Alysa Gutierrez-Sierra, known as @alysathestar on Instagram, is a dancer and actress from Los Angeles. Alysa has danced for Megan Trainor, Dj Khaled, Pharrell, N.E.R.D. , Justin Bieber and Gwen Stefani. She has even been reposted by artists like Cardi B, Chris Brown, daddy yankee and Enrique Iglesias for her dancing on social media. Fans of Brat Tv will recognize Alysa as Star from the show Mani. She even appeared as Star on Chicken Girls, also on Brat Tv. YEM spoke with Alysa about her budding career and how she balances dancing and acting.
Young Entertainment Mag: What made you decide to become a dancer?
Alysa Gutierrez-Sierra: I started dancing at 2 years old. My mom put me in dance so I could be more social. My baby sister was just born and she wanted me to have time to do something just for me. I really liked it and had a great time. When I was 7 years old I Auditioned to dance for Justin Bieber for the children purpose tour and I got it. That was the day I told my mom that I wanted to be a dancer. Well actually I told her I wanted to be a artist.
YEM: What dance styles do you enjoy performing the most? Also, what makes you passionate about dance?
Alysa: The dance styles I enjoy the most are hip hop and Jazz Funk. What makes me passionate about dance is that dance let’s me express myself.
YEM: Dancing takes a lot of dedication and practice to learn. What keeps you motivated to keep up the hard work?
Alysa: What keeps me motivated to continue to dance is my followers and supporters. I love when I get comments and messages that say how my dancing made them smile or made their day, or how I motivated them. They push my to work harder.
YEM: You’ve danced alongside big names like Meghan Trainor, Gwen Stefani, and DJ Khaled. What is it like doing those high-profile performances?
Alysa: Dancing for Meghan Trainor, Gwen Stefani, DJKaled etc are my best memories. I get so excited right before a performance. They are all so sweet and nice and I learn from them. I learn to be kind, to be professional and to be determined. I use these tips in my career, because I see how they took the time to be nice to us kid dancers, how they were very professional with everyone they met and how they were determined to have a great performance.
YEM: What is your favorite dance performance you’ve been a part of so far?
Alysa: I loved all my performances but I think dancing did Justin Bieber at 7 years old was probably the best one because Justin helped me realize that I want to be artist when I grow up. I was not scared I was so excited to get on the stage. It was also my first big performance.
YEM: Is there any celebrity you’d love to have the chance to dance with? Why?
Alysa:I would love to get a chance to dance for Jennifer Lopez because she’s my idol. She started as a dancer like me and she’s a actress, and singer as well. I want to achieve all those goals as well like her. She is Latina and Puerto Rican like me.
YEM: In 2020, you took on an acting role in the web-series Mani and guest starred in Chicken Girls. What made you want to take the leap to acting? Also how does performing as an actor compare to performing as a dancer?
Alysa: Working as an actress was amazing. I absolutely love it. I would like to do more acting jobs. Performing as an actress compared to performing as a dancer….. so I’ve been dancing for years, but acting is new so I was so excited to do it. But it was not as easy as dancing feels so natural but I’ve been doing it for years. I hope one day acting feels as natural at dance does for me.
YEM: Your character Star in Mani is also a dancer and part of a dance team. What kind of energy does Star bring to the group?
Alysa: Star is a good team player and loyal and true to her friends. She’s sassy and confident and isn’t scared of a a little competition. She’s has a lot of energy and is fierce.
YEM: You’ve delved into dance and acting. So, is there any other area of performing you’d like to try?
Alysa: I would love to sing. I sing at home in my room all day but I would love to be an artist and write music and hear my songs on the radio.
YEM: Finally, why do you think it’s important for young people to have the chance to be involved in dance and performing arts?
Alysa: Working in the industry has got me a lot of amazing opportunities and memories that I will treasure forever. It helped me make new friends and learn many things. I enjoy my journey and I love that I get to inspire and motivate others to do the same. I think everyone should try to be involved in performing arts because it allows you to experience things you probably wouldn’t be able to if you were at home. There are many arts opportunities like drawing or sewing. My sister does those things and we both get to enjoy each other’s experiences together.
