ROSALIE BELL
Credit: Lennon Gregory
Elizabeth (co-founder of MBW) and Rosalie’s paths aligned in 2019 when they where both awarded a place onto a course called: Creative Lab. It was a week intensive which was was hosted by East London Dance, Arcade East and London College of Fashion. It was a week of artistic development and was a fantastic playground and experience. But, the best result was the meeting between Elizabeth and Rosalie.
Rosalie mentioned in passing she had dyslexia, and for those reading this who have dyslexia, you will know this person then becomes an immediate friend. When we met Rosalie we had just secured our Arts Council Research and Development funding and after auditioning a group of incredibly talented dancers we felt Rosalie was perfect for this gig. Her authentic and all encompassing movement is unforgettable for all the right reasons.
We went on to create our first live choreographic works - Innate Beauty and Words Fail Me which were performed at the Royal opera House and the V&A.
How would you describe your relationship to dyslexia in a sentence, word, or even a dance move?
I’m happy to say that it is one of the quirks that makes me “me” although it is not what solely defines me!
How does Dyslexia influence your work and/or personal life?
It definitely encourages me to find my own ways of navigating through life that work for me. As an adult, I can now look back on earlier memories and recognise that my dyslexia allows me to see the world differently from others. I’ve come to realise that there is definitely joy in that as it keeps life intriguing, to say the least!
Is there an item that best represents, aids, or embraces your dyslexia? If so, can you explain it and share an image of it?
A Rubix cube. Super visual - perhaps one of the most universally visual items in the world.
Constant evolving and solving through processes like trial and error. Lots of choices and patterns. It can help by dissecting one big thing into smaller tasks.
What advice would you give to your future self?
Keep finding joys within dyslexia - even when it might feel slightly overwhelming.