Biography
Gillian Rhodes is an American performer and storyteller. Born and raised in Colorado, she graduated with a dance major from Columbia University after training in classical ballet from the age of five.
Since 2012, she has been living and working in Asia, from choreographing live television in Cambodia and dancing for a contemporary company in South Korea, to performing in music videos, teaching at universities, choreographing and acting for film and television, and modeling in Pakistan.
In addition to her movement-based work, which reflects her diverse experiences and draws on dance, physical theatre, and mime, Gillian is an accomplished and professional writer. She has written and produced her own productions, including Searching for Pierrot, which has performed in Pakistan, US, and Dubai, The Clown & His Shadow, All These Faces Are Mine, and more.
She creates her own characters and has her own movement style "Storytelling in Motion" that she has taught around the world from studios to universities.
Media
Talent Card
Dancer
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ballet, Choreographer, Contemporary, Director, Experimental / Freestyle, Lyrical Dance, Modern Dance, Modern Imaginative, Original
Hotels & Restaurants, Festival, Public Event, Cruise Ship, Corporate Event, Exhibition
Urdu, Korean, French, English
Awards and Recognition
TedxVannes Performer/Speaker
2017
TedxLahoreWomen Performer/Speaker
2018
Experience
Co-taught community workshops with dance company in South Korea
2017
Taught performance and storytelling at university in Lahore
2022-2023
Taught choreography at university in Lahore
2020-2021
Gillian Plus One production in Lahore with local talent
2022
Branded four original characters
2022
More Than my Gender project with disabled dancers
2021
With Love From Gillian solo evening of dance
2021
Co-developed and performed at choreography exhibitions in Lahore Pakistan
2018-2024
Choreographed and performed for Int'l Festivals in Malaysia
2014
Guest performer with Korea Ballet Company
2017
Dancer and trained at Trust Dance Theatre in Seoul
2016-2017
Dancer with Second Nature Dance Company in Seoul South Korea
2015-2017
Choreographer at Cambodian Television Network in Phnom Penh
2012-2015
Packages
Performance Consultant
Duration:
Per Hour
Includes:
Working on design, creative vision, choreography, movement design, collaborating with creative team on overall story, message, and output. Creating unique and interesting visual performances to match desired stories /atmosphere.
No of sets:
1
Excludes:
Production (design only)
Price
USD 653 /hour
Character Based Performance
Duration:
Per Hour
Includes:
Atmospheric character /roaming character. Original character (one of my own) or as per client demand. Fees do not include design of character.
No of sets:
1
Excludes:
Makeup artist fees, costume if not my own character.
Price
USD 245 /hour
Choreography Only
Duration:
Per Hour
Includes:
Choreography and training of talent, movement direction and design, can include specialized messages or stories.
No of sets:
1
Excludes:
Talent fees, studio fees.
Price
USD 490 /hour
Performance - 5-15 minutes
Duration:
Per Hour
Includes:
Bespoke or existing performance based on client requirements, includes costumes and music.
No of sets:
2
Excludes:
Lights or other props required by client.
Price
USD 326 /hour
Questions See more
Do you have videos of past events?
I don't always have exact video examples of past works that match what the client wants to do, which is primarily because my professional career as a performing artist has wandered across the globe for twelve years, touching on theatre, film, and television, as a dancer, actor, and choreographer. Everything I do is contextually-grounded. The downside is that I don't have cookie cutter videos and acts to do for similar events; the upside is that I bring something new, fresh, and relevant to the table every time.
Do you require a stage to perform?
No! I love creating site specific performances that use the space to full advantage. However, I do need to know in advance what type of performing space, so I can create and select the performance that will work the best.
Do you interact with audiences?
I can! One of my favorite types of performance are crowd-sourced improvisations, where people from the audience give me words and I spontaneously create a performance. I also interact with my character based work, especially with the sad clown character - because the clown doesn't speak as a mime character, it's great for all kinds of situations!
Do you have specific acts or sets you always perform?
No, I don't! Everything I create is unique for the context. I have characters and certain types of performances, but even if I borrow past material, I adjust and update it to best respond to the client's needs. I am a storyteller at heart, and so I'm most interested in taking the client's story, message, or even just the theme of the conference, and riffing off of that. My work as a perfomer is to engage and interact with the audience, and leave them with something they can always remember. That's why I don't go back to specific sets all the time.