# data[].attributes.body
Until coming to beloved Hartt, I never had truly stepped foot into other styles of dance. The only times I danced that wasn't ballet was at a summer intensive where we had Horton class or a modern class here and there, a little Limon my first year GKA, and a modern class at Nutmeg Conservatory for a year. My first time improving was the audition for this school and I truly had no idea what I was doing in anything outside of ballet.
Coming to Hartt has completely changed my outlook on dance and has really showed me that there is more to dance then ballet and how other genres of dance are just as important and as enjoyable for me as ballet is. Before College, I thought dance = ballet. Now, I know that dance = movement.

# data[].attributes.body
Me dancing snow in The Nutcracker at my old home studio (Vermont Ballet Theater)

# data[].attributes.body
My first time really being exposed to dance was when my mother took me to see the nutcracker. I loved every single second of it, my eyes were glued to that stage. I remember my favorite part was when the tree grows. I thought it was the most magical thing ever.

# data[].attributes.headline
Leaving Home for more then just a summer

# data[].attributes.subject
Leaving Home for more then just a summer

# data[].attributes.body
After my freshman year in high school, I left home and moved to New York City to go dance at GKA for two years. During those two years of my life I learned so much about ballet and dance and what the art form truly is, and also learned a lot about life and how to become independent. This helped me grow as a dancer and as a person all at the same time. I can easily say those two years were the best out of all four years of high school.

# data[].attributes.body
Me being artsy at 14

# data[].attributes.body
At 11/12 years old I attended my very first summer intensive away from home called Saratoga Springs Dance Intensive or SSDI, which was at the time in collaboration with NYCB. It was such a surreal experience being with all of these other dancers who I hadn't known prior to arriving, all dancing together. To this day I still remember my absolute highlight from that summer, when Daniel Ulbricht (Principal at NYCB) taught my class and stopped the class to have me demonstrate the tendu combination and said that how I did the tendu combination was absolutely correct and everyone should do the same. That was the first time anyone let alone a Principal dancer highlighted my dancing and put me on the spot. He truly gave me motivation and inspiration to keep on trying my hardest because it will and does pay off.

# data[].attributes.body
Me dressing up as a little kid at around 3 yrs old

# data[].attributes.body
I began dancing ballet when I was 7 years old. My mother asked me if I wanted to take a dance class and I eagerly agreed. I started my dance training at this studio called The New England Conservatory (no longer exists) where Michaela DePrince also danced for some time. I got to watch her dance and rehearse for YAGP, while working hard on getting my splits and learning how to dance.