How long have you been dancing?

“I have been dancing for 13 years. My sister was actually around seven when she won her first national title, and I knew that I wanted to do that, too. She told me to do ballet, so I did it with her and from there I just went on. I loved it.”

What is the most difficult part of dance?

“The most difficult part would be memorizing multiple routines. Also, the commitment that you have to make to dance is one of the hardest things. It is hard to have a social life or hold a job because of the time commitment. Sometimes, there is so much to do that I don’t know if I can keep it up, but going to dance is the best feeling.”

What is your favorite memory from dance?

“When I was six, I was in my first tap class and I got to be Elvis. I have photos of me in a black leather jacket with chains on my tap shoes, it was such a fun time.”

What is your biggest accomplishment?

“My biggest accomplishment is 2015 National Champion. When I won, I was shocked. I have been competing for so long and I have never won, I have never even come close. It was amazing.”

What are your goals for the future?

“I definitely want to dance in the future. I plan on going into nursing, but having a dance minor. Someday, I want to dance on Broadway.”

What has dance taught you?

“For me, dancing is a coping skill. I used to get angry and be in fights, but now that I have learned to channel my energy into dance into music, it calms me down.”