For 14-year-old Averi Hodgson, focusing on her ballet training while growing up was never easy: She’s suffered from epilepsy since she was in first grade, and later, she was also diagnosed with scoliosis. Here, she tells her story of perseverance—and how her determination earned her a spot at the School of American Ballet’s 2017 summer […]
A year ago, 12-year-old Makenna Miller was living every young dancer’s dream: She was dedicated to training at The Loudoun School of Ballet in Leesburg, VA, and was becoming a consistently successful competition star. She’s been the overall scholarship winner at conventions like NUVO and 24 Seven, and placed in the top 10 at the […]
Kelsie competing (courtesy Hall of Fame Dance Challenge) I was 10 when I first knew something was wrong. I was dancing at a dress rehearsal, and suddenly, without warning, I couldn’t breathe. It was terrifying. My teacher called an ambulance, and I was rushed to the emergency room. My throat had swollen shut and my […]