Sisters grad is Hollywood stuntwoman

You might say that 1999 Sisters High School graduate Aubrey Denzer spent the last ten years jumping, dancing, climbing and fighting her way into a career as a Hollywood stuntwoman.

This summer, visitors to Universal Studios theme park in Los Angeles can watch her doing all of those things: Aubrey scored the lead female role of "Helen" in "WaterWorld," an explosive live-action show based on the post- apocolyptic motion picture starring Kevin Costner. And fans of the CBS TV series "CSI: New York" may catch a glimpse of Aubrey dodging flying debris, in an episode scheduled to air this fall.

Departing SHS as class valedictorian, says Aubrey, "I wanted to start performing any way possible." After a year studying dance, acting, and foreign languages at Chapman College, she made a "tough decision" to leave school and try to break into the entertainment industry.

Aubrey struck gold in her first audition at Disneyland and went on to dance and act her way through seven shows and parades over the course of six years, also performing stunts for the live show "Fantasmic."

She says that working for Disney was all she hoped it would be: "It was an absolute dream. They embrace you like family." Disney gave Aubrey flexibility to pursue other adventures as well. She performed for six months at a theme park in Japan and spent a grueling half-year on a cruise ship.

That gig stretched her physically and mentally; during a month of rehearsals in Orlando learning four one-hour shows and "pulling muscles and crying," Aubrey seriously questioned her decision. Landing aerial maneuvers on a moving boat is "very, very hard work," she recalls, as is being confined for six months with a roommate in a ten-by-ten room on open seas. In retrospect, she's grateful that she experienced so many foreign cultures - including Turkey, Greece, Spain and Portugal - and developed the courage to raise the bar even higher for herself.

In 2007 Aubrey spent some time with family in Sisters, "regrouping and remembering the things I missed. Sometimes I want to hide in the little Shangri-La that Sisters is.

"I didn't know what I wanted to do. I'd been all over the world," remembers Aubrey.

Her aspiration carried her back to Southern California. "My really big dream was to become a choreographer for Disney," she says.

Determination paid off; after pestering Disney for an interview, Aubrey became the youngest Disneyland choreographer, at the age of 25. "They hired me pretty much on the spot. I about jumped out of my skin!" she says.

"I fell in love with all the kids there. They reminded me of myself when I started, with their youthful enthusiasm." Until recently, Aubrey was busy choreographing hundreds of dancers, of all levels, in live shows and parades based on popular Disney movies such as "High School Musical 2" and "High School Musical 3," as well as "Disney Channel Rock," "Parade of Dreams" and "Celebrate: A Street Party."

But the most rewarding part, says Aubrey, was "encouraging and believing in others ... helping the underdog."

She feels that she can nurture others' self-esteem because Sisters High School teachers, including Bob McCauley, Mike Baynes and Jon Renner, boosted hers. "They catapulted my confidence," she says, "If they believed in me, I felt like a princess ... like I can do anything now."

Disney allowed Aubrey to moonlight for Six Flags, the largest amusement park corporation in the world. From the ground up, Aubrey hired the dancers and choreographed their high-tech "Glow in the Park" parade show, jetting between St. Louis, Dallas and New York. "That was one of the highlights of my life," says Aubrey.

Early this year she moved on from Disney. "I felt I knew my time there was done," she says.

On a whim, and with the encouragement of her parents, Aubrey auditioned for a part in Universal Studios' "Terminator" live action show. She didn't get that job, but was invited to audition the following morning for a rare opening in "WaterWorld," a popular attraction for the past 16 years.

Out of nearly a hundred women, Aubrey was shocked to find herself in the final four after her acting, improv and athletic ability was put to the test. She showed up for a 6 a.m. call-back on the "WaterWorld" set for the final challenge: climbing a 45-foot platform and jumping on cue into 45-degree water, without showing any hesitation. "It was freezing," says Aubrey. "I was a little bit afraid but I wasn't going to show it."

Aubrey jumped, and landed the job. When she gave her parents the news, mother Jenny congratulated her, saying, "Just don't give me the details."

Terry and Jenny of Sisters had their first opportunity to watch their daughter perform at Universal Studios this week. A lot goes on in the 20-minute show: wearing a live, submersible microphone, Aubrey delivers lines, fights off bad guys, climbs up seven different ladders ranging from 15 to 35 feet, jumps off 45-foot towers, slides down ropes (without using her legs), drives a motorboat and a Jet Ski, glides across zip lines and rescues the hero.

Frequently submerged, Aubrey says at a certain point she is so out of breath, "I feel like I'm going to throw up." But she thrives on the physicality of it.

"It's like a free gym membership. It's a full-body workout."

Injuries are common; Aubrey is bruised in every show. Often she performs in "WaterWorld" five times each day in addition to her three daily dance performances as a Diamond Doll.

"I knew she was strong, but I never would imagine her doing stuntwork," says Terry. Terry coached women's gymnastics for Wheaton College in Chicago from 1979 to 1984 and later taught the sport in Sisters. "So I grew up with gymnastics," says Aubrey.

But Aubrey credits her 10 years with the Central Oregon School of Ballet as foundation to her career. Ballet taught her hard work and discipline. Also, she runs throughout the week and does yoga daily.

Aubrey's dad tries to take the danger inherent in her job in stride. "She is so good at mentally focusing and knowing cues - being at the right place at the right time. I feel confident that way."

Jenny says her daughter has always been "very strong-minded and determined." Still, she was surprised as she watched Aubrey perform. "I was quite amazed and proud of her. I was in awe. I can't believe that is my daughter out there doing that.

"I never would have believed that this little ballerina would turn into a little daredevil."

Jenny feels certain that Aubrey's adventurous gene comes from her grandmother, Bea Pray, who passed away earlier this month. Like Aubrey, says Jenny, "She was an outgoing spirit, willing to try anything."

In a gig last week for "CSI: New York," in a flashback scene in which the September 11th destruction of the World Trade Center is recreated, Aubrey was filmed running away from the fake pyroblast. A hunk of debris actually hit her in back of the head as she ran, knocking her down; she just got up and kept running.

Having learned to keep dreaming big, Aubrey hopes to land a regular job as a stunt double for a popular actress. That, she says, would give her work she can count on. Actors tend to engage the same double throughout their careers.

In the meantime she lives from contract to contract. "It's feast or famine, but I've been able to make it. I've learned I don't need a lot to live on." Aubrey takes care of a small apartment and a box turtle.

"I'm very, very lucky. I've had a lot of support, friendships and mentors, influential people, including my parents.

"They always pick me up, I feel I'm very loved by them."

Aubrey, too, is surprised at the daring road she's blazing.

"You think these things are impossible, and now you're doing them everyday."