Eliza MacLachlan’s years of hard work and unwavering dedication are paying off, with the Longford native dancer now globetrotting as she captivates audiences on one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, having landed a contract with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
Just like any dance job, Ms MacLachlan’s latest gig began with an audition.
“Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines holds auditions in most cities around the world; I auditioned in Melbourne a few times where, from there, I was kept on ‘the books’, which then led to me receiving an email with an offer and contract,” Ms MacLachlan said.
“My contract is about 11 months long. I’m in Miami training for six weeks, then getting on the ship and sailing for about nine months.
“Honestly, I’m not 100 per cent sure (what to expect or what the typical day will look like) as I’m going into this experience completely new.
“I know of a lot of people who are or have done the same, so I don’t know if there actually is a typical day, as every day is quite different depending on where you are.
“We perform two shows in the evening, so a tech run will be scheduled during the day, and then depending on the cruise, we might be docked at a port so we can get off and explore for the day, but there is a lot of freedom during our days.”
Ms MacLachlan has always known that dance was her true calling, cultivating a monopolising love for the art form over the years.
“I love how demanding it is, both physically and mentally, as well I love how many different opportunities there are in the dance world, as there is always something to work towards,” she said.
“I would really love to dance and live in Europe, but honestly, I am really open to anything. I just want to work and experience as much as I can in the professional dance world and continue to strive for more even when my current goal is achieved.”
At the age of four, Ms MacLachlan enrolled as a student at the Sale-based dance school Leaps and Bounds. Not yet at school, the young dancer showed incredible discipline and drive, which only grew with her budding love for dance.
The cutthroat nature of the dance industry makes securing work no easy task; in a fiercely competitive market, landing a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line contract, as done by Ms MacLachlan, is a significant achievement and a true testament to her talent and skills.
Leaps and Bounds principals Jenny Cumming and Holly Djanogly recognised Ms MacLachlan’s potential for greatness from the very beginning.
“(We) always saw potential in her, mainly because she was such a hard worker,” Ms Cumming said.
“Eliza was the type of kid who never had an off day; she was always 100 per cent working hard in everything she did.
“She was here four, five, six days a week, every week; she really prioritised dance above everything else, and you could always tell she loved it.”
Ms MacLachlan was a competitive dancer from the outset, competing throughout her schooling with Leaps and Bounds until the age of 18.
“She won a couple of championships in classical and tap; we could always see she was headed for more dance post-Leaps and Bounds,” Ms Cumming said.
After bidding farewell to high school, Ms MacLachlan embarked on a new chapter, her love and desire to pursue dance leading her to Spectrum Dance in Melbourne.
Ms MacLachlan’s time at Spectrum Dance came to an end after three years of immersing herself in the world of dance, graduating with a Certificate IV in Dance and a Diploma of Musical Theatre.
Ms MacLachlan was ready for the next chapter.
“After Eliza finished full-time study, she began auditioning, and in the meantime, she worked as a showgirl in Melbourne consistently since COVID,” Ms Cumming said.
“She worked at Crown Casino, did events and corporate gigs but has always been chasing that big contract, and a contract on a cruise ship is what a lot of dancers are aiming for; it’s a long-term job with the added bonus of getting to travel the world.”
Before attaining a contract with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and while she was not pursuing showgirl gigs in the big smoke, Ms MacLachlan returned to Leaps & Bounds, this time as a teacher of the next generation of local dancers.
Leaps & Bounds’ young dancers were not only taught dance by Ms MacLachlan but also inspired by her.
“Eliza was proof that living in a regional town doesn’t have to disadvantage them (students); they can still get to where they want to go if they work hard,” Ms Cumming said.
“I mean, it is hard. It has taken Eliza three years to get this contact, and she is really deserving of it because she’s put in all that hard work.
“But yes, the younger kids really look up to Eliza, and it is really exciting for them to see her get such an amazing opportunity.”
Leaps & Bounds will forever hold a special place in Ms MacLachlan’s heart, with the 23-year-old expressing her eternal gratitude towards the school, Ms Cumming and Ms Djanogly.
“I will always be so grateful for growing up and dancing at such an amazing school,” Ms MacLachlan said.
“I really owe a lot to Jen and Holly; they helped so much with the transition to full-time as well as during my schooling. The environment was so supportive, and I was honestly surrounded by the best group of girls.
“Every teacher I had throughout the years taught me something different. I think that’s why I loved Leaps & Bounds so much, as we were surrounded by teachers from all different dance experience backgrounds.”
As Ms MacLachlan prepares to embark on a thrilling adventure, fulfilling the dreams she had as a child, the talented dancer from Longford opened up about the advice she would give to her younger self at the age of 16.
“If you really want to do something, keep working hard, as finally securing a contract makes me so proud of all the years of work,” Ms MacLachlan said.
“Remember why you are doing it; I think when training for something that, like anything, can have no guaranteed job, it can be really hard to stay motivated, especially in the dance audition environment, and also having people to go to when you need that extra push or give a different perspective.”
