The dance podcast where movers and shakers like you get the information and inspiration you need to navigate your creative career with clarity and confidence. Master mover, Dana Wilson, taps into 20 years of industry experience, and talks to some of the best in the entertainment biz, who have been there and done that so that you don’t have to… do it alone.
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The dance podcast where movers and shakers like you get the information and inspiration you need to navigate your creative career with clarity and confidence. Master mover, Dana Wilson, taps into 20 years of industry experience, and talks to some of the best in the entertainment biz, who have been there and done that so that you don’t have to… do it alone.
239. A New Image: Sydney Mesher Transforms Dance & Disability
Words That Move Me with Dana Wilson
52 minutes 55 seconds
5 months ago
239. A New Image: Sydney Mesher Transforms Dance & Disability
Sydney Mesher on Disability Representation, Kicking Down Barriers, and Changing the Entertainment Industry
In this episode, trailblazing performer Sydney Mesher shares her journey as the first visibly disabled Radio City Rockette and her mission to transform representation in entertainment. Born without her left hand, Sydney reveals:
Her transformative experience making history with the Radio City Rockettes and performing on iconic stages
The often overlooked reality of navigating dance training and professional choreography with a disability, including the mental gymnastics of constantly adapting instructions and movement on the spot while never wanting to disrupt the creative process
The profound importance of portraying disabled bodies as desirable and sexy in media—a taboo topic that Sydney addresses with remarkable candor—and how the absence of such representation affected her own self-image growing up
Creating more examples of her in the world with her book “She Kept Dancing”
As a multi-disciplinary artist working across dance, modeling, and acting, Sydney exposes the stark contrast between being hired as a dancer versus being brought on as "inclusive talent," and her determination to change how the entertainment industry approaches disability. Whether you're a performer with a disability seeking representation or anyone passionate about creating more authentic and diverse art forms, this conversation offers both emotional honesty and inspiring insights for breaking boundaries and embracing your unique artistic voice.
Watch the full episode here!
Show Notes:
Connect with Sydney on IG
Buy Sydney’s book “She Kept Dancing”
Read Sydney’s ESPN article
Listen to Joe’s episode
Listen to the Seaweed Sisters episode
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Words That Move Me with Dana Wilson
The dance podcast where movers and shakers like you get the information and inspiration you need to navigate your creative career with clarity and confidence. Master mover, Dana Wilson, taps into 20 years of industry experience, and talks to some of the best in the entertainment biz, who have been there and done that so that you don’t have to… do it alone.
