With recital and finals right around the corner, my schedule could never be busier. I am a junior at Staples High School and have been dancing at the academy since 6^th grade. I started dancing a little later than most, but it hasn’t stopped dance from becoming my passion.

Over the years, I have grown as a dancer and as a person due to the incredible training and opportunities provided by the teachers at the academy. I have had unbelievable experiences through performances at recital, and especially the Nutcracker, and was thrilled with the Winter Showcase that took place in March. It is the academy where my best friends, if not sisters, are and a place that I am proud to call my second home. I love everything about dance, from the hours of training in the studio to the minutes on stage where my jaw hurts from smiling too hard.

Aside from dance, I love having fun and being with my friends, family, and boyfriend. My friends, especially from the academy, are a huge part of my life and the relationships we have created will last forever.  As college approaches, my schedule will continue to fill and my life will be loaded with stress. It is definitely a challenge to balance my schedule with schoolwork and countless hours at dance, but everything is worth it because dance makes everything more enjoyable.

I will definitely continue to dance in the future and I hope to minor in dance in college, or at least dance on the side.  After college, I would love to study education and one day become a teacher. Who knows, maybe even a dance teacher!