Student Spotlight: Mackenzie Allis

“We as humans and artists are always evolving, and I am so thankful that the performing arts have given me the space to explore that growth without criticism.”

Mackenzie (“everyone calls me Kenzie”) Allis is a vibrant 17-year-old, full of heart and an insatiable appetite for the performing arts.

She moved to Orlando in 2021 and immediately auditioned for the Four Counts, an ensemble of pre-professional performers, at the AdventHealth School of the Arts. It’s here that she found a second new home. Four Counts allowed her to hone her craft while making new friends and adjusting to a new city.

“I am most grateful for the true friendships that I have been able to form based on our mutual love of creating art and sharing in our humanity.” Kenzie shared, “Moving down the East Coast at the age of sixteen threw me for a loop, but the people that I have connected with through the center have continued to lift me up and help me thrive.”

Since her move, Kenzie has taken advantage of the Dr. Phillips Center’s numerous performance opportunities and immersed herself in new aspects of the performing arts.

Her first experience was performing during IMMERSE at the Frontyard Festival™. She describes that it became a core memory “...because it was my first major public performance in Florida! Additionally, it was my first time back on stage in front of a live audience following COVID-19.”

While she was nervous performing in a new city after a short performing hiatus, she was “overwhelmingly excited to be able to get back on stage - this time with an entirely new crop of fellow performers.”

Beyond IMMERSE, Kenzie has participated in the Dr. Phillips Center’s Grand Celebration Reopening, the Applause Awards program, and Songs of the Season, to name a few. She particularly loves taking part in the center’s community programs, like the 2022 MLK Day celebration. She feels these events are the most rewarding and make her feel “part of the family” at the Dr. Phillips Center.

While Four Counts has opened the door to many experiences, Kenzie pays tribute to her family for supporting her passion and talent. “...to everyone who has prioritized my future, I say thank you a million times over. I would not be where I am today without the amazing people in my life and their unconditional love.”

As for her future? Her devotion is infectious as she describes her plans to further her artistic studies, “...I truly feel most passionate about acting. Our job as performers is to tell a story, ergo I deeply value the emphasis on that side of the work.”

We’re rooting for Kenzie as she brings her tenacious dedication to college and beyond!

To learn more about the Dr. Phillips Center and AdventHealth partnership, visit wellnessandarts.com.