez and Agustin Barajas photo by Jenny Abreu photo 7. production of El Padre with Ilisa Rosal as La Nodriza and Josefine Chiachiero as Berta photo 8.  production of Las Brujas de Salem photo by Robin Hill