Today we’d like to introduce you to Alena Henke.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alena. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Well, I am creative based in LA. I studied theatre at USC and since graduating have worked in the film industry as an actor and dancer. I have created my own work as a choreographer as well as written my own narrative work. I am constantly jumping from one medium to the next, exploring different outlets of my creativity. I used to view my scattered interests as a flaw, unable to focus on one path. The older I get the more I have embraced how vital it is for me to stay inspired through different mediums and collaborate in different ways with other artists.
Most recently during quarantine, I have taken to learning how to create a podcast. My latest project, Is Anyone Out There? explores topics without answers. I think it is vital to start creating space that feels safe to challenge and work through ideas. I want to create an open dialogue, a platform that doesn’t feel like it is aiming towards anything in particular. I start by welcoming topics that are truly subjective, that really don’t have answers. I think if we can build a rapport with the understanding that there is a variance in opinions, we can perhaps strengthen our empathy and see how multidimensional we are.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No challenges. Nope. Smooth sailing…No I think life is just one giant push/pull of understanding who you are and questioning who you are. I am in constant self-examination but as I told a mentor recently, I am finally coming to terms with the fact that I will never have myself quite figured out. I think in your twenties, you are fed a narrative that you will go through turmoil, and once you reach your thirties, you will be much more comfortable in your selfhood. But life is messy and complicated and that journey of understanding seems to ebb and flow.
So yes, there have been struggles along the way. Learning to live a life in harmony, to accept that there are ups and downs. But most importantly, that the struggles will keep coming and that’s ok. That’s life and that’s what makes the good times all the more valuable.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Is Anyone Out There? explores topics without answers. I think it is vital to start creating space that feels safe to challenge and work through ideas. I want to create an open dialogue, a platform that doesn’t feel like it is aiming towards anything in particular. I start by welcoming topics that are truly subjective, that really don’t have answers. I think if we can build a rapport with the understanding that there is a variance in opinions, we can perhaps strengthen our empathy and see how multidimensional we are.
What were you like growing up?
I was born and raised in LA. I think Los Angeles is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Mostly because it is filled with contradictions. Outwardly it is known as a city built on dreams, but there is a grit and harsh reality that exists here. I suppose it’s these nuances and complexities that really interest me and inform me as an artist.
As a kid, I was precocious and always wanted to hang out with the grown-ups. I would ask for plane tickets for birthdays presents and say things like, “I’ll probably get married, divorced and stay with my second husband”. I was dramatic and wildly involved in my own imagination. I was obsessed with old TV shows like The Facts of Life and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I was like a little old lady in the body of a child… which is still kind of true.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-anyone-out-there/id1523677559
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahenke/?hl=en
Image Credit:
Podcast Art Design by Katee Weimer ,Sela Shiloni photographs
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