Meet Chelsea Rose Neiss: Dance teaching and performing artist.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chelsea Rose Neiss and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chelsea Rose, why did you pursue a creative career?
Creativity sparks joy, curiosity, and purpose in my life. I believe I didn’t have.a choice. Having a creative career is something I have been manifesting, and drawn to, my entire life. Art is our creative skill, emotion, and imagination, and so art is created every day. How I approached projects as a child in school to any mundane task I do now day-to-day has a sense of artistry. Because art comes very much from human expression, it is a clear way for me to communicate and share experiences with others through teaching, dancing and other art forms.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Dance excites me! It is something that is consistently morphing. Influenced by the world around us, is takes on different characteristics and tells different stories. I love the beauty of that. I enjoy the diversity of dance and love to take class and study as much as I can. This has made me a diverse dancer with a unique movement quality. It excites me to always be able to learn something new, and this has brought me where I am today and will continue to take me on adventures. I say yes a lot. I keep my mind and heart open to possibilities. This mindset has brought me a lot of opportunity. For example, 2 years ago I saw an advertisement to choreograph a local musical, and met some amazing individuals. That opportunity has lead me to choreograph 4 more local shows to date. I have primarily have been a modern and contemporary dancer for the last few years, and after a trip to Spain, I am now learning flamenco and got to perform flamenco in Texas. I danced in Opera performances a few times, and recently got to hike to the top of Bell Rock in Sedona AZ to shoot a dance film. These are just a few things I have gotten to experience and they were not easy. The challenge to do well and step out of my comfort zone brings a lot of happiness to my life. Embracing the joy in the discomfort was how I got over those difficult moments where I felt like I wanted to give up, or I wasn’t cut out for it. It is often a mental battle, and those battles require a little extra energy to over come. Post-it notes and a journal are my best friends! I have learned to write love notes to myself. These little notes help me appreciate how far I have come and that I have much more to accomplish. I have also learned that hard work and a positive attitude are so important and will take you far. As a dancer, I will continue to experience growth, push myself to learn new skills, and apply them to create new work. I love to share experiences with individuals, tell stories through movement, and inspire others to do the same.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Phoenix has so many fun little areas to check out and explore. Roosevelt row arts district is like walking through an art museum in the art of downtown. I love grabbing a coffee at Jobot and walking down the streets admiring the many murals displayed on the sides of the buildings. If you’re looking for some awesome food scottsdale is the place to go. Old town is the home to many delicious restaurants including my favorite, Tapas Papas Fritas. Tapas is a family owned restaurant specializing in Spanish fare. If you happen to be there on Friday or Saturday night, the restaurant is filled with live Spanish music and dance performed by local musicians that I am happy to call my friends. My all time favorite place to visit is a short two hour drive north. Sedona AZ contains all the good vibes as you explore beautiful landscapes of Red Rock. It is a destination to reconnect and recharge. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my Shoutout to a person who challenges me consistently to do what I love and never apologize for it, my handsome fiancé and fellow artist, Kristofer Hill. Thank you for your unconditional unlimited support and love. You’re truly my inspiration, Kristofer, I love you with all my heart. I, also, want to dedicate this Shoutout to a collective of artists who I have had the pleasure of working with now and into the future on beautiful dance performance and film. This company allows me to bring my own individual artistry to the table and develop, finesse, and gain more skill in a supportive and inspiring environment. Kraken Still & Film, you guys are the best! I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to jam with! Thank you, Stephanie, Geli, Kathy, and Lawrence!

Instagram: @Neissmoves
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chelsea.neiss.1
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNkIrG-k5UBHLo0UdcATufg
Other: https://www.krakenstillandfilm.com/?fbclid=IwAR23wWl8ZMnYJ80thbxtLgriOFye0Nu3iJvXbc2R9SvcS68iSr9IobNqdEE

Image Credits
Lawrence fung Joelle Martinec