“There is something about being at a performance and looking at the audience and having that realization that wow I helped to bring them here. I just love the idea of playing a part in opening up an art experience to someone.”

“We’re told ballet is for very thin, young girls, and women. Ballet studios are so often decorated with gendered photos of girls in pink tutus. But I believe ballet is personal, and it’s for everyone.”

“There is an integration of art and mental health. Making art and enjoying a creative process is a form of therapy. Self-expression is important. Enjoying other people’s art is also beneficial to well-being.”

“I feel like the professors here were just what I needed. They allowed me to be a student first, and they really nurtured my ability to grow and develop then allowed me to become the professional I knew I could be.”