Growing up, Olivia Cece had big aspirations for her career, but Broadway wasn’t one of them. For one thing, she didn’t sing or play. In fact, she knew nothing about the world of musical theater. But when her chance to win season 11 of “So You Think You Can Dance” slipped through her fingers, her dance teacher, Bette-Ann Rossi, took advantage of this defeat to light a new fire. “I know this is your dream, but I really think you’ll be on Broadway one day,” said Rossi, whom the dancers affectionately called “Miss Bette.” Turns out she was prophetic. Cece went on to have a thriving career on Broadway. Actually you can catch it Heart of rock and roll on Broadway right now!
Born and raised in Rhode Island, Cece spent the majority of her training at the Atwood Performing Arts Center. There she meets Rossi, a woman who will become the most important teacher of her life. After spotting Cece at a middle school talent show, Rossi invited the 7-year-old to dance at his studio. “It was a great school with amazing training,” Cece says. “Miss Bette (was a ballroom dancer known for her old school jazz lessons. She was phenomenal.”
During her senior year of high school, Rossi told Cece she had cancer. “She told me to meet her at the studio early so it would just be us. Then she showed me her hair that was falling out and said, “Miss Bette has a little cancer.” “It was the fourth stage and four months later Rossi died. “She told me that I was one of her proudest accomplishments — it was one of the last things I remember her saying to me,” Cece says. Before he passed away, Rossi gave Cece a necklace with a little bird on it. “She said I was her free spirit.” She told me to go and fly and do all the things she and I had planned. I got this bird tattooed on my hand.
And she flew. Cece earned her BFA in Pace University’s commercial dance program. There, she expanded her training in singing and acting and established relationships with major choreographers in Los Angeles and New York. Thanks to her senior showcase, she signed with Clear Talent and began working right after graduation. His first job was American dance showwith Al Blackstone, followed by a dance on “Saturday Night Live” with Miley Cyrus (choreographed by Nick Kenkel). “These jobs felt like gifts to me as I crossed the bridge from student to professional dancer,” Cece says. From there, his career took off. Her film and television credits include Disney’s “Better Nate Than Never” and Nickelodeon’s “Blue’s Big City Adventure,” and her theater credits include Kaylee in the first national tour of The ball, Andy Blankenbuehler’s 5-week workshop Only goldthe first national tour of Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryAnd Moulin Rouge! The musical on Broadway. “I was asked to come and do (Moulin Rouge) for three weeks in December 2022, and I just never really left. That is, until February 2024, when Cece booked her current position in the original cast of Broadway’s Heart of rock and roll.
By reservation Heart of rock and roll: “My entire audition took place in one day. They had us do a full combo of 80s jazz techniques with step as well as improvisation before doing a piece. Then they asked me to stay for a partnership before doing another edit, and I was asked to stay and sing. I sang some Stevie Nicks for them and came away feeling really good about it all. I even wore clothing my own 80s inspired dancewear line with Ilogear: a high-cut leotard with a bandeau-style sports bra and flared pants on top.
“I didn’t hear anything for four weeks before I got an email from my agent saying I was still in the mix. My mother said she would pray for me, and if it was meant to be, it would be. The following weekend I had THE call from my agent. The office was about to close, but she didn’t want me to have to wait. “You are going to be part of the original cast of Heart of rock and rollshe said. I was absolutely delighted.
On Rossi’s impact: “Miss Bette will always hold the greatest place in my heart and in my life for many reasons. I spent more time in the studio than at home. My family went through different challenges at one point and the studio was my rock. Miss Bette was a strong, solid figure in my life, and the studio was where I felt most seen and most comfortable. Not only did she train me and give me everything I needed as a dancer, but she was also a role model for me as a woman. We had a beautiful friendship. If I could have one person watching over me right now, it would absolutely be her. I remember, while doing Moulin RougeI looked out at the audience and sang “Come What May,” and I got emotional imagining her there, seeing what she envisioned come to life.
On his dreams for the future: I would like to continue participating in new shows and theatrical processes. I love the creative collaboration I found on this show and hope to do more of it. I would also like to create some sort of main piece that really highlights the dancers. Beyond performance, I would like to use my leadership and business experience to lead or manage a program. I have my degree and I would like to go back and get my master’s degree. I could see myself running a school like Pace or something like that one day. It would be so cool to give back and share the things I wish I had more of when I was in school.
