“I really want to meet her someday, so I can be like, 'Look, I look a lot like you, maybe we should hang out or do a photo shoot together or something.'”

Desiree Yard, Dancer

You sort of have a Cyndi Lauper thing going on. Oh my goodness, I get that all the time! Random people on the street will come up and tell me this and ask to take my picture. I didnt even realize the resemblance till I moved here. Theyll be like, You look like a young Cyndi Lauper but prettier. I really want to meet her someday, so I can be like, Look, I look a lot like you, maybe we should hang out or do a photo shoot together or something. I once met someone at a party who babysat her daughter. I asked her for an introduction but never saw her again.

When did you move here? In 2010, to be a dancer. Im now part of a contemporary-dance company, and I dog-walk on the side. I take care of a Goldendoodle named Dave who belongs to one of Woody Allens producers. He knew I was in show business and got me an audition for the lead in the Bullets Over Broadway musical.

I assume you did not get the part? No, I didnt get it. But neither did Jessica Biel, so there!

Lightning Round

From: Sonora, California. Neighborhood: Astoria. Roommates: One. She was on So You Think You Can Dance. My brother is also staying with us on our futon right now. Rent: $775. Favorite restaurant: Souen. Favorite New York building: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. First job in the city: Cocktail waitress. Currently reading: A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle. Its about elevating your consciousness. I love it so much I bought it for my sister who teaches yoga in Dubai.

*This article appears in the September 22, 2014 issue of New York Magazine.

Read more:
Look Book: The Dancer With a Cyndi Lauper Vibe