Show & Tell: Meet ‘Siren’ Molleigh Wallace

Q: You have a neat name. Did you change it from something else?

A: No, that's it. I think it's Scottish.

Q: How long have you been dancing?

A: I've been dancing my entire life, since I was 2. My mom was a dance teacher, and she was a (ballet) dancer when she was younger. And my dad was involved in theater.

Q: Do you have a memory of when you first came to love dancing?

A: The first time I ever saw Cirque du Soleil I was about 6 years old, and I sat in the very front row with another one of my friends. My mom sat in the back, and she said she could hear me giggling the whole time. After the show, all the way back, I was like, "Mom, did you see the rhinestones on the shoes?" I was totally involved with everything, and I never stopped telling her after that that's what I wanted to do.

Q: So you studied as a kid?

A: Absolutely. Every single day. I'd leave school when classes were over and not get home until it was night, plus weekends. And I got into competitions and all of that. I did dance team in high school and, on top of all that, I was in a ballet company.

Q: What's your favorite style of dance?

A: I've always leaned more toward jazz and contemporary, to my mom's dismay (laughs). She wanted me to be a prima ballerina.

Q: Did you pursue dance in college?
A: I went to the University of Southern Mississippi, but I only went for one year. Then I started working on (Royal Caribbean) cruise ships. ... My first ship contract was out of Barcelona. (Laughs) I was going from Mississippi to Spain when I was 19 years old.

Q: And then?

A: Then I came here. Actually, I had another cruise ship offer lined up, and I went, "Know what? It's another European tour to places I've already been. I think I'm ready to do something a little bit different." I got off my ship in December, right before Christmas, and I was here the last week of January.

Q: Imagine that "Sirens" is a bit different than other shows you've done?

A: Well, it's a lot shorter, so that's probably the main thing. Then, being outside is a little shock to your system. You have to get used to all of the elements. Right now the biggest issue is the heat.

Q: So what does your mom think of her prima ballerina becoming a Siren of TI?

A: (Laughs) She had years to get used to me not being a ballerina, so she loves it.