I started dancing at the age of 3 at the Jaztabal Dance Studio. At the age of 7, I was looking to grow my dance skills further and joined The Ballet Studio. I started off doing one class a week, Thursday hip-hop with Miss Cara. I can remember really clearly that the dance was a mash-up of Justin Bieber songs. In 2012, I decided to join the competition team. The production theme was Willie Wonka. My costume was bright orange with colorful feathers everywhere. I had so much fun going to the actual competitions and putting on makeup. Dance, every since I was little, has always been a place I go to get away and just have fun. The Ballet Studio gave that to me for 10 years. I will never forget all the amazing dances, people, and memories that have come with dancing here. My first solo is the one I will never forget. It was choreographed by Miss Corrine, she was one of the first dance teachers that challenged me to come out of my shell and push myself to become a better dancer. At this studio, I am honored to be taught by so many amazing teachers and I have made so many friends that I will never forget. I will miss all of them dearly and all the laughs we have shared. I'm very excited for my senior year and for what’s to come in my future.

Ever since I was six years old, dance has been a part of my life. I joined The Ballet Studio when I was 13 years old. The staff and students welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at ease. My experiences in dance, especially after becoming a part of TBS, have taught me a lot about myself, and life in general. They have taught me dedication and perseverance, as well as accepting who I am as a dancer. I have overcome fears and understood the true meaning of hard work. It is what pushes me in my everyday life and influences the choices I make now. Dancing allows me to express my many emotions and let go of my worries. It has the ability to turn a bad day into a good one. I have always had a passion for the arts, whether it be for dance or music. I am truly grateful for all of my teachers who have helped me grow along the way. I hope to continue to pursue dance in college and take with me the valuable lessons I have learned.

I started dancing at the age of two at The Ballet Studio and from there I just fell in love with dance, ballet specifically. My first recital dance was the father-daughter dance in 2006, and then the following year I was in Barbie Girl where we got to dance with our Barbie dolls on stage. I danced at The Ballet Studio until the age of 7 and I decided to start dancing at Stewart Johnson Dance Academy until I was about 13. My cousin was dancing at The Ballet Studio at the time so I decided to go back because of the wonderful experience I had there in the past years. Ms. Lisa was always supportive of me throughout the years and I don't know what I would do without her and my other dance teachers. I have made so many amazing friends at The Ballet Studio and I wouldn't want to dance anywhere else because they treat me like family. I am passionate about art and music so dance was the perfect way for me to express my love for the arts and how they can be expressed through movement. I am so excited to dance my senior year and compare my first year - barely being able to fit into ballet shoes - to lacing the ribbons for my pointe shoes. Dance is my everything and I would not want to dance my senior dance anywhere other than The Ballet Studio.