Dancing has played the biggest part in shaping who I am today. I was a national competitive dancer for 12 years of my life. Dance has allowed me a safe space to express myself and an escape from many hardships I have faced. Along with this safe space that it has created for me, it has allowed me to create lifelong relationships with my closest friends and teachers. As a male dancer, I did not have many role models within my small town, but thankfully, my family supported me and my love for dance has stayed unwavering for as long as I can remember. My biggest achievements in dance have not been the awards I have won or the national titles I have received. However, the most influential part of dance for me is the ability to open minds within my community. When I started dancing, I was only one of two boys dancing at my studio. Now there are eight boys on the competition team alone and nearly 15 boys enrolled at my studio. I have been able to pave the way for so many other boys to have this safe space as well and for them to know that they are welcome to follow their own passions. This is why I have decided to pursue dancing in my future. Now I have trained with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and I am currently training with Butler Ballet in Indianapolis. I have been a part of numerous ballet productions with this department, such as the Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty and other contemporary pieces as well. I plan to attend the American Ballet Theater collegiate program this summer to continue my studies. My long term goal is to continue dancing at a contemporary ballet company after college.