TT-born dancer takes stage for ABC's Little Mermaid Live

TT-born aerial dancer Darielle Williams, who appeared earlier this year in Missy Elliott's 2019 VMA performance, was again part of the act for another highly-anticipated and widely viewed live broadcast event.

ABC's Little Mermaid Live, which was screened on November 5, according to variety.com, gathered a little under nine million viewers, considered a solid number for a live TV musical.

The live version of the animated film (which premiered in 1989) starred well-known performers, who included singer and actor Queen Latifah, actor John Stamos, Jamaican-born Shaggy, Amber Riley, formerly of the hit TV series Glee, and Auliʻi Cravalho as Ariel.

Williams told Newsday she felt nostalgic.

"To be honest, I had to go back and look at parts of it again, because it had been so long since I'd seen the movie. I do remember liking how much my name rhymed with Ariel, and I was enchanted by evil Ursula."

At the time, Williams had no way of knowing she would be part of a live remake of the animated film on its 30th anniversary.

"It's surreal, looking back on it now – it felt incredible soaking it all in while it lasted. It was only a one-time event, after all."

Asked how she got the opportunity to be part of the production, Williams said she was lucky enough to have been direct-booked for it. This means the client – the production team for the show – approached her directly.

"My agent simply asked me if I wanted to do it when they had already picked me, I assume, based on resume and look."

Choreographers Nick Florez, RJ Durell, assistant Jamie Goodwin and aerial choreographer/co-ordinator Loriel Hennington all came from the team which worked with Grammy award-winner Pink.

"Nick Florez and RJ Durell have also worked for Katy Perry, Madonna (and) Cirque du Soleil, among many others.

"I felt honoured to have been chosen. They also really wanted a diverse cast in terms of race, age and sizes. So everyone was represented."

Training for the show took a little over six weeks. The aerialists – who do acrobatics high above the ground, on a tightrope or trapezes – trained for a week in Las Vegas with the rigging company Fly by Foy.

"In Los Angeles we started with a voice rehearsal, followed by land drills during the dance rehearsals for a few weeks."

Land drills, Williams explained, involve practising aerial choreography on the ground, but following the routine as it would be done using aerial equipment.

"There, we tried to home in on matching voice and movement together. By the end of week five we were back in the air rehearsing at Disney Studios in Burbank, California where the event was being filmed."

Apart from herself, the cast had other performers with Caribbean roots, including Shaggy, who played Sebastian the crab.

"One of the dancers, Nateli Ruiz, is from St Croix. She is an amazing dancer and a beautiful person inside and out.

"I believe one of the children had Caribbean roots as well."

Asked her favouritething about being part of the production, Williams said, "Of course, being in the air.

"My mermaid costume for Daughters of Triton was to die for, and nothing was more fun than bouncing up and down as a jellyfish in Under the Sea with 'Mr Boombastic' (the name of one of Shaggy's hits) playing Sebastian.

"Queen Latifah also really delivered in her role as Ursula – so it's hard to decide."

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Darielle Williams soars on a world stage