Editor’s note: In the Spring 2024 “Life Without Limits” issue of Showstopper Magazine, we reached out to seven people who showcased what it means to live “without limits” and found ways to break physical, creative, and social boundaries that stood in the way of their love of dance. Portions of these interviews appear in print, but we wanted to share their full stories with you here.
Showstopper Magazine: What does it mean to you to “live without limits”?
Sydney Alie: For me, living without limits means diving head first into every opportunity, and allowing myself to surrender to the most incredible adventures. As a performer, I have found that our industry requires us to repeatedly step out of our comfort zone, yet simultaneously demands that we always stay eager, confident, and ready to explore. Living a life without limits is one of the most thrilling rewards of our job, in the arts. We have the opportunity to travel the world, to see, hear, and create with some of the most brilliant humans in our industry, and constantly grow within our craft. There is no limit to growth and knowledge!
Showstopper Magazine: Tell us about your dance journey. You started dancing at 3 years old! What are some of your favorite experiences since that early beginning?
Sydney: I began my dance training at the early age of 3 years old, and I have been obsessed with it ever since. It is such a tedious, time-consuming, and demanding sport, and while dance training requires a lot of sacrifices, it has taken me on my greatest adventures and introduced me to my very best friends. I will forever say, that growing up in the dance convention/dance competition world gave me the most useful tools, instilled discipline and dedication, and also makes up the majority of my favorite memories growing up. The late nights, early mornings and crazy hours of training were highlights from my adolescence. It was always such a privilege and a treat to learn from industry professionals, as well as, perform onstage with your best friends and company members.
When I graduated high school in 2020, I decided to defer college for a semester to study and train with the Steps On Broadway Conservatory. I absolutely loved my time training at home, but in the spring of 2021 I moved to New York City to pursue my career as an aspiring professional. I met some incredible teachers through the dance convention world, and one of those very teachers, Marguerite Derricks, was the one to take a chance on me, and give me my very first “dance job.” I was a principal dancer in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in Season 4, and that was one of my favorite experiences. I also have to say that another highlight of my young dance career was working with Christopher Gattelli on Season 2 of Schmigadoon. It was “pre-production,” which essentially means that you workshop choreography and blocking for a show in the rehearsal studio. It was an experience I will never forget.
Showstopper Magazine: Part of your professional career is performing as part of a Royal Caribbean Cruise at sea! What is it like to push the limits of when and where performance happens?
Sydney: I am a dancer in Royal Caribbean’s, Harmony of The Seas. It is one of the largest cruise ships in the world and has been the most wonderful experience of my life. While working onboard a cruise ship comes with its challenges, I would recommend it to any young dancer who is interested.
For the first two months of my contract, I was boarded up in Miami, learning and rehearsing for the two shows I would be a part of once I got onboard, Grease The Broadway Musical and Columbus The Musical, a Royal Caribbean original show. Once we arrive on the ship, we begin a four-week install process. This is when the previous cast hands over the shows with us, the new cast. It was quite overwhelming and intimidating, moving into a ship with two suitcases, 23 new friends/cast mates (from across the world), and hundreds of steps, lines, and vocal scores. Talk about pushing the limits! It was my first professional experience in a musical, and the elements that Royal Caribbean include in their productions is mind-blowing. There is extensive aerial work, magnificent props and set pieces, and incredibly talented technical teams that make everything run seamlessly.
In Grease the musical, I am an ensemble dancer, which, in my very biased opinion, is one of the craziest and most wonderful “roles” to play. There are no “swings” onboard which means that every ensemble member covers a lead actor. In my case, I am first cover Marty, first cover Patty, and first cover Cha-Cha. I had the opportunity to play Cha-Cha for about one-and-a-half months, Marty for three, and Patty for a few weeks. I can honestly say, that my run of Grease, for the last ten months, has stayed exciting, fresh, and a little bit stressful. However, I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.
This job has instilled a newfound love for “swinging” in me. I absolutely loved learning different roles and being thrown in whenever I was needed. I will never forget this one show, that may go down in history as my favorite moment of my career! I was onstage in my original ensemble track for the first five numbers of our show. I ran back into my dressing room to get ready for the big hand-jive dance/scene in the show, when my dance captain runs into my dressing room holding the Cha-Cha wig and costume. Due to a health problem, the actress was unable to finish the show, so I jumped in for her big acting scene and dance number. The moment I walked off the stage, my dance captain approached me in the wing and told me that the actress playing Marty, rolled her ankle in the jive scene, and needed me to jump into her costume and wig to finish the show as Marty. So, I did exactly that. I was calm, prepared, and eager to keep the show going and be the best understudy for both of the amazing women that needed my support that night. It was thrilling and made me realize that THIS is why we do what we do. We push the limits, and sometimes if we are lucky, we even get to exceed what we believe is possible.
Read more: Meet the rest of our “Life Without Limits” features.
Showstopper Magazine: What are some differences between dancing on land and at sea?
Sydney: The difference between dancing on land and at sea is quite minimal. The ship that I am on, travels out of the Port of Miami and goes to the eastern and western ports in the Caribbean. It is always a week-long cruise, and the conditions of the ocean remained steady through the entirety of our contract. I anticipated a much more drastic change, but I was pleasantly surprised at how minimal the ship movements are. We have had a few shows with rocky seas, but in that instance, you just learn how to brace yourself throughout the choreography and utilize your plié and your core. The difficulty of being onboard, as a Royal Caribbean employee, is that you have a limited amount of WiFi per week, this makes taking class online very difficult. I have been lucky enough to find a few places around the ship that allow me to continue to take class and condition my body and mind the way they are back at home.
Showstopper Magazine: Can you share your everyday routine as a dancer on a cruise ship?
Sydney: While every day looks a little bit different, I will take you through my typical day as a performer during a two-show day onboard the ship. I usually start my day around 8:30 or 9 am. I love breakfast, so I usually go up to the restaurant on deck 15 and have a breakfast sandwich, fruit, and coffee to start my day. Once the protein and caffeine work their magic, I will walk the track with my friends or do a yoga flow on the track. It is easy to neglect a little dose of vitamin D during these days, but I notice a huge difference in my energy and my mood when I prioritize a little bit of sunlight on show days. After that, It is usually time to head to the theater for our 3 pm matinee. We do warmups and aerial point checks an hour and forty-five minutes before the show, which means that my roommate and I begin getting ready an hour before that, so around 12:15, my roommate and I head to the theater, grab a coffee and begin the pin curls and makeup. Once we do our first show, I like to grab a protein shake from the cafe on board and eat a good meal to refuel for the next one. After we wind down and relax, we take some time to roll out and warm up for our 7 pm show. It is always my favorite day, because I am surrounded by some of the best people I know and we always have the most fun during these busy days. Once we take our final bow of the evening, I go back to the dressing room and submerge my feet into an ice-cold bucket. I block my wigs, remove my makeup, and sort through my presets and costumes. Before heading to bed, I always like to go on stage to have a little yoga cool-down with a few other cast members.
Showstopper Magazine: For many, it seems like the options for professional dance are the stage, the screen, or the studio, but as a creative field you can do so much with dance! How do you recommend dancers find and chase new ways (and places) to dance?
Sydney: There is no limit when it comes to finding work as a professional dancer. This career will take you all over the world via train, plane, automobile, and maybe even by boat if you are lucky. There are millions of beautiful stages and theaters around the country, and I would suggest that you say yes to any of the stages that are home to a show you love, and a story you want to tell.
Keep up with Sydney: @_sydneyalie_
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