LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A staple of Las Vegas since the 1950s, dancers and showgirls are making a comeback after the pandemic hit the entertainment industry hard.
"As performers, we kind of felt like our identities were stripped from us," says Las Vegas performer Melissa Peterson.
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Shows, restaurants, and bars are slowly opening and increasing capacity on the Las Vegas Strip. Dancers, who were out of work in one day’s notice, are excited to get back to doing what they love.
Melissa, who has grown up here in Vegas, knew she always wanted to dance.
"We train our entire lives. This is our career," said Peterson
Even coming back in a limited capacity in October, it hasn't been easy.
Peterson says: "The interaction is a give and take. When the audience was 12 feet away it was very quiet. It almost felt like a rehearsal. We’re trying to give our all but..."
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After this past year, she says anything can happen that can take her away from dancing full-time.
"The meltdown started coming and I was like ‘what am I going to do?’. This is my one thing. So soon, I am going back to aesthetician school. You get that feeling of what if this ever happens again. I can still do my shows and have another passion as well," said Peterson
