Franziska Rosenzweig, founder of Holistic Ballet® and creator of the Holistic Ballet DVD series, was born in Berlin, East Germany. After graduating from the State Ballet School in Berlin, she danced with the German State Opera Berlin (now Staatsballet Berlin) and the Peter Schaufuss Ballet in Denmark. In 1998, Franziska relocated to London, transitioning from a freelance artist to a ballet teacher, concurrently adding Gyrotonic®, Pilates, and yoga to her skill set. Her teaching engagements spanned locations like India, and included professional dance companies like Random Dance, Richard Alston, and Ballet Prejlocaj. Presently, Franziska teaches amateur dancers at Pineapple Dance Studios and her studio in East London.
In 3 words what does ballet mean to you?
complex, challenging, life-changing
What would be your favourite ballet to dance?
My favourite part of dancing was Tchaikovsky pas de deux. I loved the female solo the first time I saw it and I was fortunate to be given that role a few years later. I wish I could have danced it with the knowledge I have now to make it even more enjoyable.
Do you believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form?
I believe the UK has varied outreach programmes for school children. However, to attend more serious ballet training without being on the path of a professional dancer and a scholarship may be very costly.
What do you believe is a typical misconception about ballet that you would like to set
straight?
As I am in the field of amateur adult ballet training, the most common misconceptions are that one has to be young and flexible to attend ballet classes, and probably female too.
What are you reading right now?
I just started reading ‘Determined: Life Without Free Will by Robert Sapolsky. I am not sure whether I will manage to read the entire volume but as I am also a trained hypnotherapist, I am fascinated by the way our minds work. That’s another thing I wish I had known more about during my active dancing career.
One thing that most people don’t know about you?
My great dislike for chamomile tea.
Why is the work BWB do so important?
There would be too many things to list. But to name a few: every child should have the right to explore and express themselves kinetically through dance. Moreover, movement and dance education help to counteract the negative physical and mental consequences of our sedentary culture and screen time addiction. In our current society, where anything that does not promise immediate measurable profit is seen as dispensable, we need organisations like BWB to challenge these ideologies and show how crucial movement and dance are the the development of children’s social skills and their evolving brains.
Favourite ballet to watch?
I was absolutely mesmerised by Sharon Eyal’s Half-Life that the Berlin Staatsballet streamed for free during lockdown. I usually find it difficult to watch dance on a screen but this piece and the incredible dancers drew me in completely. I hope to get the chance to watch it live one day.
If you could go back to a point in time in your life, what advice would you give yourself?
I would encourage my younger self to find a confidant to talk to. As a teenager, I was extremely withdrawn and dealt with my problems on my own instead of seeking mental and emotional support.
You have been given an elephant! You cannot sell it or give it away, what do you do?
I guess, I would have to give up my life as it is, take my cat Herbert, and move to a place where Icould make a home for us and the elephant.