Podcast Episodes

Episode 7: Steve Rooks

by Rachel Caldwell

For episode 7 of the Creative Impact Podcast, I have the opportunity to chat with Steve Rooks. Steve is a former Principal Dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company where he performed for over a decade. His performance credits also include the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble. Currently, Steve is Chair of Dance and Resident Choreographer at Vassar College in New York.

In our conversation, you will hear the story of how Steve discovered dance in college while he was pursuing a music degree. He shares his incredible journey from novice dancer to touring the world as a Principal Dancer for the Martha Graham Dance Company. I enjoy hearing him describe working with Martha Graham and how his experiences with her impact how he works today.

We discuss the importance of mentorship. Steve challenges the assumption that once dancers are done performing they should automatically become teachers. He encourages dancers to make sure they are teaching from a place of passion and not frustration. I love his advice for dancers in this current season: be ready, the world is going to be craving the beauty we can bring as we come out of this season of isolation! Steve’s humility and wisdom are such a gift. I believe you will be so encouraged by this conversation!

You can listen to the show HERE, and you can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app (ie. Apple Podcasts, Spotify).  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

About Steve:

Steve Rooks began his dance training in Washington, D.C. He continued his training in New York City as a scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Mr. Rooks danced and toured with the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, and the Martha Graham Dance Company, where he performed for over a decade and achieved the rank of Principal Dancer.

Mr. Rooks has created a number of dances including “Cool River” that premiered at Lincoln Center in 1996, and later became a part of the Graham Company repertoire. He was a 2004 winner of the National Choreographic Competition at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and created two solos for the 2004 Youth American Grand Prix Ballet competition. Mr. Rooks is currently Chair of Dance and Resident Choreographer at Vassar College, and has been a guest teacher with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Martha Graham Dance Company, the American Academy of Ballet, Ballet Nacional de Mexico, the North Carolina School of the Arts, and the International Summer School in Sydney, Australia. He has been awarded Vassar Research grants to travel to Riga, Latvia, Lusaka, Zambia, and in 2014 to Turku, Finland, where he choreographed “Plate Tectonics” on 24 dancers. As part of the Masterworks Festival, Mr. Rooks was commissioned to create ballets for a number of contemporary composers including Clarice Assad, Piet Swerts and David Skidmore – all to live orchestra. 

Mr. Rooks has served as an adjudicator for the American College Dance Festival, and a solo “Vista” was created for Aran Bell (ABT) for the 2014 International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. Four contemporary solos were submitted to the 2016 Youth American Grand Prix.

Links from the Show:

Connect with Steve:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/steve.rooks.988

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/markell.rooks/