A serene studio portrait of a person with short, voluminous dark hair and golden-brown eyes looking directly at the camera. They are wearing a mauve sleeveless top and a small gold nose ring, with their chin resting on their hand, all set against a warm, out-of-focus brown background.Jai Shanae Credit: Courtesy

A simple but profound Sondheim lyric comes to mind when thinking about the seven actors and dancers interviewed for this issue: “No one is alone. Truly. No one is alone.”

Every one of these artists pointed to the help they got along the way.

Blake High School in Tampa, Gibbs H.S./Pinellas County Center for the Arts in St. Pete, Harrison School for the Arts in Lakeland—these institutions have nurtured many of the talents you’ll read about. So have dance studios like the Academy of Ballet Arts and theater companies like the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

Then there’s the good counsel these performers have received from their teachers and mentors, and from their parents, most not artists themselves but still dedicated to supporting their children’s dreams.

The talent and drive of these seven have played the biggest role in their success. But I was also struck by the fact that so many are driven by their desire to help others.

They know that, in the arts—in classrooms and rehearsal halls, on stage and off—no one can or should be alone.

Truly.

A tight, vibrant headshot of a person with a joyful expression and a wide smile, framed against a warm brown background. They have short, voluminous dark hair with light brown highlights and are wearing a light blue button-down shirt, a small gold hoop earring, and a subtle gold nose ring.Jai Shanae Credit: Courtesy

From local stages to TV ads to Tammi Terrell, Tampa Bay actor Jai Shanae can do it all

A studio portrait of a person with long, curly brown hair and a bright smile. They are wearing an olive green sleeveless top and a delicate gold necklace, posed against a solid dark grey background.Alaina Rahaim Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Alaina Rahaim’s nickname in school was ‘Sparkles’–and that’s exactly what she does

An individual in a red leotard performs a graceful leap in mid-air along a waterfront promenade at dusk. Their reflection is visible in the calm water, with a city skyline, palm trees, and sailboats in a marina under a soft, cloudy sky in the background.Mackenzie Mclean Credit: Courtesy

Mackenzie Mclean is a dancer, a teacher—and executive director of the Pinellas Dance Collective

A studio portrait of a person with long, flowing strawberry-blonde hair and a friendly smile. They are wearing a sleeveless white top and large gold hoop earrings, posed against a solid dark grey background.Aiofa Maki at Dave Decker Photography in Ybor City, Florida on Jan. 12, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Pinellas actor Aiofa Maki been hailed as ‘pure magic’ onstage

A studio portrait of a person with short dark hair and a mustache, looking directly at the camera with a slight smile. They are wearing a grey blazer over a black and grey plaid button-down shirt, accented with a long wooden bead necklace featuring a circular gold pendant, all set against a solid grey background.Lance Markeith Felton at Dave Decker Photography in Ybor City, Florida on Jan. 12, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Tampa actor Lance Markeith Felton is incapable of making a false move—on stage, at the mic, or in the classroom

A studio portrait of a person with short, curly dark hair and a beard, looking toward the camera with a wide smile. They are wearing a dark olive-green button-down shirt with a subtle grid pattern, posed against a solid grey background.Max Carley at Dave Decker Photography in Ybor City, Florida on Jan. 12, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Tampa actor Max Carley turned his life around and rediscovered theater

A shirtless individual with short, wavy brown hair and a mustache performs a contemporary dance pose against a neutral grey-to-white gradient background. They are wearing black high-waisted trousers, with their torso turned and arms extended in a fluid, expressive movement while looking off to the side.Justin Brock Credit: Courtesy

Polk County’s Justin Brock is a powerful mover who’s developing a choreographic style all his own

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This article appears in Jan. 29 – Feb. 04.

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