Dancing is a language that speaks through movement and brings stories to life. For dancer and actress, Hailey Alexis Lewis, dancing is not just a passion but a central part of who she is.
Lewis’s journey to the stage has been full of challenges and growth, but her perseverance has shaped her into the performer she is today. Whether professionally dancing or performing on a stage, the foundation of her theatre and acting always traces back to her roots in dance.
“I started dancing at the age of three. I did dance competitions and dance exams,” Lewis said. “In my 12th grade of high school, my dance teacher told me I have the skills and potential to go to theatre school and train in all the disciplines, not just dance. I auditioned and went to theater school at Sheridan College, which is outside of Toronto, Ontario for four years.”
Since graduating, she has performed professionally in theatres across Canada in shows such as “Hairspray”, “Shrek”, “Grease”, most notably as Rose Granger-Weasley in “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” .
Hailey’s journal with “SIX the Musical” began in 2022, where she first auditioned for Broadway replacements. She then auditioned and booked the 2023 Toronto production and later was asked to join the North American tour in 2024.
“I auditioned for the Toronto production, and booked it as a standby, where I covered Aragon, Cleves and Parr and was dance captain. Once I joined the Boleyn tour, I covered Aragon, Boleyn, Cleves and dance captain. This year, they asked me to be Anna of Cleves full time,” Lewis said.
One of the most fun parts of “SIX the Musical” is when Lewis has the opportunity to pick someone from the audience to interact with. Her decision depends on the energy she feels from the crowd.
“I pick people off of energy and right when we walk down [the stage], I start eyeballing who’s in the front couple rows there,” Lewis said. “Sometimes it’s the person that’s singing every word, sometimes it’s sweet kids, or sometimes it’s men that are looking like they’re not really engaged, and it’s my mission to get them to get up and dance with me.”
Performing multiple times a week can be both emotionally and mentally draining. One way Lewis manages her balance is by prioritizing her self-care.
“I have a lot of mantras that I say to myself: I am enough & instant forgiveness are my go-to’s. When I was an alternate last year and had to cover multiple roles, that required a lot of discipline and homework on your own time,” Lewis said.
Lewis hopes to continue pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, whether through Broadway or film and television.
“I would love to continue theatre and make it to Broadway. My dream theater show would be for somebody to write a role specifically for me. It would be so cool to originate a new show and role on Broadway. I would also love to branch into TV, film, commercials and voice over animation,” Lewis said.
Despite the excitement of performing, the theatre industry is not all fame and applause.
“Some people may think this life is glamorous, and it can be, but we’re also just humans doing our jobs,” Lewis said. “Sometimes people will forget that and say we’re just going on stage playing pretend, but there is an element of difficulty to it. It can be exhausting, and there’s so much vulnerability.”
For future actors and dancers considering a career in these fields, Lewis leaves you with her advice on how to succeed in the industry.
“My first advice would be to train as much as you can,” Lewis said. “Take classes, workshops, master classes, watch stuff online and go see theatre. My second piece of advice would be to absorb as much of that training and that feedback as you can and stay inspired. My third piece of advice, BE KIND.”
