My best friend Genevieve and I met in kindergarten; we have been inseparable ever since then. We have been taking dance classes together since we were five, and no day goes by when we don’t eat, sleep, and breathe ballet. Once my mother found out that she would have a daughter, she knew she wanted me to become a dancer. My mother dreamed that one day I would either be a Radio City Rockette or that one day I would earn my place as a dancer in the New York City Ballet. When you grow up in New York City, you begin to learn that the arts are one of the most important things in society and that if you don’t participate in them early enough in life, then you won’t have a chance of possibly making it on Broadway someday. My mother not only enrolled me in ballet classes before I could walk, but she also signed me up for tap classes. I was also in local commercials and was even once on a television show, but I don’t think it even made it past the pilot before it was canceled.

My dance teacher, Miss Adelaide, is very strict when it comes to my posture, my dancing, and even my weight. I don’t usually eat anything but the organic food that my mom packs me, from organic fruits and vegetables to peanut butter sandwiches. I’m always eating way healthier than most girls my age. I haven’t told my mom about how Miss Adelaide always confronts me about my weight after class because I am afraid that if my mom found out, she would probably never let me dance again. It wouldn’t be a big deal to most teenagers, but dancing is my life, and without it, I don’t know who I would be. The last thing that I would want is to jeopardize my chances of being a huge star one day.

When I am dancing, I smell the oak wooden floor, the sweat dripping down my back, and my feet bleed with passion when I’m pirouetting in my pointe shoes. As I turn, my knees begin to buckle, and I fall to the floor, but I don’t let my mistakes stop me, so I keep dancing because ballet is my passion. It’s not just a sport, it’s my life. Miss Adelaide keeps repeating the same dance terms over and over again, and I am exhausted, but I don’t quit dancing because I know that if I stop, I’ll get yelled at.

I grab my water bottle and get a quick drink of water before continuing to dance again. All I keep thinking is how disappointed my mom is going to be that I didn’t get a solo in the dance recital this year. I’m a freshman in high school, and normally, all of the solos go to the younger kids and the seniors, but because I’m too tall to fit in most of the costumes, Miss Adelaide decided that I needed to put all of my focus into doing the group dances.

The first group dance I’m in this year is called “Beautiful Dreamer,” and we are dancing to the song “Once Upon A Dream” from the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty. I get to wear a beautiful pink tutu and my pointe shoes for it. The tap routine is called “We’re Off To See The Wizard,” and we’re dancing to the song “Ease On Down The Road” from the Broadway musical The Wiz. For the tap routine, I get to dress up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, and my best friend Genevieve is also in the dance too.

Genevieve and I are preparing for our tap class, and Miss Adelaide has been strict with both of us because we never seem to wear appropriate attire. Every day for class, I always wear a black leotard, pink tights, and my tap shoes, but since my mom bought me the crappy ones from Payless, they aren’t the best tap shoes. Miss Adelaide told me that I needed to buy new dance tights and tap shoes before the recital; otherwise, I wouldn’t fit in with the group. I think it’s unfair that she tells me these things in front of everyone in class because it’s embarrassing to me.

The dance recital is this weekend, so every week for the past two months, my schedule has been full of nothing but extra dance classes and dance recital rehearsals. Eventually, my mom gave in and bought me a better pair of Capezio tap shoes and a new pair of pink dance tights so that I would be prepared for the dance recital this weekend. Miss Adelaide has been nothing but strict about my weight for the last few months because she told me that I would need to lose at least ten pounds to not look like a dancing hippopotamus in my dance recital costumes this year.

After tonight’s rehearsal, I walk into the hallway with Genevieve, and I cry because I am worried that I will never be good enough to please Miss Adelaide. But then Genevieve says, “Cheer up, Cassandra, it will all be okay. You’re always going to be one of the best dancers at this dance studio, and one day, you’ll star on Broadway, maybe in that funny show Cats that you love so much.” I just let out a laugh because Genevieve always knows how to make me smile when I’m upset about something. She’s the best friend I could ever ask for, and I don’t know what I would do without her.

The day of the recital arrives and I end up fitting in both of my costumes despite not losing ten pounds like Miss Adelaide told me I needed to lose. I’m here to dance, and I’m not here to get judged by Miss Adelaide or any other person. I’m wearing my pink tights, black leotard, and tutu. The music starts for the ballet routine, and my feet flutter across the stage as if I’m a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. Dancing makes my heart happy, and it’s the thing that I am the most passionate about. Once the ballet routine ends, the music starts for the tap routine, and I’m ready to strut my stuff as Dorothy as me, Genevieve, and two other dancers tap our feet to the song “Ease On Down The Road” from the Broadway musical The Wiz.

After the dance recital, my mother and father were on their feet, clapping for me because I did an outstanding job. When I finally see my parents both of them give me a giant hug and hand me a bouquet of sparkly pink roses. My mom and dad both tell me, “We are so proud of you, sweetie, and you’re such a beautiful dancer.” Just because one person doesn’t find you beautiful to look at doesn’t mean that other people won’t, and if you find yourself beautiful, don’t let any other people tell you that you aren’t.

This was written by our co-founder and editor, Hanna Perry.