We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alex Sdrolias a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alex , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?
My hero is hands down my mom. Her name is Heather Sdrolias and she is a doctor in Manitoba, Canada. She is my hero because well, moms are badass, but simply because of her work ethic, loving tendencies, and kindness. She taught me from a young age is to be kind to everyone no matter what as we don’t know what they are going through. Sadly, my mom was diagnosed with MS in 2007 and it changed her life forever. Her confidence, and desire to do what she loved in life was suddenly taken away, and I watched it happen very slowly and progressively over many years. Imagine having your daily life and habits such as walking and balancing become a lot more difficult to do. Things that we loved to do together became more difficult to do.
What I find the most interesting and profound though, is that despite all of this, my mom went to med school and became a doctor; a doctor who takes care of others but struggles to find the strength to take care of herself when everything feels so heavy. She is the most selfless, kind and loving human being I have ever met and will always be my hero. She taught me to be kind to everyone no matter what and I am proud of who I have become because of her. However, this disease does not define her. It is a part of her but will never represent the amazing doctor, mother, daughter, sister, wife and friend that she is. She has influenced me immensely in the way that I am reminded of how lucky it is to be able bodied, and be able to do what I love. I dance for myself yes, but I dance for her first.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I started dancing from a very young age, around 2 or 3 years old at the Shelley Shearer School of Dance in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I had no clue that dance would be something I would or could pursue professionally, but always had such a strong passion for it and gave me purpose. Throughout my years at the school, I took ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary, modern, and pointe. I began in the recreational department and as I improved and matured, I joined the competitive side of the school. I competed in a variety of dance competitions in my city, but once I got to a certain level, I began to travel to other cities across Canada as well as in the United States with the schools pre pro (pre-professional) company. Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Calgary were among the cities I competed in in Canada, and I also traveled to Los Angeles for dancer palooza one year, Las Vegas for The Pulse, and Minneapolis for Nuvo Dance Convention. Another really amazing experience for me was traveling to Poland for the IDO World Modern Ballet and Jazz Championships. We won 3 gold medals and 1 bronze medal for our group pieces. I was very grateful to have received many scholarships and awards throughout my competitive journey at the school not only as a soloist but in group performances as well. One of my top performances was when I won 1st place overall for my senior contemporary solo in 2017 at the Canadian National Dance Championships in Winnipeg.
Dance is great and all when you get to compete and win or whatever it may be, but what drew me to it as an art form from the beginning was the vulnerability of it. I am a very sensitive, emotional and creative person, so to be able to put emotions and feelings into movement was fascinating to me. The athleticism and physicality of dance is what makes it so special; it is a sport and art form all in one and it takes a lot for someone to have the courage to share that with other people, which is a part of why I find it so inspiring. Dance becomes a lot more meaningful to me when it is not about being the best, but becomes almost like a meditation where you are so in tune with yourself that all that matters is how you feel, how you’re growing and taking feedback, as well as sharing what you have to offer with others. Nowadays I feel like it is become so much about the filming and the posting and the look at me that we forget dance is not always about that. What has made it special is the fact that people feel something from what you offer them, and that they can join too, even if they’re not a dancer themselves. I remember this quote a teacher from AMDA, Kyle McHargh, would say to us before we performed in one of the productions I was in: Nothing to prove, everything to share. It has stuck with me ever since.
With all of that being said, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support from my teachers and mentors back at my home studio. Shelley Shearer (prior director) Lindsay Peretz (choreographer), Erin Hyman (choreographer and teacher), and Roy Smith (teacher and choreographer) were the first people to ever see something in me and were so supportive of my dance journey. Lindsay was my mentor and choreographed my solos for years, and I owe a lot of my training and artistry to her. Some of my first dance jobs were when I was younger at the school which include: American Girl Film: Saige Paints the Sky, the opening ceremonies for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and the Hallmark Movie: The Christmas Club. During my senior year in high school, I officially decided that dance was something I wanted to pursue professionally, so I applied to 3 schools total, and ended up being accepted into AMDA: College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles after my in person audition in May of 2019. I will forever be so grateful for my experiences in Canada and for the time I got to spend with such amazing people in Winnipeg as it properly set me up for a successful transition to California.
After I graduated high school in June of 2019, I spent the summer at home and then traveled to California for my first semester at AMDA in October of 2019. It was such a surreal experience and honestly was not easy at first as I was extremely homesick and not used to the environment here, but I warmed up to it pretty quick and was so thankful. I loved the school because they offered a bit of everything: jazz, ballet, modern, contemporary, tap, musical theatre, broadway styles, singing classes, acting classes and so much more. Little did the world know though, that we were about to go through a worldwide pandemic in the spring of 2020. I was at AMDA in person for a total of one whole semester in person, and then four weeks into my second semester, we were all sent home because of the pandemic. It was rough at first, having to adjust to dancing in my living room and disrupting my whole household at some points when I told my family they had to be quiet when I had a final over zoom, but I learned a lot from the experience I will say. My top takeaway from being online for almost two years… yes almost two years (crazy), was dance on film. I learned so so much from having to film productions myself, and with the help of my dad at home. I have always had a passion for dance on film, but this experience of having no option but to film was even more groundbreaking for me. It secured the passion I have for it and made me want to continue doing it, even after the pandemic was over. Cain DeVore was our film educator over zoom and I owe most of everything I have learned about film to him.
When we returned to campus after the pandemic subsided, I got to be a part of a couple of live stage performance productions, and had such an amazing senior year. I could not have made it through my four year degree without my friends by my side, and my incomparable support system back home; my family. I love you all so much and thank you!
After graduating from AMDA, I had the option to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) as an International student so that I could work for a year after gradating in my field of study. I was approved, and ever since then I have been training in outside classes, auditioning, making such special connections with other dancers, choreographers and artists, and working a couple of part-time jobs. A couple examples of things I have done in this past (almost year), have been dance concept videos with Abby Chung, a short film titled Little White Lies where I got to be a background dancer choreographed by Malia Baker, danced a piece at Choreographers Carnival choreographed by Karine Newborn, danced in a heels concept video by Ewelina Polnicka, and was a part of the cast for Archetype, a show directed and created by my good friend Lily Chumas that premiered at the Odyssey Theatre in January 2024. I also worked at Lululemon this past year, as well as Harvard-Westlake School as a dance assistant alongside one of my modern teachers from AMDA, the amazing Queala Clancy.
This brings me to now, April 2024, where I am currently working towards applying for my visa here in the United States so that I can stay and do what I love in the near future. I unfortunately have to move back home to pursue more professional work so that I can properly apply and put my best foot forward for the visa, however I am so grateful that I will also be able to do what I love regardless of where I am. I have felt a lot of guilt and shame towards myself sadly… asking myself why aren’t you ready yet? Why haven’t you done what they’re doing? Am I good enough to be here? I have quickly learnt with this negative thinking that everyone is on their own journey and path and this just so happens to be mine, and comparing myself to everyone around me will only hinder my progress and mindset moving forward. I am only lucky to have spent to last year here working after graduating, and if a part of my journey is leaving, then all I can do is push forward so I can return in the future. Grateful is an understatement, and I know that if I want it and work for it, it’ll happen some day. See you soon;)
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
After the virus subsided for like I said, almost 2 years, everyone was welcomed back on campus in the fall of 2021. I headed back to California and moved out of the dorms, into an apartment with my good friend who also went to AMDA, and continued to embark on my journey there. It was weird experiencing life in school before, during, and “after” the pandemic. I had now finished half of my degree and was heading into my fifth semester (out of eight) at the college. It was not easy, to say the least. I auditioned for the show that semester and was cast in the production, and thought that everything was going to be amazing, but what I didn’t know was that my fifth semester was actually a turning point for me in my life. I all of the sudden had developed severe anxiety after coming back to California after being home for so long, and I was very confused and felt extremely lost. I moved through my semester with fear and loneliness, along with some feelings I have never experienced before. During the Christmas break, I had the option to stay home because the spread of the virus was increasing once again in the new year, so I took advantage of the circumstances ended up staying home and forcing myself to pull out of the production that semester, and finishing my classes online. For the first time in my life, I chose to say no and was forced to take care of my mental health, not that I haven’t been cautious in the past, but this time it was really going to make or break me. I say all of this because I think it is extremely beneficial to share the struggles we go through as artists, as it is so demanding on our bodies and minds. I have always been an anxious person, but to sacrifice my life back home for this dream of mine put me in a totally different mindset and unfortunately, got the best of me for a while. There is a lot to be said for everyone who leaves home for school, but I have to say, leaving your own country for your passion is a whole different ball game.
Luckily I had the best support system of all time by my side including friends and family, so I was able to return to AMDA in February of 2022 and continued at the school and through the summer until graduating in February 2023. I graduated with my BFA in Dance Theatre and I was and am still so proud of myself for facing my demons and jumping through the many hoops it took to get there.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
For a long time (most of this past year), I have shown up to classes expecting the most from myself. Perfection seems to be expected (in my head) in rooms where we learn the combo for majority of the class, and then film for a small portion at the end of class. It is extremely difficult to not want to be perfect at this particular moment… why wouldn’t you want to look your best on film right? I was always so caught up in looking “correct” or “exactly how the choreography was taught” so that I could somehow justify what a good job I was doing in my own mind. What I didn’t realize though, was that this mindset completely takes way from the most beautiful part of what CLASS is for; growth.
I think for me I had to unlearn this way of thinking because it actually takes away from the experience of not only dancing and performing, but literally learning, which is what class is supposed to be for anyways. I was so entirely caught up in getting the movement and not messing up to the point where I didn’t even know what my story or emotions were for that specific combo/class anymore. There’s no room for experimentation, creativeness, messing up (which is important by the way), or joy for that matter when everything is about getting it “right” or “perfection,” which is not a thing. For me personally, I have had to work really work on walking into rooms with what I said earlier about having nothing to prove and everything to share. Class is now a place for me to mess up, explore, push my physical and mental boundaries and work on my quality of movement. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my days, and it is something that I still need to work on, but ever since I have been slowly unlearning this way of thinking, I feel a lot more solid in who I am as a dancer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexsdrolias.com
- Instagram: @alexsdrol
- Youtube: @alexsdrol
Image Credits
Lindsay Rosenberg, Kristen Sawatsky, Lexi Dysart