Between bouts of pageant girl drama and misconceptions about who said what, this season of The Bachelor hasn't been the best for getting to know contestants like they're our neighbors in a college dorm. While the show has focused heavily on a handful of the same women, there are still a few floaters Bachelor Nation might as well call strangers. We don't know yet if she's definitely headed to the group's next foreign location, but who is Sydney on The Bachelor? The former NBA dancer has a couple of qualities that could have been interesting storylines had Miss USA scandals and misheard rumors not gotten in the way.
Initially introduced as one of Colton Underwood's first contestants during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, 27-year-old Sydney finished second in the host's "Know or Go" game. Seeing as winner Annie was cut during Week 2 of The Bachelor, the game wasn't very telling about valid connections with Colton. We're still waiting on Sydney to prove that she has chemistry with the former NFL player, but the New York resident has definitely made the most of her screen time so far. In case she proves to be a sleeper hit later this season, we have the basics about Sydney below.
Colton might not understand sexual innuendos, but Sydney has her own gap in experience. Audiences have yet to see her confess this dating tidbit onscreen, but it's something she's been honest about from the start. Her ABC cast bio reads:
Sydney has danced since she was three years old and is currently a professional dancer for an NBA team. She's had great success in her career, but hasn't been as lucky in love. She's never had a boyfriend!
23-year-old contestant Heather was previously in the spotlight for never having kissed anyone (Colton eventually took care of that), but Sydney's backstory could have led to relatable convos about commitment in the modern dating world. Is it too late for her past to come up on the show?
As part of the Knick City Dancers, Sydney performed alongside her fellow dancing queens with a focus on what the organization calls "elevated production value, versatility, and unparalleled talent." Her time with the Knicks is absent from her LinkedIn page, but Sydney has told Colton on The Bachelor that she quit her job to join the cast. The NBA season typically starts in October, and as The Bachelor starts filming in late September, there's no way Sydney could've taken both opportunities. However, based on LinkedIn, she's not totally unemployed — she's also worked as a barre fitness instructor in New York since 2014. Did she lead workout sessions at Bachelor Mansion in between group dates?
In Entertainment Weekly's behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the season's first night, Sydney is described as stumbling when she has to incorporate a producer's question into her answer during an "In the Moment" interview. Her vague answers forced the producer to nudge her toward using the proper phrasing, but giving camera-friendly interviews wasn't the only adjustment for Sydney.
The article also includes her struggles with the contestants' confinement to hotel rooms before the group is driven to the mansion. To avoid being seen, she apparently had to pay $8 for room service's delivery of coffee. Girl, we've all been there — a need for caffeine usually trumps a dollar amount.
The age of Instagram fame means that it's now common to come across a photo of a girl from high school wearing a bridal gown and genuinely wonder if she's actually married. Of course, Bachelor Nation knows that Sydney isn't, but just in case a wedding with Colton or a Bachelor in Paradise love is in her future, fans can tell by her Instagram pics that she rocks a wedding dress.
In addition to bridal snapshots and Bachelor pics, Sydney's Instagram is packed with photos of her exploring New York. There aren't as many Bachelor alums in the city as you'd think, so getting to live vicariously through her Manhattan and Brooklyn wanders is definitely a treat for franchise fans. Will she host some other Bachelor ladies there in the future?
Fingers crossed that Sydney gets to show off more of her moves in upcoming episodes. Season 23 of The Bachelor continues on Monday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
