Odile Gertze on Chasing Her Dreams
Multitalented queen of the stage and big screens, Odile Gertze graces MYD Africa Show with her presence in this throwback episode.
This interview happened just after she won the award for best actress in film at the Namibian Film and Theatre Awards. Blessed with beauty and brains, this 2010 Miss Namibia title holder shares the meaning of connection, support and following one’s dreams in this episode.
MYD: What is it like changing gear to that degree, to go from being crowned Miss Namibia to the dance work that you’ve done, to then playing a character who is not liked, how do you change gears?
I must say that before Miss Namibia, before any of that I’m a performer, I’m an artist, I grew up dancing and roughly about the time when I was 13 or 14, I was like mommy I’m quitting ballet, enough is enough.
You know I’m the only one there that’s feeling like I’m really pushing and no one’s really enjoying it and the teacher is tough and I was like I don’t want any more ballet. About six months later she takes me to a theatre production of ‘Swan Lake’ in South Africa, and I’m like okay mom I want to go back now.
So she was always incredibly understanding, always encouraging me, pushing me to continue my love for dance, because she could see it. I definitely have the support of my family and my parents when it comes to the performing element. When it came to Miss Namibia that was always part of my bucket list.
MYD: What does independence mean to you from an individual level, from a community level?
Being able to fly so low with your support system under your wings.
It’s incredibly important. We are not on this planet on our own, there’s always going to be someone by our side whether we like them or not, so connection is, what it means to me is about understanding, it’s about listening, it’s about humbling yourself so that you can uplift others. If you humble yourself and choose to uplift and serve others in the process, through that you will be uplifted.
MYD: What are the tools to build good connections, because obviously there are going to be connections that might not be the best for you?
How do you build the good ones, that is actually a very, very good question. You know my first initial thought is you know to make sure communication is key, never to give up and listening, but that goes both ways, because communication is only successful when both parties understand.
So that’s my first and most important tool. Everything else I’ll figure out on the way and then I’ll let you know.
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