Caroline Rocher Lands in Alonzo King's Lines Ballet

The classically trained French ballerina on SF men, being in Playboy Germany and dancing with Alonzo.

CAROLINE ROCHER, 31. Dancer with Lines Ballet. Shot on location in Union Square by Anön.

Caroline Rocher is proud of the fact that her career hasn't followed the usual ballerina track: That conservative path wouldn't have allowed for her decision, upon emerging from the world-famous Rudra Béjart School in Switzerland, to spend a year dancing at Le Crazy Horse Paris cabaret. ("I like feathers and musicals, and I wanted to experience Paris," she says.) Nor would it have led to a 10-page spread in Playboy Germany in which Rocher was styled à la Josephine Baker. ("Simply being naked is boring, but Baker is a great excuse to be naked, and I loved the photographer, who was a woman.")

Why Germany? It was where Rocher was living while dancing with the Bavarian State Ballet (and dating tennis pro Boris Becker). This after spending six months training at the Ailey School in New York, then going on to garner rave reviews with Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Rocher's decision to come to SF to dance with the nine-member Lines Ballet last year was likewise based on her own inner compass: "I wanted to work one-on-one with a choreographer who could make me grow. I am already changing. I feel freer onstage; I can let go more. … It will be very tough for any choreographer to measure up to Alonzo [King] for me after this."

And what about other men in SF—do they measure up? She teasingly puts a palm to her forehead and laughs. "Dance is a short career, so hopefully when it's over, I won't be too old and ugly to get married and have a family. And if I am," she shrugs, "oh well—you can't have it all." In her case, we doubt it.

Rachel Esterline tulle dress (price upon request), rachellesterline.com. Leotard, model's own.



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