Life & Work with Sarah Fenn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Fenn.

Hi Sarah, 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?
I started dancing when I was five years old, and turned professional at 18. My training covers a wide range of dance styles, but over the years I have specialized in dance, aerial, showgirl shows, musical theatre and aquatic shows.

Versatility has always been important to me. I played a lot of sports growing up, especially soccer and athletics. I even learned to play drums from my brother, who is a professional drummer. That added another discipline to my work, but more importantly it deepened my understanding of rhythm, musicality, timing and what it means to be part of a live performance.

Since 2013 I have been a featured aerialist in major productions. For the last 14 years I have also performed in Aqua shows at the highest level of aquatic and aerial entertainment. That combination of air and water is rare. It has taken me onto some of the largest stages in the world and onto the world’s largest ships, including Royal Caribbean International’s groundbreaking AquaTheater productions, which are the only purpose-built aqua theatres at sea.

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?
I have always loved to dance and perform. This industry is very demanding and succeeding in it is a great challenge. I have been very lucky with the people that I have met and the opportunities that I have been given. It takes a great deal of resilience and work to succeed and become a professional in this field. Injuries and being away from loved ones are the biggest challenges that most artists need to face in this industry. They are huge things to face but as a performer, you have a fight inside you that makes you not want to quit or take no for an answer.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have been in the industry performing now for 22 years, which is really rare. For 20 years I have performed as a professional aerialist, and since 2013 I have been a featured aerialist in major productions. For the last 14 years I have also performed in Aqua shows at the highest level of aquatic and aerial entertainment. This is what I am most passionate about. It also means working with people from all different nationalities and sport disciplines.

As my career progressed, I moved into leadership. For 15 years I have served as Cast Captain and Company Manager on multimillion-dollar productions. In that role I am responsible not just for my own performance excellence, but for the artistic integrity, safety, leadership and development of the entire cast. For 15 years I have also trained performers. I work alongside elite international athletes and artists, including slackliners, highliners, divers, high divers, artistic swimmers, skateboarders, dancers, aerialists, martial artists, circus performers, acrobats, contortionists and hand balancers.

I have been fortunate to work with and alongside individuals connected to Guinness World Records, Red Bull, Olympic athletes, and performers from Australia’s Got Talent, Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent. I have also judged dance competitions throughout Australia.

One part of my career I am most proud of is being part of four inaugural casts. I have helped launch original productions from the ground up, which means everything from show installation and aerial training to choreography, direction, company management and performer development. That experience has led to opportunities and offers from internationally renowned organizations including Universal Studios, Franco Dragone, Cirque du Soleil, Royal Caribbean International, Royal Palace, Moulin Rouge, Palazzo Varieté in Germany and Göttlicher Entertainment in China.

My credits include Saturday Night Fever the Musical, featured dancer/showgirl roles, and principle aerial roles on numerous large-scale aerial and aquatic productions. I have performed aboard the world’s largest cruise ships, entertaining audiences on vessels carrying more than 10,000 people. Most recently I have performed and worked aboard Icon of the Seas, one of the most groundbreaking ships in the world that Lionel Messi is the godfather of.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
If you love it, don’t give up. It is the absolute best thing in the whole world when you get to do what you love every day. Not everyone can say that they do that, and if you have the opportunity to make it happen, then make it happen! I am so proud of myself that I have been able to make such an amazing career. I have met people from all over the world, traveled all of the world and performed in front of thousands of people that have had a once in a lifetime experience by seeing those types of shows. Meeting young kids after a show is one of the most special things to experience because you can just see that they want to do what you do, and that to me is so special. And I am so thankful to my parents for supporting me and allowing me to have everything I needed to get where I am today. I couldn’t have done it without them.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @sarsarpoo

Image Credits
Paul Fenn (My father is a professional photographer and took all of these photos)