Sydney Mesher is a recent addition to Radio City Music Hall’s famed Rockettes, and the 22-year-old dancer holds a special distinction.
As People reports, Mesher was born without a left hand, and is the Rockettes’ first-ever visibly disabled dancer.
The Oregon native shared her journey to becoming a Rockette in a special video released by the Rockettes this week, revealing she’s dreamed of joining the high-kicking dance team ever since she was a youngster.
“I would always love watching the Rockettes on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was such a fond memory that I have. My whole family would be sitting around, making Thanksgiving dinner, and we would watch the parade and the Rockettes would come up. I would be glued to the television and that’s when I knew I wanted to be a Rockette,” she said.
“There was something different, there was just something about her,” Mesher’s father said in the video. “She loved to perform. She was never afraid of the moment.”
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In 2018, Mesher auditioned for the Rockettes — but didn’t make the cut.
“It was okay, because I got to go back and finish my college career. I graduated, and I was really focused. I wanted this to be my year,” she explained.
In January, she suffered a setback when she broke her foot, putting her out of commission for five months.
“It was a very challenging time, but that reignited my love for what I do because I wasn’t able to do it,” said Mesher, who auditioned again after her foot had healed. This time, she was chosen to be a Rockette.
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“I had to pull over. I was shaking,” she said of receiving the news while driving. “A dream come true. The second I finished the call, I immediately called my mom.”
Since joining, Mesher said she’s been overwhelmed by the support she’s received from her fellow Rockettes.
“I have been completely baffled with the amount of support and love in getting the job,” she admitted. “The amount of love and excitement I have received has been so incredible. It’s been humbling to receive so much love.”
