Dream big, work hard
I was two years old when I participated in my first ballet class. I don’t remember the class, but I must have enjoyed it because the next year I was in ballet again. I recall mimicking my ballet instructor when I was three. Tendu, plié, and piqué were the first French words I learned. At the age of four, my mom and I attended The Nutcracker. As I watched the graceful dancers, the words “I’m going to be a ballet dancer” repeated in my mind. My dream was to wear pointe shoes.
The following year I danced in a class at The Houston Ballet. This is when I realized that my dream to become a ballet dancer required more than a dream. I didn’t understand what dedication was at the time, but I did realize that I needed to practice. Although my instructor gently critiqued my moves, I was my hardest critic. I set a goal to practice dance daily. With a mirror and bar in my room, I worked hard to improve my choppy moves. Practice made my dancing look smoother, and my instructor noticed my improvement. I was dedicated to becoming better.
At six, I decided to learn jazz and tap. I was still focused on ballet and a beautiful pair of pointe shoes. Every year I would complete another level of dance, even though it felt as though I was chasing my dream in slow motion. Years of classes, practice, and performances made me become a responsible and independent dancer.
I was ready to be fitted for pointe shoes when I was 10 years old. I had accomplished my four-year-old dream to wear pointe shoes. During my shoe fitting, I remembered the lesson that I had learned years ago. Dance is more than a dream. I wasn’t too nervous because being a dancer has taught me how to achieve a dream; love what you do and work hard when you do it. I am now 12 years old. I am about to begin the Senior Company Dance program with the dream to dance in high school!
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