Danielle Rowe was born in Shepparton, Victoria, and spent her childhood and early teens in Adelaide.“But when people ask me where I’m from I say Melbourne, because I not only moved there when I was 15 but I absolutely adore the city!”
Growing up, Rowe was already sure she wanted to be an artist of some sort. “My number one dream was to be a ballerina, but I also liked the idea of being an actress or fashion designer,” she says. “I love to dance because of its constant ability to nourish me artistically, physically, intellectually and emotionally. Dance sustains me.”
Rowe first trained at the Cheryl Bradley Dance Studios in Adelaide, learning ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary, and it was this early training that really instilled in her a love of dance, and an idea of a future career. “After months of nagging, my Mum agreed to allow me to move away from home once I turned 15 to the Marie Walton-Mahon Dance Academy in Newcastle, NSW. I completed six months of full-time ballet training there before I was accepted into the Australian Ballet School where I completed another three years of ballet training.”
When Rowe was in her final year, she was offered a position in the corps of the Australian Ballet, and stayed with the company for 10 years, stepping lightly up the ranks to become a principal artist in 2008. In 2011, she and partner Luke Ingham left their familiar Southbank studios and took up contracts in Texas, US, dancing under Stanton Welch’s direction with the Houston Ballet.
“I spent one season there (Houston Ballet) as a principal, dancing beautiful, classical roles among some of the most dedicated and passionate dancers I have ever met. However, I realized that I wanted to move in a particular direction artistically, so I started to explore different options. I have always been fascinated by Netherlands Dance Theatre and would occasionally flirt with the idea of dancing there. ‘Why not give it a go?’ I thought. So I contacted NDT director Paul Lightfoot and asked for an audition. A week later I was in class with NDT and learning repertoire from Sol Leon, and a few weeks after that Paul offered me a contract!”
Ingham also left Houston Ballet and is now contracted to San Francisco Ballet. “So, I now have three homes: Australia, Den Haag and San Francisco!” Rowe says.
Rowe counts honesty, generosity and integrity as the most admirable qualities a dancer can have. And in her impressive career thus far, she counts her highlights (besides becoming a member of NDT) as dancing the title roles in Ai-GulGaisina’s Giselle, Macmillan’s Song Of The Earth and Balanchine’s Theme and Variations with Houston Ballet, as well as performing with Morphoses (the company co-founded by Christopher Wheeldon)in New York, London and Amsterdam.
“I feel very proud and content with the career that I have already had; however, I feel that there is still so much more that I have to discover. I am now in a place where my focus is not so much on the product but more about the process and I hope to continue to be open to whatever experiences or challenges come my way.”
When asked what she’s most grateful for in life, Rowe has a long list. “So much! To be in love and be loved unconditionally. My health. A roof over my head. Food when I’m hungry. To be able to have the freedom and means to travel the world. Being constantly surrounded by beautiful, crazy, talented artists. My list could go on and on!” Much like her beautiful dancing career, we hope.
ASTRID LAWTON