“I’ve been dancing for 13 years, or ever since I was two years old. Since I started dancing at such a young age, it kind of became a habit. I went through the routine as a kid where I tried several different sports, but dance was the only one that stuck. I personally enjoy the performing aspect of ballet, and I love bringing emotions into what I’m dancing. I live for the performances my company, Ventura County Ballet, puts on, with the costumes, makeup, and the months of hard work and preparation. All of it comes together and it is an art that is respected and admired on stage. There’s no other feeling than having all the lights shine bright on you, not being able to see the audience, but knowing there’s someone there watching you and seeing all of your dedication. Dancing is all memorization, so having to memorize 20+ combinations in under a minute and then having to execute it is challenging. You also have to have a lot of determination, flexibility, precision, and confidence. You have to be willing to work harder when you can’t execute the dance move. You also need to work as a team with the other dancers. You have to match their speed, rhythm, timing, and if you are partnering with a male dancer, you have to trust them to hold you up. I want people to learn more about dance and not assume it’s all tutus and the color pink because in reality, it’s challenging and both a sport and an art.”