Dancer Spotlight: Wade Mesecar
Name: Wade Mesecar
Hometown: Bath, OH
Company Member Since: 2025
Instagram: @wadalicous
What’s your “origin story”? How did you fall in love with ballet?
From the first class I ever took I fell in love with ballet. I asked my mom after my first class and asked her “Can I do this forever?” And I’ve been doing ballet ever since.
Do you have any pre-show rituals or good-luck habits?
I always meditate before a show to calm nerves. Other than that I always try to have a pre-show matcha for good luck and good vibes.
Ballet is so demanding- how do you take care of your body and recharge offstage?
Ballet is a never ending a job in the sense that once you leave work you then have to start preparing your body for the next day. I ice my knees daily as I’ve suffered a few knee injuries in the past. Epsom salt baths are another one of my favorite post ballet recovery hacks. Not only is it meditative after a long day it also helps relieve tension in the body. Lastly I make a protein shake every night in addition to a nutritious dinner for muscle recovery.
What’s your go-to comfort food after a long rehearsal day?
I definitely consider myself a foodie as I’m very adventurous with my diet. However, one thing I always come back to is the matcha soft serve at the Japanese restaurant KCM.
Dancer memories are super-charged. How do you keep track of choreography?
I keep track of choreography by listening to the piece of music I am working with and marking the steps over until I feel confident in my moments.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about dancing- or life in general?
The best piece of advice I’ve been given is to be confident in who you are as a dancer. It sounds simple but as an artist you are portraying our beautiful art form through your own self expression and interpretation. The most important thing to do as a dancer is to be unapologetically yourself and put that into your dancing. That is what makes you as a dancer individual and powerful on stage.
If you could dance any role, regardless of gender or repertoire, what would it be?
Prince Sigfried, Lead couple in Divertimento No 15, In the middle somewhat elevated, and I’ve been lucky enough to play one of my dreams roles as Crocodile.
Aside form shoes and warmups, what is a staple in your dance bag?
I was thinking hard on this question but I realized that my green puffer bag from the brand Baggu is my staple. I’ve carried this bag for years and it’s become a lucky object for me!
Where do you see ballet heading in the next few years, and what excites you most about being part that future?
Ballet is ever evolving but I see ballet becoming more inclusive allowing dancers to wear tights and pointe shoes that match their skin tone.
