Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney.
Hi Sydney, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey started in elementary school, during school breaks, when I would watch other kids doing acrobatics. It looked exciting and fun, and after watching for a while, I finally joined them. Learning how to tumble was not easy it was painful, and my body was always sore but I was already falling in love with movement and performance.
As I got older, breakdancing became popular, and I completely immersed myself in it. I danced in the streets, went to parties, battled nonstop, and loved every minute of it. Around that time, my younger brother started studying ballet, and after a year, my mom pushed me to join him. At first, I hated it because I thought ballet was silly compared to breakdancing and tumbling.
I was young, stubborn, and not ready to appreciate ballet yet. There were times I would make excuses, grab my bag, throw it out the window, and run off to play with my friends. When my mom found out, she started staying through my classes, sitting there with chips and a Coke, making sure I finished training. Looking back, that was one of the first signs of how much she believed in me, even before I fully believed in myself.
After about a year, I had to stop because my mom could no longer afford to pay for lessons. Later, I joined stage productions like Gantimpala and Earthsaver’s Dreams Ensemble, and that became another turning point. During one performance, a woman in the audience noticed my brother and me, told us she owned a ballet school, and invited us to train there. We were both awarded scholarships, and that opportunity changed my life.
Once I had that chance, I committed fully. I trained nonstop and eventually became a company member of Philippine Ballet Theater, where I later became a soloist. In 2006, my journey brought me to the United States when I was offered a contract with Verb Ballets in Cleveland, Ohio. After that, I joined CityDance Ensemble and later became a resident principal performer at SAX Lounge, where the environment inspired me to blend ballet with acrobatics in new ways.
That creative evolution led me into pole dancing, and later into aerial straps. What began as a child watching acrobatics during recess became a lifelong career built through discipline, resilience, and constant reinvention. Every stage of my journey from breakdancing in the streets to ballet, pole, and aerial work helped shape the artist I am today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it was not a smooth road. I struggled with the physical pain of training, resisting ballet when I was younger, and financial hardship that forced me to stop lessons for a time. But every challenge pushed me to work harder and grow stronger as an artist.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
am a professional dancer and aerial performer specializing in ballet, contemporary, jazz, acrobatics, partnering, pole, and aerial straps. My work blends strong technique with storytelling, emotion, and athleticism, and I’m known for bringing both grace and power to the stage.
What I’m most proud of is how far I’ve grown from a young kid watching acrobatics during break time to performing professionally in the Philippines and the United States. I’m proud that I kept evolving from breakdancing to ballet to aerial work and never stopped challenging myself. What sets me apart is that I have a wide movement background and I can bring all of those styles together in one performance, making my work feel both technical and expressive.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Growing up, a big source of inspiration for me came from watching ballet performances on VHS and CDs. I watched so many great artists, including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Carlos Acosta, Daniil Simkin, and Sylvie Guillem. Seeing their artistry, strength, and technique pushed me to keep improving and dreaming bigger.
Now, I still find inspiration mostly through Instagram, where I can watch performances, training clips, and creative work from artists all over the world. It helps keep me inspired, motivated, and connected to what is possible in dance and aerial arts.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.sydneyignacio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aerial.straps.artist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydneyignacio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FrMU1UVEH8
