Young, Wild & FFB with Alex Pinder
Growing up on stage has been a topic of conversation between me and a few friends who's paths took them to Broadway or the West End before I had even graduated High School (like Cassie Silva and Paloma Garcia Lee). Purely from understanding my own rocky path of growing up without a spotlight, I'm always impressed when these performers are beyond their years with wisdom, balance, and just the right amount of edge. Alex and I met briefly before I saw him in Aladdin on the West End and I literally had trouble watching anyone else when he was on stage. His vibrancy and sharpness is electric on and off stage, not to mention he's on my London list of favs-- sweetest, most positive, give-ya-all-the-good-vibes! :) (also, could he be more good looking!? such James Dean feels in this photoshoot!)
I asked Alex to share with you guys how he's finding his balance as a West End performer who's young, wild, and FFB!
NOTE FROM ALEX: Hi, I'm Alex Pinder... I'm currently performing in the west end production of Aladdin as Ensemble/acrobat. I grew up in the north west of England (Cheshire) and have lived in London for almost 4 years now and feel pretty settled.
9 Ways to Find Balance as a young performer on The West End
BEING ACTIVE EVERYDAY. I try to go to the gym as much as I can now that I'm settled in the west end, (on average) I'll go at least 3/4 times a week. Some of the days I'll take it a lot slower and won't go as hard as I need to keep in mind that I'll tire myself out during the show if I take it too far in the gym.
KEEPING THE BALANCE BETWEEN HOME AND WORK. I find it super important not to let the show you're in take over your entire life, the show doesn't define you, you define you. So I will always make sure to come home after the show and completely wind down (a glass of wine or bottle of beer SOMETIMES makes its way into my hand). It keeps me relaxed and takes my mind off the (positive) chaos that is the stage.
I EAT EVERYTHING. I literally do, but I also stay pretty conscious of staying healthy, I don't stick to any particular diets but I'm always aware of when it's time to put down the heavy stuff such as burgers and pizza. Also knowing WHEN to eat is also important so I don't feel to weighed down and can make sure my energy levels are on point for the show.
DAILY ROUTINES KEEP YOU SANE. Being a performer in itself is a completely inconsistent way of living, which is why once you've landed your job on the stage you must keep a good daily/ weekly routine eg. Going to the gym regularly, making time to commute to/from work, eating regularly and sticking to a good sleeping pattern (as hard as that may seem)
INVOLVE YOURSELF WITH NEW THINGS. A good daily/weekly routine as always important but knowing when to change things up a little can keep your body healthy and your mind fresh eg. Taking different dance/music classes when you're out of the theatre, traveling as much as you can when you get time off.
NEVER FORGET WHERE/ WHO YOU ARE. As I'm only 22, I've realised that you should never get too comfortable in what you do because you can sometimes find yourself not putting in as much effort as you should, so I remember that I'm always being watched, whether it be a couple in the audience, a casting director in an audition or a school of young performers aspiring to be exactly where I am right now. When you're young it's easy to be lead by bad example, no matter what industry, but stay true to yourself and 'NEVER MARK' as you never always know who you're inspiring.
EVERYDAY IS A SCHOOL DAY NO MATTER WHAT AGE. Regardless of your age, you're always learning new ways in which to improve your life as a performer... I try to keep things fresh by cooking different meals (as much as I can), trying different workouts at the gym and meeting new people as much as I can to make new friends and even do a bit of networking.
ALWAYS THINK AHEAD. I'm in Aladdin for a full year and have no idea if I'll be staying on a second year as we've only just opened, but staying healthy isn't just a physical thing as a performer. I deal with mild symptoms of anxiety on a weekly basis and I find it helps to make sure I'm always thinking ahead and knowing that nothing lasts forever eg. Saving money for when I'm jobless.
POSITIVITY IS KEY. The MOST important thing to stay healthy as a young performer is to stay positive. My mind and body are the only ones I have so I'm doing my best at keeping them healthy. I'm not saving lives, I'm doing what I love and getting paid for it. That sounds pretty great to me.
connect with alex
Twitter: @alexpinder100 | Instagram @alexpinder100 | Facebook: Alex Pinder
