Lights, Camera, Action, Aydin!
Aydin Eyikan has vivid memories when he was eight years old of sitting on the floor in his family room watching “So You Think You Can Dance” and enjoying every moment. Last month 18-year old Eyikan made his Broadway debut in The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with this exceptional young person.
Aydin Eyikan. Photo Cred: Curtis Brown
Aydan Eyikan. Photo Cred: Avery Brunkus
SBR: What was your inspiration?
AE: Watching “So You Think You Can Dance” led my parents to signing me up for a class at the Fairfield Public Library along with by brother. I wanted to sign up again after the session was done. My mom’s friend took her boys to Flash Pointe and that’s how we found the Flash Pointe Dance studio where I trained for many years.
SBR: What is the biggest obstacle you overcame
AE: When COVID happened that was the hardest time I experienced. I had spent hours in the studio and now I couldn’t do that. Dance is such an outlet for me. I needed to feel that magical feeling.
I had booked The Music Man before the pandemic. I was supposed to start in March of 2020. I was sitting every day at home wondering. My contract was for a minor as a 16-year old. No one had signed the official contract. We didn’t know if there was still a show. I was wondering, am I going to college or am I doing the show? For two years I didn’t know. Then I was accepted into Juilliard. If there was no show then I could go to Juilliard. Then, I found out from my agent that I was still in the show. I had to tell Juilliard what I was going to do during such a time of time of uncertainty. My parents had to be on the receiving end of all of this. Now everyone in the cast’s gratitude is so heightened; everyone appreciates the work they do.
SBR: Tell us about working on Broadway, what are your favorite aspects?
AE: The biggest thing that I love is that I can perform and be part of an amazing story. My director said to remember that everytime people see it for the first time so we have to perform it like we are doing it for the first time. We can’t become complacent, so we have to give them an exciting show.
Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster are truly the most humble, gracious, hard-working people I’ve ever met. They are so down-to-earth and kind. It’s inspiring to me; they are so successful and show compassion and love to everyone in the cast. Every experience with them is so amazing. Jackman is in the wings working on the choreography and songs and doesn’t stop working.
SBR: How do you stay positive?
AE: No progress that you make is ever too small. The smallest thing that is working towards your goal is valid. It doesn’t have to be an enormous event. Take a time to rest and recover and give yourself time. And give you time to recover. On my day off on Monday sometimes I feel like I wasted a day and then remember that I need to rest. That will help me progress.
In my case, Broadway is repetitive, I remember that something may feel repetitive, but it is always impacting someone. Everything you do has an impact on someone. If you go about your day being down you affect the people around you. To stay positive what you put out will circle back. Any situation.
SBR: Anything else you’d like to share?
AE: A huge thank you to the Fairfield community for being so supportive. Such a great community! After coming back to FLHS after World of Dance, the teachers were so supportive. I am so thankful to the FLHS teachers and administration for the amount of generosity they showed. Fairfield is a great place to grow up. The best of the best.
On a personal note…
My daughter was on the Flash Pointe competition team with Aydin. A few years later, after he was touring with NYCDA after winning the elite title of National Teen Male Outstanding dancer, Aydin attended a competition that his sister Ayla was in. Before the competition started, I observed Aydin lead the younger girls on stage and impart a few words of wisdom; he showed the girls where the stage was slippery, how to make your shoes less slippery, where to look in the crowd, etc. I was so impressed by this young man; not only was he on his way to something big but he also had so much compassion for his younger sister and her dance team. These young girls received the gift of learning the best from the best!
