All photos courtesy of Rochelle Anvik
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Rochelle Anvik and I am a professional ballet dancer with Ballet Arizona and I am an interior decorator when I am not on my toes.
How did you get your start?
Being the quirky artistic person that I am, I was completely drawn to anything that involved the arts at a young age. My days growing up consisted of long hours of ballet training and then as soon as I walked in the door at home I would grab paper, pencils, turn on HGTV and start doodling away all of my interior design ideas. At the age of 15 I got connected with a company dancer with Ballet Arizona. He saw me dance and immediately said “you need to dance with Ballet Arizona”. He talked with the Artistic Director, Ib Andersen and convinced him to watch me dance. I know Ib was skeptical at first because being a professional Ballet dancer at 15 is quite young but the rest is history and I now have been with them for 9 years. Even though ballet takes a lot of hard work and dedication I still ached for more creativity in my life. So I created my own interior Design business, Uniquely Rochelles.
What inspires you?
I grew up in a vintage loving household. My mom always played the old classics and whenever I had spending money from holidays, it was always a tradition for us to go shopping at antique stores. I loved creating stories in my head with the antique pieces I found and imagining the places it went and lived. I got curious in antique decor companies and history. While doing research I learned that I was really drawn to the 1950’s style. The color pallet of that time really speaks to me and the lines and structure of the furniture are so unique that I’m intrigued by the design and architecture of that time. My husband and I recently purchased a 1957 home and we have been renovating it to look how I imagine it would have looked. All of my home furniture is from the 50’s-60’s era. Mid Century design inspires me to bring life back to those pieces and be more bold and unique with my interior design.
What do you like about AZ?
The warm weather! I’m originally from Phoenix so Arizona has always been my home. I feel we have some great communities here and I enjoy getting connected with the great people we have out here. There’s also some awesome Mid Century Architecture around that I enjoy checking out and learning more about.
Ron Brewer Images
Where can we see you(r) work?
You can see me dance with Ballet Arizona at any of their performances and you can find my interior design business at uniquelyrochelles.com
What would you like to accomplish before you die?
I want to give as many people as I possibly can a home that best reflects them and transports them into their ideal world. I want to inspire people’s passions, desires and goals and to always promote that you can do anything you set your mind to.
What is your mantra?
“Be a show horse, not a race horse.” The thing about a show horse is that they have the same amount of energy as a race horse, they just use it for beautiful, disciplined performances rather than speed. Jumping horses are also considered show horses and they are disciplined to know exactly when to jump and land, just like a ballet dancer. Watching a show horse, with their strength, discipline and beauty is so much like the artistry of ballet. They also love being in the spotlight for everyone to enjoy their talents and hard work. Being an Interior Decorator can fit with that also. It takes a lot of discipline to research what is best for each room and person. It also takes knowing the artistic beauty of decorating that is best for the person and layout of the room. And it takes a lot of energy to do the job correctly.
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