At Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, a former Celine Dion backup dancer steps into 'White Christmas'

In truth, Andrea Mislan could lead with her glamorous history, sashaying through town and onstage pointing to the five years she spent as a backup dancer for Céline Dion in Las Vegas. Instead, the grounded performer humbly studies to improve her battery of skills.

"Andrea's a team player with zero attitude and is willing to try anything we throw at her," said Tamara Kangas Erickson, resident choreographer at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.

Perhaps because of her approach — one of constant learning and growth — Mislan will soon become a theater household name in Minnesota. She has been cast as one of the four principals in Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' holiday show based on the 1954 movie that's opening this week.

Mislan stars opposite Tony Vierling, the stage star who has waited seven years for his chance to dance with her. When he first saw Mislan perform in Collide Theatrical's "Le Petit Moulin," a jazz dance musical that ran at the Ritz Theater in spring 2017, he wanted to jump onstage and join her.

"Andrea has such amazing ballet technique — so clean and strong with beautiful extensions — that I was holding my breath, smiling and getting excited watching her," Vierling said, recalling the April 2017 show where he saw her.

That show for a small company was one of her first bookings after moving to Minnesota with her then-husband, who was pursuing a doctorate at the University of Minnesota.

Vierling encouraged Mislan to audition at Chan. She did, booking an ensemble role in "Holiday Inn." She has been in virtually every production since, including playing playing Frankie Valli's alcohol-affected wife in "Jersey Boys."

In "Christmas," Mislan plays Judy, the adventurous younger sister who's half of a sibling song-and-dance team, and Vierling plays Phil, the lady-killer who also is part of a performance duo. The pair's numbers include "I Love a Piano" and "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing."

"It's so wonderful getting to do this show with all these wonderful friends I've made since I moved here eight years ago," Mislan said. "I feel supported and ready for this role."

Interviews with those who have worked with Mislan describe a generous, caring person who is best known for dance but also is a formidable singer and actor — talents that she will get to display in her new lead role. But Mislan would rather talk about Dion rather than herself, even if her appreciation for her fellow Canadian sounds like the things people say about her.

"Céline Dion is so fun, down to earth and generous," Mislan said. "She was forever giving us gifts and throwing us parties. And if anything significant was happening in our lives, and people had family members pass and babies born over those years, she knew about it and was there for us."

A lifelong mover

You can say Mislan was born for the barre. Raised in Winnipeg in a family with Czech and Slovak ancestry — "they shortened the name from something much longer and more complicated," she said — she started taking dance lessons at age 3.

"I grew up watching "Fame" on TV and just being taken away with MGM movie musicals," Mislan said. "And it's all I've ever wanted to do."

At 13, she got into the Winnipeg Ballet training program and after completing its seven levels, she joined the prestigious company. But she was restless and adventurous. With the support of her parents, she spent three summers in Europe, backpacking and auditioning for companies. Mislan performed in Edinburgh, Scotland, Paris and Copenhagen, where she was enrolled in a multiyear summer program at the Royal Danish Ballet.

It was during this period, which lasted into her early 20s, that she wondered if she was making the right choices. Mislan abruptly decided to step back from the only thing she had ever dreamed of doing.

"After I came home from Europe on one of my trips, I just stopped dancing for a year to re-evaluate things," Mislan recalled.

She considered becoming an architect or a chiropractor. But then, like a hook, the stage called her back. "I had this pull that I could not resist, and I needed to be on to the next chapter," she said.

A month and change after the Twin Towers fell, Mislan, then 22, flew to New York to see if she wanted to pursue the Broadway life. She saw that a friend of hers was in "42nd Street," and was encouraged. Then she had an audition that changed her life at the famous 890 Broadway building. She joined a line of 300 dreamers.

"I didn't even know I would be trying out for anything in New York, I was just happy to be in the room, in the studio looking out at the Chrysler Building, my favorite building in New York," she said. "They had us literally doing every style of dance that you could think of and acting and singing."

Among the chosen

At the end of the day, she was one of five chosen by Dion's people. Mislan would fly to Belgium to rehearse for six months.

"What was also amazing was that the dancers were from everywhere and spoke so many languages," said Mislan, who also is fluent in French. "We had this Olympic gymnast come in and train us and we learned percussion from master percussionists. Working with all of these different people with all these different backgrounds really sparked my desire to be versatile."

The day after Dion's show closed in December 2007, Mislan joined the international tour of "Chicago," which traveled across America but also to Canada and Thailand. She would later head to Las Vegas to be in Cirque du Soleil's "Viva Elvis."

Moving to Minnesota, she wondered if she was only going to be a mom to her 10-year-old son. But then she started pursuing roles and was rewarded. Mislan appeared at the Guthrie Theater in "West Side Story," "Guys and Dolls" and "Cyrano de Bergerac." She also played the Enchantress in the Ordway's "Beauty and the Beast" and was in "Smokey Joe's Café" at the St. Paul venue.

Mislan had setbacks, including injuries. And as a working mother and co-parent, she struggles with the balance of work and quality time. But she would not trade this life for anything. In fact, she plans to make America her home. In March, she took her citizenship oath.

After Vierling suggested she audition at Chan, Mislan impressed Kangas Erickson.

"Andrea's a phenom who has this fire on top of this solid technical foundation, plus a lot of theatricality and musicality," Kangas Erickson said. "She's the whole package as a musical theater performer."

After first seeing Mislan onstage that fateful evening seven years ago, Vierling wondered what she would be like to work with. He has even more admiration for her now and is especially joyous because "Christmas" marks his 50th show at Chanhassen.

"I've danced with a lot of amazing, beautiful partners in the Twin Cities," Vierling said. "Andrea is a 50-50 partner. I'm not compensating for her, she's not compensating for me. We breathe and interpret music the same way. Every day when I'm dancing with her, it feels like a dream that was meant to be."

'White Christmas'

When: 7:30 p.m. Tue., 1 & 7:30 p.m. Wed., 7:30 p.m. Thu.-Fri., 1 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., 6:30 p.m. Sun. Ends Jan. 25, 2025.

Where: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen.

Tickets: $82-$112, 952-934-1525 or chanhassendt.com.