Professional dancer Gen Reilly helps us to understand what exactly it is like to be a dancer on a cruise ship, outlining the many perks and some necessary improvements to support dancers in their mental wellbeing.
Let’s meet Gen!
Hi! I’m Gen Reilly and I have worked professionally as a dancer for about five years - mostly on cruise ships or as a commercial dancer. I trained at Queensland Dance School of Excellence (Brisbane, Australia) for two years and then went on to complete another two years at ED5International (Sydney, Australia). I am currently not performing professionally and have instead turned my attention towards teaching and choreography during this time since travelling for jobs is currently not an option.
How has the recent pandemic affected your dance journey?
The pandemic has hugely affected my dance career! I had just flown to Miami and I was two weeks into rehearsals for a new cruise ship when I was called into the office and sent back home to Australia within half an hour! The company I work for were very optimistic about starting back up in a few months after their initial pause to service, but as the pandemic grew worse it was pretty clear that I would be stuck in Australia for much longer. So COVID-19 really has put a massive pause on my own and many others dance careers!
What has been the most helpful thing for you in pursuing your dance career?
One of the most helpful things has been the support of my family and mentors, because when someone is backing you it helps you back yourself! They’re also the ones who are able to pull you out of a slump or a rejection email and get you back in the right headspace to take on another audition.
Nothing can fully prepare you for what your dance career is going to be like because everyone’s experience varies greatly. However, I found reading or hearing about other people’s experiences in the industry was incredibly interesting because it gave me some kind of an idea of what I was venturing into.
What has been the most challenging part of your dance career? Was there something in particular that got you through that?
The most challenging part was after finishing my full-time course at ED5International. I received a contract which suddenly went away through no fault of my own. (This happens pretty often to dancers and cruise ship contracts). However, it was very disheartening to move back to Brisbane without the job I thought that I had. After two years of full-time dancing and confidence building I felt like I hadn’t progressed at all and that maybe it had been a waste of time. It was for this reason I decided to take a break from dancing for a little while just to make sure that this was really what I wanted to do. I ended up staying in Brisbane for a year, I worked in retail as well as teaching dance and this ended up being the right choice for me as I really enjoyed living a ‘normal’ life for a bit. It helped me to realise how much I did want to dance and get a job and consequently increased my drive to move back to Sydney and nail that first job!
What was the best thing about being away from home/family/friends to pursue your career?
The best part whilst being away was the ability to be whoever you wanted to be whilst not being fearful of anyone calling you out. It is a great opportunity to re-invent as well as discover yourself where you can set clear goals without having to worry about what friends or family will say. It can be really freeing.
I mostly loved the change of scenery - working on a cruise ship came with the huge perk of constant travel and different ports every day. I think I enjoyed the fact that every day was different because I never felt stuck in a repetitive dead-end routine. Each day was a fresh new beginning, full of opportunities.
What was the worst thing about being away from home/family/friends to pursue your career?
Time difference! That was really annoying, trying to organise phone calls or catch up with friends and family. It meant someone was up at 2am (usually me) and the reception was always rubbish.
It was also difficult if you were having a rough time on board with relationships or other personal struggles because there isn’t usually a support person like a counsellor or mental health professional to talk to. Human Resources are great for your paperwork needs, but if you were to mention anxiety or depression, their solution would be to send you home immediately. This isn’t the most helpful reaction, nor does it encourage people to get the help they need. It’s important for them to understand that people are still capable of doing their job if they are given the appropriate support, especially when it comes to mental health. Cruise ship companies definitely need to work on creating a supportive environment for their crew on board.
Is there something that you hope changes within the dance industry?
It is beginning to change already in some small ways but I hope the idea of the ‘perfect dancers body’ can stop being a huge part of why people may or may not get hired for jobs. The commercial side of the industry has already begun embracing different shapes and sizes - which is amazing - however, cruise ships and some other companies still have a way to go. Also, the whole mental health stigma on cruise ships needs to go - as I previously mentioned before.
JUST FOR FUN:
What are your favourite things to do when you’re not dancing?
I watch a bit of Bailey Sarian on YouTube (she talks about True Crime), I play with my dog, I shop online for bikinis that I don’t need. I enjoy hiking, eating, workout classes and looking up houses I can’t afford. I also enjoy writing and am currently working on a book about my experience on ships!
What would you be doing if you weren’t a dancer?
I think I would have started and deferred so many different university courses by now! I have a lot of different interests but I have always fancied myself as a newsreader or breakfast show host. Either that, or acting - I would still have to be involved in the performing arts in some way!
What’s the most recent TV show you’ve binged on Netflix?
BRIDGERTON! I know I’m a bit late to the party but I literally binged it over two days. It’s soo addictive, and can not wait for season two. I’m also watching The Office (US) for the first time which is actually funnier than I had expected!
And finally, What sort of advice would you have liked someone to give you when you were taking the next step from pre-professional to professional?
Various things I had to learn through experience:
Get used to learning choreography when severely sleep deprived! Be quick at picking up choreography in general and know how you learn the best, whether that is in a physical rehearsal or listening to the music repetitively.
In a cast, you don’t have to be extremely over the top, funny or energetic all the time. Simply be the kind of person who is easy to get along with.
Apply your notes! Directors really appreciate someone who is easy to mould into what they want. Even if you may not necessarily agree with their correction, it pays off to be an adaptable dancer.
Try not to let other people’s bad moods or difficult behaviour affect the time at your job. This can be really tricky if you are spending a lot of time together - which you will in rehearsals - but experience has taught me that having a positive attitude is contagious!
Do not complain about the boss/supervisor/choreographer. You never know who is listening! If you do have a complaint or issue with one of your superiors, it’s always a good idea to approach them first before talking about it behind their back because 9 times out of 10 it is a simple misunderstanding that can be easily solved. If you have already tried this and there’s still an issue, speak to a manager, another supervisor or a HR representative.
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