Sydney Mesher, 27, has claimed her place as the first dancer with a visible disability in Radio City Rockette, who performed during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 28, 2024. Mesher, who has no left hand since birth, marks a significant milestone for Rockette– a group founded in 1957 and is the staple of the parade.
What happened to Sydney Mesher?
According to AP, Mesher has a missing left hand because of symbrachydactyly. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia describes it as a “rare congenital hand condition” in which fingers do not develop fully – they may be short, conjoined, or even missing.
This condition largely affects only one hand and the other hand seems to be normal. It reportedly affects 1 in 32,000 children, without distinction of sex, and is not a genetic disease or inherited from the family.
Sydney Mesher’s challenges
Mesher’s story of becoming a Rockette is not smooth. She experienced bullying in class and was also discriminated against by society because she was born with a disability. However, these experiences helped her to become strong and overcome many significant challenges. Sydney told Fox 5:
“I was born without my left hand, and I am the only one in the line who had a disability at the time. And I am very grateful to be standing here and to show that performers of all different backgrounds can be represented as Radio City Rockettes.”
Her parents helped her a lot by providing her with like-minded people with disabilities and convincing her that everything could be achieved.
"It's truly one of the most humbling things I could ever do is help people find their own confidence and find their assurance…It makes me stronger," she said.
A new representation
Mesher hopes to change that perception of disability in the dance while performing for the Rockettes. She expressed her desire to pave the way for better representation in media and performance:
“I really want to help pave the way to have a new representation for dancers, for media, for all the things just so that people can see that disabilities are nothing to pity. Having a disability is power.”
Support from the Radio City Team
Radio City Rockettes have provided Mesher with all the facilities she requires so that she can dance well. This includes the changes in the props and the costumes. For instance, she designed special shoes that she uses during performances so that she can quickly change them, reports Fox 5.
Mesher told the news outlet that her left-hand glove looks like a sock; it’s for grip to enable her to dance with other Rockettes efficiently.
About Radio City Rockette
Radio City Rockettes are America’s famous dance group with a lively show and outstanding eye-high leg kicks. Formed in 1925 in St. Louis Missouri, the group was created by the choreographer Russell Markert, first performing as Missouri Rockets.
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They rose to fame after being discovered by a known showman, S.L “Roxy” Rothafel who took them to New York City where he registered them as the “Roxyettes.” The Rockettes were officially known as this until 1934 after the troupe performed in the grand opening of the Radio City Music Hall on December 27, 1932.
The Rockettes also dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the group has been doing this since 1957. The performers have been featured in other dancing productions such as those on Broadway and special occasions.
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