Mars Rucker Was Paralyzed as a Child; Now They're Dancing in Broadway's Tina

When non-binary dancer Mars Rucker was six years old, they were diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, a disorder caused by inflammation of the spinal cord, which resulted in most of their body being paralyzed. They were told they would never move again and that, "I could die if the disease went to my heart," they recalled. But Rucker proved those doctors wrong; they're now dancing nightly on a Broadway stage in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Rucker was introduced to dance at the early age of three. After the diagnosis, they were determined to keep that love of dance alive. "I had this expectation that I would never move again, so I got into watching dance in film and on TV," they said. "It was something that rekindled my love so when I was able to get back into it, there was a new drive that I'd never had before. I had been in a hospital bed dying for such long time that I wanted to see what kind of dancer I could become. It was such a miracle."

Coming back into the studio may have been an easy decision for Rucker, but learning how to move again took determination. "Stepping into dance after that was incredibly emotional," they said. While making sure to not over-extert themselves so quickly after being paralyzed, Rucker found joy in both cheerleading and drill team before discovering theater. "Singing, acting and dancing was very separate for a long time because I did not know what theater was," they admitted. That was, until they saw Glee on television, "which is cliche but true," they remarked. In high school, they joined drama club. "I was the leading player in Pippin my senior year of high school and that's what combined everything that I loved into one thing."

That love resulted in Rucker attending the University of Oklahoma for one year before heading to the Manhattan School of Musical for musical theater. Now, at the age of 22, Rucker is making their Broadway debut. They do note that even today, Transverse Myelitis continues to be an issue for them. "I still have no feeling in parts of my leg," they said, gesturing to their left thigh. "I have weird limb movements because of how things re-situated in my body."

Not only did they beat the odds medically, they're also breaking down another performance barrier. "I am non-binary and that representation is not high on Broadway," they said. "That's been incredibly exciting, but also terrifying to be that representation for non-binary people. Representation saves lives, especially for black non-binary people because we are not often represented and seen. I'm excited to break stereotypes because people expect us to be only masculine presenting." Though in Tina, they play Turner's sister Alline Bullock, "a completely stereotypical female," they identify as "a butch, femme, masc person." 

Though to Rucker, dance saved their life, they also want it to inspire others. "Art has always been about me working for the people," they said, "and I specifically like to speak for the forgotten voice that has not been heard. It's not about me here, and I'm excited to step into the opportunity."

Watch the video below to hear Rucker talk about Tina and more!

Photo Credits: Photographs by Matthew Murphy | Styling: Jake Sokoloff| Grooming: KeLeen Snowgren | Assistant: Evan Zimmerman
Video Credits: Directed by Kyle Gaskell | Produced by Caitlin Moynihan | Additional camera: Nick Shakra