Interview: Learning Beyond the Steps with Sasha Voyt

Born and raised in Russia before performing and dancing all over the world from Italy to New York City to Malaysia and now Seattle, Sasha Voyt is one of Can Can’s newest performers. She plays the half-woman, half-cat Persia in House of Hearts, and you better believe she is stealing hearts with every “Meow!” she musters. 

But, before Sasha found her home on Can Can’s stage, she nearly closed the door on her dancing career when she, like many of us, felt burnt out beyond repair upon the onset of the global pandemic. 

“I used the pandemic as a time to heal,” shared Sasha. It was none other than the Can Can itself that helped Sasha find her magic, again. Now, she hopes she can be part of providing that Can Can magic for others, one performance at a time.

“I feel like Can Can is a place where people can actually feel safe. We can all be at peace with other people. I'm just very happy that I found this place.”

Read on to hear more!

Sasha Voyt on stage as Persia in House of Hearts (2023) | Photo by Nate Watters

THECANCAN.COM: What was your journey in the performing arts before you found yourself on Can Can’s stage?

For as long as I can remember, I was always dancing. I started dancing at the age of five, and my dance training began with ballroom and international Latin dance. I was raised almost like an athlete because I was competing nonstop in Russia and abroad. I was also slowly falling in love with musicals and theater. Our ballroom teachers were often inspired by old Hollywood movies and musicals, so they would always show us different parts of the most famous ones, like Chicago, Moulin Rouge, Hello Dolly, and Cats. 

I left my hometown at the age of 17 and went to study dance in Saint Petersburg, Russia, at the State University of Culture and Arts. Those times were exciting but definitely hard at the same time because I started learning completely different dance styles such as ballet, folk dance, and modern. I had to learn how to use and move my body in a completely different way because I was originally trained as a ballroom dancer. 

While I was studying at the University, I worked as a part-time dance teacher and did some small performing gigs. However, I was always dreaming about one day going to New York City because I felt like that was the capital of the performing arts. One day, I got the chance to actually go there because I went to Italy for a dance festival and received a scholarship to study in New York City. The first time I came to the States was like a dream come true, and that was when my performing career started fully blooming. 

I got a chance to work with Broadway choreographers, I did commercial work, I did campaign gigs, and I also worked on cruise ships. I was even a dancer-slash-model for a few movies and TV episodes, as well as some music videos. I spent seven years in New York City. 

The pandemic hit when I was in Malaysia working as a choreographer as part of a creative team for a new theme park. I remember that time being so wonderful. I was living my dream, but at the same time, I felt like I was losing joy in my work. So when the pandemic hit, I was actually fully burned out. I used the pandemic as a time to heal. I was working more on my mental health, and in between therapy sessions, I was figuring out what to do with my career because it felt like this was the end. I was tired of all the hustle and bustle, you know? I remember how I completely took a break from the entertainment industry. I sold my costumes, I unfollowed directors, choreographers, and even my ex-coworkers. I completely shut myself down as everything else in the world was shut down.

At that time, my husband and I decided to move to Seattle. I was still thinking that this was the end of my career, but one day we came across the Can Can. I remember that day like it was yesterday. We came to see Masquerade in November of 2021, and I remember thinking, “Oh, it would be nice to work here.” But, I shut myself down again. A month later, we went to see Wonderland, and again, I felt like, “This is probably the place where I can actually start performing again. This is where I would love to be.” It took about half a year to apply, but when I did, they quickly invited me to audition. Now, here I am, and I’m really happy.

THECANCAN.COM: Having originally hailed from Russia, what role does culture play in your self-expression?

I find this question very interesting but, at the same time, a little bit complicated. My first thought is that Russian culture doesn't do much in my self-expression because I've been in the States for so long. But, it’s probably not true. For example, if we take language as a big part of the culture, I still speak Russian very often. My husband is originally from Ukraine, but we speak Russian. I speak Russian with my parents and my Russian-speaking friends. It definitely affects me, as you can notice in my accent. I've been in the States for almost 10 years and still have it. I don't mind, and I never wanted to get rid of it because I think it’s actually kind of cute. 

I also want to say that being an artist, in general, especially being a dancer, means that you have to kind of abandon your own culture in order to be able to fully embrace and learn new styles of dance. For example, when I was doing international Latin dance, I had to do a lot of research on the history of the original Latin dances, I had to learn the history of countries, traditions, and stories behind the dances. I think it is crucial to take time to reflect on the historical and cultural context of certain styles. It’s the same with ballet, folk, jazz, and modern – you have to always dig deep and learn beyond the steps. So, to me, dance was never just a physical activity. For every style, I always engage with a lot of respect and appreciation for the history and culture. 

So, when it comes to answering your question, I don't know. I have no idea how Russian culture affects me. I feel like I’ve become a sponge, like I’ve absorbed so many different cultures throughout my life and they’ve all definitely affected me in some way.

Sasha Voyt as Silhouette in the Hitchcock Hotel (2022) | Photo by Nate Watters

THECANCAN.COM: What does "vulnerability" mean to you as a burlesque and cabaret performer? How did you grow to become so comfortable on Can Can’s stage?

I've heard people say that dance is highly associated with vulnerability and probably even anxiety, which is definitely true. But, honestly, I've been in this industry for so long that I think I taught myself how to not feel these feelings or how to quickly overcome them. Don't get me wrong, I think being vulnerable on stage is necessary in order to tell your story, gain trust, and involve the audience in your performance, to make them feel, not just observe. However, I think what makes you professional is being able to choose what level of vulnerability is comfortable for you, so you don't feel like you overshare on stage or leave yourself empty. 

It’s important to also learn how to quickly comfort yourself. My formula for when I suddenly feel exposed or anxious during the performance is to remind myself that I'm doing my best and, at the same time, that I'm not perfect. So, if I do something wrong, that's okay – I'll just work on it later. Another thing I do when I feel anxious or too vulnerable on stage is try to make eye contact with another performer or even with an audience member. I've heard that if you're scared or feel vulnerable, look into your partner's eyes, and you’ll feel better. That surprisingly and somehow, in a magical way, works for me. There is something so grounding and calming when you look into someone's eyes, especially when I look into my fellow cast members’ eyes. It always makes me feel better.

THECANCAN.COM: What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of burlesque and cabaret, especially at Can Can?

I have this amazing opportunity to do what I do best and to share my craft. At the same time, though, the most exciting thing is the group of people I get to work with every night. It’s incredible. They are so amazing. I don't know if I have the words to describe them, but they're so talented and incredibly beautiful – not just as performers but as beautiful human beings. Can Can is such a unique place, and with completely different productions every two or three months, it’s so exciting for me to learn different skills alongside them for each new show. 

It's also the audience. I really love engaging with the audience and being around other people. I would call myself an introvert, so in real life, I am a really closed person with a small amount of friends. I definitely gain my energy from spending time by myself. But when it comes to performing, when I work at Can Can, it is definitely something different. It is just so amazing to experience and be around different cultures because we do get completely different audiences from all around the world. It’s amazing how just one place can bring everyone together – it’s really magical to me.

In House of Hearts, there is a song, “Imagine” by John Lennon, which is performed by Richard and Jasmine. There is a beautiful lyric in the song: “imagine all the people living life in peace.” I feel like Can Can…oh, I’m getting emotional [Sasha tears up]…I feel like Can Can is a place where people can actually feel safe. We can all be at peace with other people. I'm just very happy that I found this place.

Sasha Voyt as Persia and Jasmine Jean Sim as Luna in House of Hearts (2023) | Photo by Nate Watters

THECANCAN.COM: What character of a Can Can show has resonated with you most and why? 

I don't think I have a particular character in mind because I feel like every character in one show or another resonates with me in some way, some more than others. I wouldn't say I can see myself doing every character as a performer, but I feel like Chris builds these characters as if it’s just one person with all these different feelings and moods, so I can see even the tiniest parts of every character in myself. Human beings are so complicated, and no one is just one thing, like just a narcissist or just a humble and nice person – you have all different spectrums and shades of being human in yourself. 

THECANCAN.COM: And, finally, what show of the upcoming 2023 season are you most looking forward to? 

I’m excited for every show, especially the ones I get to perform in. I love playing my character Persia in our current show, House of Hearts. I love this character, and I'm very thankful to the creative team for taking a chance on me. This character is a woman, but she’s also a cat! So, I have to find this balance between being an animal, like gracious and sneaky, and at the same time be a human. It's a challenging part for me because I'm a dancer. I was trained as a dancer, but I was never trained as an actor or a singer. Usually, if I use my voice on stage, it would be in a group. In this show, I have just one line, “Meow,” but it’s spoken in so many different ways throughout the entire show. Some people would say, “Oh, it's easy! Just ‘meow,’ and that's all! You don't have to say anything else!” But, you cannot imagine how hard it is for a dancer who always tells stories through movements and not through words. Overall, it's so exciting, and I’m really enjoying it. I'm excited for all the other shows this year, which I hopefully get a chance to participate in. I mean, I’m planning to stick with this company for as long as I can, so they better take me to different productions! [Sasha laughs]

Catch Sasha as Persia in Can Can’s original production, House of Hearts, now until March 26, 2023. Tickets, details, and more at thecancan.com.