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It's a Girl!
This was the day I was born in Tucson, AZ. My parents, Jeff and Patti, were happy to have a girl because they already had two boys. My older brothers names are Trevor and Ryan (they are technically my half brothers, but I've always thought of them as my full brothers). It's interesting because I am the only one out of the five people in my family that is blood related to everyone. -
First Dance Class!
My grandma took me to my very first dance class at a Parks and Recreation Center. I remember the teacher having to put a sticker on my left ballet shoe so I could tell the difference between my right and left foot. I was just 2 years old, but the moment I started dancing to the music I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Once in a while, when I feel like I'm not doing something right I think back to my first dance class and how happy I was and everything gets better. -
Welcome to TDA!
On this day my dance studio, Tucson Dance Academy, officially opened and I was introduced to my teacher Tammy Booth. I have been working with her for 7 years now and she has been my biggest inspiration and role model. I wouldn't be the dancer or person I am today without TDA or Tammy. I have been provided with so many wonderful opportunities because of this studio and I couldn't be more grateful. -
Joey's Death
My dog, Joey, passed away on this day, but she will always be our angel. She was 12 years old and had been part of our family for 11 years. Joey was the sweetest and prettiest dog and we miss her everyday. We named her Joey after my grandma Josephine, who passed away before I was born. -
NYCDA Nationals!
This was one of the greatest days of my life because I was fortunate to have earned 2nd runner-up at New York CIty Dance Alliance nationals competition in New York City. There were 120 other amazing girls competing and I was unbelievably surprised and excited that I got 3rd place. I was so thrilled and had so much adrenaline that I ended up not going to sleep for 24 hours! This was a pivotal moment for me because it gave me the confidence I needed to believe in myself. -
LINES ballet summer program!
I received a full scholarship to attend the LINES ballet summer program for 5 weeks. This program was meant for ages 17-24 year olds, but I attended when I was just 14 years old. During these 5 weeks, I became a more mature dancer and I grew into a better person, too. The dance instruction was amazing plus I got to see all sorts of amazing things in San Francisco with my mom and dad. -
Goodbye Best Friend!
My best friend came to my house and told me she was going to move to New York. I was devastated and we both started bawling. We had been best friends for 6 years and we were practically sisters. I was extremely sad for a long time, but I eventually calmed down and understood that it was part of life. We still keep in touch and visit each other whenever we can. -
Clear the Roads!
I passed the driving test and finally got my license! I didn't get it exactly on my 16th birthday because I didn't have any free time until winter break. But it's better late than never. I don't have my own car, but I drive myself everywhere using one of my parent's cars. At first, it was scary, but now I think it's super fun. -
Juilliard for the Summer!
I auditioned to go the Juilliard Summer Dance Intensive in January of this year and on this day I received an email saying that I had been 1 out of 44 kids accepted. So in the summer of 2015 I will spend 3 weeks in New York City dancing at the Juilliard School. I also get to stay in the Juilliard dorms which is so excitiing! I will be by myself until my parents come at the end to watch my performance and take me home. -
Puppy love!
We weren't going to buy anymore dogs because we already had 2, but we couldn't resist buying this Wheaten Terrier that we named Jack. We have another Wheaten Terrier who is 2 years older than Jack, and his name is Huey. We came up with the name Huey after my grandpa Hugh that passed away. Our third and oldest dog is named Abby. She is the only girl dog. These 3 dogs mean the world to me! I love them with all my heart.
