I value inclusion. I understand what it's like to be the "other" in a room, one who doesn’t quite fit the mold and feels excluded. In various aspects of my life, I've been that "other." I'm a male ballet dancer; ballet is traditionally dominated by females. I attended high school in a conservative community, and I was one of the few openly gay students. Since I know how it feels to be excluded, I'm committed to making everyone feel included. During my first year of high school, our Gay Straight Alliance meetings occurred online due to covid. Some members couldn't fully participate due to unsafe home environments, so I encouraged members to engage through chat. I read their comments aloud and responded to each of them individually. Our GSA had a tradition of sharing pie together every November. That year, I delivered a slice of pie to each member's home, even those who couldn't regularly attend meetings, which helped maintain our sense of togetherness. When we returned in-person, many online members joined. As a leader, I aimed to build community. Early in the year, we organized a "speed friending" activity to create a support network, and we continued with community circles. I pushed myself to open up, since other people may share my struggles and feel less alone. In GSA, we celebrate everyone regardless of identity. We uplift each other, fostering an inclusive environment. I am also a leader in dance. I recently finished my first year at Point Park University, pursuing a B.F.A. in Dance. Growing up, I was almost always the only boy in ballet. At Point Park, I have male role models and classmates. I want to pursue a career in dance to make art accessible. Dance companies such as Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre create accessibility by offering free shows. It warmed my heart to see children inspired by the dancers. Similarly, when I performed in Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh’s Nutcracker, I met young boys who love ballet, but don’t enjoy taking class because they are the only boys. At their age, I also felt demotivated being the only boy. I want to teach a boys ballet class, so I can teach them dance from a non-gendered perspective. In my first year living in Pittsburgh, I have built community amongst male dancers, even in small ballet schools. After performing in Nutcracker, in the spring, I helped recruit enough men for Balanchine’s Serenade. I reached out to a dancer I’d connected with on Instagram and dancers from Point Park. I was proud to help make the piece happen, so younger boys in their academy could have multiple older guys as role models. I am a leader in many areas in my life because I am a role model. Whether I am stage managing a show, leading a club meeting, or teaching choreography to show choir, I aim to be kind, considerate, and value every voice in the room because leading isn’t about being the loudest voice, but about being the best listener.

I value inclusion. To me, being inclusive means not excluding anyone. I understand what it's like to be the "other" in a room. The "others" are those who don't quite fit the mold, those who often feel excluded. In various aspects of my life, I've been that "other." In the world of ballet, traditionally dominated by females, I'm a male dancer. I attended high school in a conservative community. I was one of the few openly gay students. Since I know how it feels to be excluded, I'm committed to making everyone feel included in every space I can. In high school, I served as a leader for the Gay Straight Alliance. During my first year as a GSA leader, meetings occurred online due to covid. Some members couldn't join due to unsafe home environments, so I wanted to ensure their inclusion. I encouraged members, including those who could not participate in Zoom video sessions, to engage through chat. Our GSA had a tradition of sharing pie together every November. I delivered a slice of pie to each member, even those who couldn't regularly attend Zoom meetings, which helped maintain a sense of togetherness. When we returned in-person, many online members joined. As a leader, I aimed to build a strong sense of community. Early in the school year, I organized a "speed friending" activity to create a support network of friends. We also held community circles to discuss various topics, including mental health. Even though it is sometimes hard for me to share, I try to open up as much as possible, since my struggles might look like other people’s struggles, and hearing about it might help someone feel less alone. In GSA, we celebrate everyone. We uplift each other, fostering a truly inclusive environment. My commitment to inclusion also extended to drama class. During my senior year, I had the opportunity to direct. During auditions, I allowed everyone to audition for the roles they desired. I’ve auditioned for community theatre shows before, and I understand the disappointment of not being cast in a show, so I double-cast some roles to ensure everyone who wanted to act had the opportunity, regardless of stage fright or experience. Throughout the performances, I witnessed remarkable growth within the actors. They shone on stage in ways they hadn't before. I love acting because it allows people to explore different facets of themselves, express without judgment, and receive the applause they deserve. Currently, I'm a student at Point Park University, pursuing a B.F.A. in Dance. When I'm not in class, I enjoy ushering. Going to the theater is a magical experience, and ushers play an important role in making it magical. It is fulfilling to see the audience's reactions to a performance, knowing that I helped them have a wonderful experience. While ushering, I always actively listen and pay attention to patron’s concerns. For example, during a show, one of the people I was seating had a walker with him. Since he couldn’t leave his walker in the aisle, as it would block the path, I brought it to the lobby are. As soon as crowds had cleared after the show, I brought his walker back to his seat. I want to keep ushering because I believe in inclusion in theatre and that the performing arts has no limits. Art is life. Everyone should be able to experience the arts. Participation in the arts can enrich one’s life in profound ways. As an usher, I want to keep providing magical experiences to audience members, so they feel inclined to return for future shows.

I love storytelling. When I was five, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes and I absolutely fell in love with it. At eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. One of my favorite roles I’ve portrayed is Ed in a comedy called Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last. Whenever I act, I always think about the character’s objectives. Ed is a middle schooler who wants to get his friend, Petra, together with somebody she has a crush on, Anabel. Ed puts on Romeo and Juliet and casts Petra and Anabel as the leads. Ed wants to see his best friend happy, which is why he is dedicated to the play. I also thought about Ed’s personality traits. He's loyal, protective, and caring. He is a bubbly, loud, and flamboyant extrovert. Ed is a social butterfly who has a lot of connections with his peers. I, on the other hand, am introverted. I’m often the quiet kid in class. Unsurprisingly, it took me time to figure out how to best portray Ed. I decided to try being Ed by talking to more people, which made interacting with others more comfortable for me, both on stage as Ed, and off stage in my own social life. Portraying Ed pushed me out of my comfort zone. When the play ended, I vowed to keep a little bit of Ed in my real life. Although it does not come naturally to me, occasionally playing the role of “social butterfly” has made me happier. Ultimately, that’s what I love about theatre. It allows me to try on other people’s lives for a while, and in the process, it helps me craft the person I am. Theatre also allows me to see myself represented on stage. Musicals such as The Prom and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which have LGBTQ representation, inspire me to my authentic self and reminds me that we all deserve to be loved and accepted. For example, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake has inspired and empowered me. In Matthew Bourne’s version, the swans are played by men. In the ballet, the Prince falls in love with the lead swan. Before seeing this ballet, I never quite fully connected with the story. However, I can relate to the Prince feeling like he's not accepted by others in his life. In 2021, I spent weeks preparing this variation from Swan Lake, which I performed for scholarship contests, and I found Matthew Bourne’s version to be the inspiration in my mind as I prepared to perform. Eventually, I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. Through my dancing, I want to tell stories. Making a statement and telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. I also want to make dance accessible. Someday, I want to see dance classes offered in all public schools. The arts make life worth living. When schools don’t include arts education, students suffer. Upon completion of my dance degree, I want to utilize my dance abilities and my voice as an artist to inspire others and make the arts accessible to all.

I want the performing arts, dance specifically, to be accessible to everyone. In Misty Copeland’s book, Life in Motion, she states, “Ballet is still a career that requires either a lot of luck (which I had) or a lot of money (which I didn’t have). In addition to impeccable training and emotional support. And as you climb, it can be lonely and terrifying to look around and see no one else who resembles you.” Unfortunately, Copeland’s words are true for many aspiring dancers, including me. Growing up, I had a lot of luck on my side, but not money. My family had to make many sacrifices for me to get to where I am now, and they’re still making sacrifices for me to stay at Point Park University. But I stay at Point Park because like Copeland, I know what it’s like to see no one else in the room who resembles me. Growing up, I was almost always the only boy in the ballet studio. At Point Park, I have male role models and male classmates. I want to continue my ballet training and pursue a career in dance to be a role model and work to make the arts accessible to all. Dance companies such as Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre make an effort to create accessibility in the arts by offering free shows to the public like their outdoor summer series, which my friends and I went to see. It warmed my heart to see young children there, inspired by the dancers on stage. Similarly, when I was given the opportunity to perform with Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh in their Nutcracker, I met several young boys who love ballet, but don’t enjoy taking class because they are the only boys in the studio. When I was their age, I also fet demotivated being the only boy in ballet class. I didn’t want to be a pixie; I wanted to be Peter Pan. I have thought about offering a boys ballet class, so I can teach them dance from a non-gendered perspective. Someday, I would like to see dance classes offered in all public schools. While history and science are important to study, the arts make life worth living. When schools don’t include arts education, students suffer. Upon completion of my dance degree, I hope to have a career that allows me to use my voice in the arts to advocate for nationally elevating arts to the level they are in Europe, where there are government funded ballet companies and academies. Arts should also be funded locally. Pre-professional ballet schools such as Miami City Ballet offer free transportation in partnership with the public schools system. I want to work somewhere that offers these partnerships and help expand such programs. Additionally, I want the dance world to be accessible for everyone, regardless of one’s appearance, gender identity, or economic background. The ballet world needs more representation of individuals from all backgrounds, in choreography and in leadership. My goal, upon graduating with my dance degree, is to promote accessibility and representation throughout my dance career, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive. I feel that my education at Point Park is preparing me to achieve these goals. However, along with my education comes expensive costs. I genuinely want to continue my journey at Point Park, and I will feel much pride in being able to fund my college tuition through this scholarship.

I want the performing arts, dance specifically, to be accessible to everyone. In Misty Copeland’s book, Life in Motion, she states, “Ballet is still a career that requires either a lot of luck (which I had) or a lot of money (which I didn’t have). In addition to impeccable training and emotional support. And as you climb, it can be lonely and terrifying to look around and see no one else who resembles you.” Unfortunately, Copeland’s words are true for many aspiring dancers, including me. Growing up, I had a lot of luck on my side, but not money. My family had to make many sacrifices for me to get to where I am now, and they’re still making sacrifices for me to stay at Point Park University. But I stay at Point Park because like Copeland, I know what it’s like to see no one else in the room who resembles me. Growing up, I was almost always the only boy in the ballet studio. At Point Park, I have male role models and male classmates. I want to continue my ballet training and pursue a career in dance to be a role model and work to make the arts accessible to all. Dance companies such as Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre make an effort to create accessibility in the arts by offering free shows to the public like their outdoor summer series, which my friends and I went to see. It warmed my heart to see young children there, inspired by the dancers on stage. Similarly, when I was given the opportunity to perform with Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh in their Nutcracker, I met several young boys who love ballet, but don’t enjoy taking class because they are the only boys in the studio. When I was their age, I also fet demotivated being the only boy in ballet class. I didn’t want to be a pixie; I wanted to be Peter Pan. I have thought about offering a boys ballet class, so I can teach them dance from a non-gendered perspective. Someday, I would like to see dance classes offered in all public schools. While history and science are important to study, the arts make life worth living. When schools don’t include arts education, students suffer. Upon completion of my dance degree, I hope to have a career that allows me to use my voice in the arts to advocate for nationally elevating arts to the level they are in Europe, where there are government funded ballet companies and academies. Arts should also be funded locally. Pre-professional ballet schools such as Miami City Ballet offer free transportation in partnership with the public schools system. I want to work somewhere that offers these partnerships and help expand such programs. Additionally, I want the dance world to be accessible for everyone, regardless of one’s appearance, gender identity, or economic background. The ballet world needs more representation of individuals from all backgrounds, in choreography and in leadership. My goal, upon graduating with my dance degree, is to promote accessibility and representation throughout my dance career, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive. I feel that my education at Point Park is preparing me to achieve these goals.

I want the performing arts, dance specifically, to be accessible to everyone. In Misty Copeland’s book, Life in Motion, she states, “Ballet is still a career that requires either a lot of luck (which I had) or a lot of money (which I didn’t have). In addition to impeccable training and emotional support. And as you climb, it can be lonely and terrifying to look around and see no one else who resembles you.” Unfortunately, Copeland’s words are true for many aspiring dancers, including me. Growing up, I had a lot of luck on my side, but not money. My family had to make many sacrifices for me to get to where I am now, and they’re still making sacrifices for me to stay at Point Park University. But I stay at Point Park because like Copeland, I know what it’s like to see no one else in the room who resembles me. Growing up, I was almost always the only boy in the ballet studio. At Point Park, I have male role models and male classmates. I want to continue my ballet training and pursue a career in dance to be a role model and work to make the arts accessible to all. Dance companies such as Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre make an effort to create accessibility in the arts by offering free shows to the public like their outdoor summer series, which my friends and I went to see. It warmed my heart to see young children there, inspired by the dancers on stage. Similarly, when I was given the opportunity to perform with Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh in their Nutcracker, I met several young boys who love ballet, but don’t enjoy taking class because they are the only boys in the studio. When I was their age, I also fet demotivated being the only boy in ballet class. I didn’t want to be a pixie; I wanted to be Peter Pan. I have thought about offering a boys ballet class, so I can teach them dance from a non-gendered perspective. Someday, I would like to see dance classes offered in all public schools. While history and science are important to study, the arts make life worth living. When schools don’t include arts education, students suffer. Upon completion of my dance degree, I hope to have a career that allows me to use my voice in the arts to advocate for nationally elevating arts to the level they are in Europe, where there are government funded ballet companies and academies. Arts should also be funded locally. Pre-professional ballet schools such as Miami City Ballet offer free transportation in partnership with the public schools system. I want to work somewhere that offers these partnerships and help expand such programs. I feel that my education at Point Park is preparing me to achieve these goals.

I love storytelling. When I was five, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes and I absolutely fell in love with it. At eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. One of my favorite roles I’ve portrayed is Ed in a comedy called Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last. Whenever I act, I always think about the character’s objectives. Ed is a middle schooler who wants to get his friend, Petra, together with somebody she has a crush on, Anabel. Ed puts on Romeo and Juliet and casts Petra and Anabel as the leads. Ed wants to see his best friend happy, which is why he is dedicated to the play. I also thought about Ed’s personality traits. He's loyal, protective, and caring. He is a bubbly, loud, and flamboyant extrovert. Ed is a social butterfly who has a lot of connections with his peers. I, on the other hand, am introverted. I’m often the quiet kid in class. Unsurprisingly, it took me time to figure out how to best portray Ed. I decided to try being Ed by talking to more people, which made interacting with others more comfortable for me, both on stage as Ed, and off stage in my own social life. Portraying Ed pushed me out of my comfort zone. When the play ended, I vowed to keep a little bit of Ed in my real life. Although it does not come naturally to me, occasionally playing the role of “social butterfly” has made me happier. Ultimately, that’s what I love about theatre. It allows me to try on other people’s lives for a while, and in the process, it helps me craft the person I am. Theatre also allows me to see myself represented on stage. Musicals such as The Prom and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which have LGBTQ representation, inspire me to my authentic self and reminds me that we all deserve to be loved and accepted. For example, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake has inspired and empowered me. In Matthew Bourne’s version, the swans are played by men. In the ballet, the Prince falls in love with the lead swan. Before seeing this ballet, I never quite fully connected with the story. However, I can relate to the Prince feeling like he's not accepted by others in his life. In 2021, I spent weeks preparing this variation from Swan Lake, which I performed for scholarship contests, and I found Matthew Bourne’s version to be the inspiration in my mind as I prepared to perform. Ultimately, I want the dance world to be accessible for everyone, regardless of one’s appearance, gender identity, or economic background. The ballet world needs more representation of individuals from all backgrounds, in choreography and in leadership. My goal, upon graduating with my dance degree, is to promote accessibility and representation throughout my dance career, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive.

I love storytelling. When I was five, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes and I absolutely fell in love with it. At eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. One of my favorite roles I’ve portrayed is Ed in a comedy called Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last. Whenever I act, I always think about the character’s objectives. Ed is a middle schooler who wants to get his friend, Petra, together with somebody she has a crush on, Anabel. Ed puts on Romeo and Juliet and casts Petra and Anabel as the leads. Ed wants to see his best friend happy, which is why he is dedicated to the play. I also thought about Ed’s personality traits. He's loyal, protective, and caring. He is a bubbly, loud, and flamboyant extrovert. Ed is a social butterfly who has a lot of connections with his peers. I, on the other hand, am introverted. I’m often the quiet kid in class. Unsurprisingly, it took me time to figure out how to best portray Ed. I decided to try being Ed by talking to more people, which made interacting with others more comfortable for me, both on stage as Ed, and off stage in my own social life. Portraying Ed pushed me out of my comfort zone. When the play ended, I vowed to keep a little bit of Ed in my real life. Although it does not come naturally to me, occasionally playing the role of “social butterfly” has made me happier. Ultimately, that’s what I love about theatre. It allows me to try on other people’s lives for a while, and in the process, it helps me craft the person I am. Theatre also allows me to see myself represented on stage. Musicals such as The Prom and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which have LGBTQ representation, inspire me to my authentic self and reminds me that we all deserve to be loved and accepted. For example, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake has inspired and empowered me. In Matthew Bourne’s version, the swans are played by men. In the ballet, the Prince falls in love with the lead swan. Before seeing this ballet, I never quite fully connected with the story. However, I can relate to the Prince feeling like he's not accepted by others in his life. In 2021, I spent weeks preparing this variation from Swan Lake, which I performed for scholarship contests, and I found Matthew Bourne’s version to be the inspiration in my mind as I prepared to perform. Ultimately, I want the dance world to be accessible for everyone, regardless of one’s appearance, gender identity, or economic background. The ballet world needs more representation of individuals from all backgrounds, in choreography and in leadership. My goal, upon graduating with my dance degree, is to promote accessibility and representation throughout my dance career, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most people think having OCD means keeping everything clean, which is partly true. My OCD is like this little monster in my head. In my own voice, he says, repeatedly,: “Are you sure the door is locked? It couldn’t hurt to check one more time.” “Close the zipper all the way.” “Close the drawers, all the way. Push it one more time just to make sure it's shut. What if there is an earthquake and all the stuff goes flying out?” I am aware that none of this is logical. If there is an earthquake, the stuff will go flying out anyway. I cannot help it though. It has been this way since I was in kindergarten. If the teacher moved us to do group work, I couldn’t focus on the work because I was busy being bothered by someone else sitting in my seat. I recall feeling like the world was going to end if they moved my stuff. I love my systems. My books needed to be in size order inside my desk. What if they took one out to look at it? These household tasks are bothersome, but I find it most troublesome when my OCD spirals, interfering with academics. To say that I overthink assignments would be an understatement. The easiest way for me to manage my OCD is by keeping myself busy. When I keep myself busy, I don’t take as much time preventing catastrophe or worrying about my systems getting out of order. Staying busy was easy until 2020. Without going to dance classes to keep me busy, I had plenty of time to focus on school. Thus, my OCD wanted to make sure every assignment I turned in was perfect. In the fall of 2020, I took physical education, online, via zoom and distance learning. Each week, the teacher assigned a sports essay. I knew nothing about sports. I spent my childhood dancing and doing theatre, not kicking goals or scoring home runs. Needless to say, I couldn’t write perfect essays about sports, thus I didn’t do most of them. One week, I decided to give the essay on basketball a shot (no pun intended). I laboriously drafted and edited, including important details and citing all of my sources. I got the essay back the next day with points marked off because I had exceeded the maximum word count. I felt surprised because I figured the teacher would be pleased with all the details I wrote about. Ultimately, I learned from that imperfect essay. I realized I had wasted hours on it, when the teacher intended it to be a much simpler assignment. From then on, I set boundaries for myself. I wrote the 250 words the teacher assigned and forced myself to turn it in without proofreading it five times. When school finally returned in-person in fall of 2021, I gained more control over my OCD. I returned to daily routines I had missed during the pandemic, like eating lunch with friends. Chatting with my friends prevents me from wasting my lunch hour rewriting a thesis statement seventeen times. Occasionally forgetting a line in drama class reminds me that I do not need to be perfect, and what’s more important is that I am having fun performing in plays. Now, whenever I find myself overthinking an assignment, I remind myself that nobody is perfect. There will always be some subjects I don’t understand as much as others, and that is perfectly fine.

On a Saturday night in early June, I attended a men's ballroom dancing class at Founders Metropolitan Community Church. When I saw this class announced in the bulletin in May, I knew I had to attend because I love to dance. I have been dancing since I was a kid. My favorite style of dance is ballet, which I plan on pursuing as a professional career. I love how it feels to move to the music and just have fun. Additionally, dance is a form of expression and it is a social activity. Dance has the power to connect one another without words. It is like a universal language, a form of communication. On the night of the ballroom class, I didn't quite know what to expect, so I walked in with no expectations. The evening started with a lesson on the basic steps of ballroom dance. The instructor had us all split into two groups; the “leaders” and the “followers”. After practicing the basic steps with our partners, we had the freedom to explore the movement; to try new and different variations of the steps the instructor had taught us. It was certainly a night to remember. Honestly, my favorite part of the night was having the chance to be a “follower” for once. I loved the feeling of being twirled across the room. As a male dancer in ballet, I am typically the “lead” because of my gender. During this class, however, gender didn’t matter whatsoever. Everyone else came for the same reason as I; to dance and to have FUN. One of the ballets that inspires me the most is Matthew Bourne’s version of Swan Lake. Unlike countless other versions of Swan Lake, in which the swans are all women, in Matthew Bourne’s version, the swans are played by men. In the ballet, the Prince falls in love with the lead swan. My favorite part of the ballet is when the Prince and the swan perform a pas de deux, meaning, “a dance for two”. In classical ballet, companies seldom feature same-sex pas de deux in their repertoire. This comes from a long history of ballet, which originated in the 15th century as a form of entertainment for aristocrats. Obviously, in the aristocracy of the 15th century, traditional gender roles prevailed. Men were the leaders and women were the followers. However ballet can’t remain stuck in the past. Ultimately, I want the dance world to be inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of one’s appearance, gender identity, or economic background. The ballet world needs more representation of individuals from all backgrounds, in choreography and in leadership. In the Fall, I will be attending Point Park University for my B.F.A. in Dance. Upon graduating with my dance degree, my goal and my vision for the future of the dance world is to promote accessibility and representation throughout, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone, regardless of class or gender. What does it matter who is the “leader” and the “follower” simply because of one’s gender? Afterall, the most important part of dance is telling a story to the audience. In the future, I want to become one of the people crafting the stories performed on stage. I want to tell stories in a way that those on the fringes of society will see themselves represented on stage. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive.

I love all areas of theatre. My passion evolved from children's theater to the captivating world of story ballets. I am currently working on a B.F.A. in Dance with a minor in stage management. I started out doing children's theater and taking hip hop and jazz dance classes when I was four years old. I was six years old when I was in a local production of Peter Pan and Peter Pan was also at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. Seeing Cathy Rigby’s awe inspiring flight as Peter Pan fueled my fascination with theatre magic, which continues to enthrall me today. I wanted to know everything about how she flew. For a second grade project, I taught my class all about ZFX. I still have dreams of stage managing a flying show, or even being flown myself. When I was seven, Billy Elliot: the Musical was playing at a local theater, so my mom and I went to go see it. Billy Elliot, a young boy, is forced to do boxing, but wants to pursue his dreams of ballet. My favorite scene was “Dream Ballet,” when Billy dances with his older self, a professional dancer. I was so inspired by the show that the day after, I enrolled in ballet class. I absolutely fell in love with it. At eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes nearly every day. Eventually, I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. Through my dancing, I want to tell stories. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also a performing art, full of theatre magic. The past three years, I have danced the role of prince in The Nutcracker. My favorite moment is when I transform from Nutracker to prince. The collaborative effort required to create theatre magic has become a source of profound joy in my life. Theatre is a collective endeavor. It takes a village to bring stories to life on stage. I am in love with this village. I once watched a YouTube video comparing stage managers and orchestra conductors. I love the idea of orchestrating the various elements of a production. I have since stage managed a musical during high school, and I did an internship with Five Star Theatricals, where I stage managed a theatrical showcase in a huge theater with thousands of seats. These experiences have solidified my belief that stage management could be a genuine source of joy, partnering with the fulfillment I find in dance. My love of ballet and stage management has led me to pursue a life as part of both worlds - dance and technical theatre. This goal may seem ambitious, but in the words of Mary Poppins, “Anything can happen, if you let it.”

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most people think having OCD means keeping everything clean, which is partly true. My OCD is like this little monster in my head. In my own voice, he says, repeatedly,: “Are you sure the door is locked? It couldn’t hurt to check one more time.” “Close the zipper all the way.” “Close the drawers, all the way. Push it one more time just to make sure it's shut. What if there is an earthquake and all the stuff goes flying out?” I am aware that none of this is logical. If there is an earthquake, the stuff will go flying out anyway. I cannot help it though. It has been this way since I was in kindergarten. If the teacher moved us to do group work, I couldn’t focus on the work because I was busy being bothered by someone else sitting in my seat. I recall feeling like the world was going to end if they moved my stuff. I love my systems. My books needed to be in size order inside my desk. What if they took one out to look at it? These household tasks are bothersome, but I find it most troublesome when my OCD spirals, interfering with academics. To say that I overthink assignments would be an understatement. The easiest way for me to manage my OCD is by keeping myself busy. When I keep myself busy, I don’t take as much time preventing catastrophe or worrying about my systems getting out of order. Staying busy was easy until 2020. Without going to dance classes to keep me busy, I had plenty of time to focus on school. Thus, my OCD wanted to make sure every assignment I turned in was perfect. In the fall of 2020, I took physical education, online, via zoom and distance learning. Each week, the teacher assigned a sports essay. I knew nothing about sports. I spent my childhood dancing and doing theatre, not kicking goals or scoring home runs. Needless to say, I couldn’t write perfect essays about sports, thus I didn’t do most of them. One week, I decided to give the essay on basketball a shot (no pun intended). I laboriously drafted and edited, including important details and citing all of my sources. I got the essay back the next day with points marked off because I had exceeded the maximum word count. I felt surprised because I figured the teacher would be pleased with all the details I wrote about. Ultimately, I learned from that imperfect essay. I realized I had wasted hours on it, when the teacher intended it to be a much simpler assignment. From then on, I set boundaries for myself. I wrote the 250 words the teacher assigned and forced myself to turn it in without proofreading it five times. When school finally returned in-person in fall of 2021, I gained more control over my OCD. I returned to daily routines I had missed during the pandemic, like eating lunch with friends. Chatting with my friends prevents me from wasting my lunch hour rewriting a thesis statement seventeen times. Occasionally forgetting a line in drama class reminds me that I do not need to be perfect, and what’s more important is that I am having fun performing in plays. Now, whenever I find myself overthinking an assignment, I remind myself that nobody is perfect. There will always be some subjects I don’t understand as much as others, and that is perfectly fine.

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five years-old, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes regularly and I absolutely fell in love with it. At age eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. I value inclusion. To me, being inclusive means not excluding anyone. I understand what it's like to be the "other" in a room. The "others" are those who don't quite fit the mold, those who often feel excluded. In various aspects of my life, I've been that "other." In the world of ballet, traditionally dominated by females, I'm a male dancer. In high school, I was one of the few openly gay students. Since I know how it feels to be excluded, I'm committed to making everyone feel included in every space I can. My goal and my vision for the future of the dance world is to promote accessibility and representation throughout, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone, regardless of class or gender. Afterall, the most important part of dance is telling a story to the audience. In the future, I want to become one of the people crafting the stories performed on stage. I want to tell stories in a way that those on the fringes of society will see themselves represented on stage. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive. I currently attend Point Park University, where I am working towards my B.F.A. in Dance. Point Park is a private university, located in Pittsburgh, with a conservatory dance program. I chose Point Park University because it is one of the only colleges in the country where students can focus on ballet, while taking classes in other styles of dance to help students become well-rounded and versatile dancers. They also have a robust theater program, which I want to pursue in addition to dance. Upon graduation from Point Park, I envision myself having a successful career in the performing arts, in which I can make my goal of creating accessibility and representation in dance a reality. However, along with these benefits comes a cost. Going to college out of state is more expensive than going to college in-state. I have to pay $29,000 for college this year, in addition to travel costs and other expenses. Their conservatory offered me scholarship money to help cover costs, but my family needs to pay the rest of it, in addition to the costs of travel. We are short of money this year. My parents are both teachers, and my dad, in addition to teaching, is working several other jobs to help our family get by while I am in school. I genuinely want to continue my dance and academic journey at Point Park, and I will feel much pride in being able to fund my college tuition through this scholarship.

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five years-old, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes regularly and I absolutely fell in love with it. At age eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. I value inclusion. To me, being inclusive means not excluding anyone. I understand what it's like to be the "other" in a room. The "others" are those who don't quite fit the mold, those who often feel excluded. In various aspects of my life, I've been that "other." In the world of ballet, traditionally dominated by females, I'm a male dancer. In high school, I was one of the few openly gay students. Since I know how it feels to be excluded, I'm committed to making everyone feel included in every space I can. My goal and my vision for the future of the dance world is to promote accessibility and representation throughout, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone, regardless of class or gender. Afterall, the most important part of dance is telling a story to the audience. In the future, I want to become one of the people crafting the stories performed on stage. I want to tell stories in a way that those on the fringes of society will see themselves represented on stage. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive. I currently attend Point Park University, where I am working towards my B.F.A. in Dance. Point Park is a private university, located in Pittsburgh, with a conservatory dance program. I chose Point Park University because it is one of the only colleges in the country where students can focus on ballet, while taking classes in other styles of dance to help students become well-rounded and versatile dancers. They also have a robust theater program, which I want to pursue in addition to dance. Upon graduation from Point Park, I envision myself having a successful career in the performing arts, in which I can make my goal of creating accessibility and representation in dance a reality. However, along with these benefits comes a cost. Going to college out of state is more expensive than going to college in-state. I have to pay $29,000 for college this year, in addition to travel costs and other expenses. Their conservatory offered me scholarship money to help cover costs, but my family needs to pay the rest of it, in addition to the costs of travel. I genuinely want to continue my dance and academic journey at Point Park, and I will feel much pride in being able to fund my college tuition through this scholarship.

I value inclusion. To me, being inclusive means not excluding anyone. I understand what it's like to be the "other" in a room. The "others" are those who don't quite fit the mold, those who often feel excluded. In various aspects of my life, I've been that "other." In the world of ballet, traditionally dominated by females, I'm a male dancer. In high school, I was one of the few openly gay students. Since I know how it feels to be excluded, I'm committed to making everyone feel included in every space I can. My goal and my vision for the future of the dance world is to promote accessibility and representation throughout, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone, regardless of class or gender. Afterall, the most important part of dance is telling a story to the audience. In the future, I want to become one of the people crafting the stories performed on stage. I want to tell stories in a way that those on the fringes of society will see themselves represented on stage. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive. I currently attend Point Park University, where I am working towards my B.F.A. in Dance. Point Park is a private university, located in Pittsburgh, with a conservatory dance program. I chose Point Park University because it is one of the only colleges in the country where students can focus on ballet, while taking classes in other styles of dance to help students become well-rounded and versatile dancers. They also have a robust theater program, which I want to pursue in addition to dance. Upon graduation from Point Park, I envision myself having a successful career in the performing arts, in which I can make my goal of creating accessibility and representation in dance a reality However, along with these benefits comes a cost. Going to college out of state is more expensive than going to college in-state. I have to pay $29,000 for college this year, in addition to travel costs and other expenses. Their conservatory offered me scholarship money to help cover costs, but my family needs to pay the rest of it, in addition to the costs of travel. I genuinely want to continue my dance and academic journey at Point Park, and I will feel much pride in being able to fund my college tuition through this scholarship.

On a Saturday night in early June, I attended a men's ballroom dancing class at my church. When I saw this class announced in the bulletin in May, I knew I had to attend because I love to dance. I have been dancing since I was a kid. My favorite style of dance is ballet, which I plan on pursuing as a professional career. I love how it feels to move to the music and just have fun. Additionally, dance is a form of expression and it is a social activity. Dance has the power to connect one another without words. It is like a universal language, a form of communication. On the night of the ballroom class, I didn't quite know what to expect, so I walked in with no expectations. The evening started with a lesson on the basic steps of ballroom dance. The instructor had us all split into two groups; the “leaders” and the “followers”. After practicing the basic steps with our partners, we had the freedom to explore the movement; to try new and different variations of the steps the instructor had taught us. It was certainly a night to remember. Honestly, my favorite part of the night was having the chance to be a “follower” for once. I loved the feeling of being twirled across the room. As a male dancer in ballet, I am typically the “lead” because of my gender. During this class, however, gender didn’t matter whatsoever. Everyone else came for the same reason as I; to dance and to have FUN. One of the ballets that inspires me the most is Matthew Bourne’s version of Swan Lake. Unlike countless other versions of Swan Lake, in which the swans are all women, in Matthew Bourne’s version, the swans are played by men. In the ballet, the Prince falls in love with the lead swan. My favorite part of the ballet is when the Prince and the swan perform a pas de deux, meaning, “a dance for two”. In classical ballet, companies seldom feature same-sex pas de deux in their repertoire. This comes from a long history of ballet, which originated in the 15th century as a form of entertainment for aristocrats. Obviously, in the aristocracy of the 15th century, traditional gender roles prevailed. Men were the leaders and women were the followers. However ballet can’t remain stuck in the past. Ultimately, I want the dance world to be inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of one’s appearance, gender identity, or economic background. The ballet world needs more representation of individuals from all backgrounds, in choreography and in leadership. Currently, I'm in my first semester of college at Point Park University pursuing a B.F.A. in Dance. Upon graduating with my dance degree, my goal and my vision for the future of the dance world is to promote accessibility and representation throughout, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone, regardless of class or gender. What does it matter who is the “leader” and the “follower” simply because of one’s gender? Afterall, the most important part of dance is telling a story to the audience. In the future, I want to become one of the people crafting the stories performed on stage. I want to tell stories in a way that those on the fringes of society will see themselves represented on stage. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive.

@vinnyvole

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five years-old, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes regularly and I absolutely fell in love with it. At age eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. I love theatre and dance because of my love for storytelling. One of my favorite roles I’ve portrayed is Ed in a comedy called Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last, which we performed in drama class when I was in high school. Whenever I play a new role, I think about the character’s main objective in the play. In Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last, Ed is a middle schooler who wants to get his best friend, Petra, together with somebody she has a crush on, Anabel. Ed does so by putting on a production of Romeo and Juliet and casting Petra and Anabel as the leads. Ed genuinely wants to see his best friend happy, which is the reason he is so dedicated to putting on the play. Towards the beginning of the rehearsal process, I also thought about Ed’s personality traits. He's loyal, protective, and caring. He is intuitive and makes decisions quickly. He is a bubbly, loud, and flamboyant extrovert. Ed is a social butterfly who has a lot of connections with his peers. I, on the other hand, tend to be rather introverted. I’m often the quiet kid in class, and I take my time with every decision I make. Unsurprisingly, it took me some time to figure out how to best portray Ed. I decided to try being Ed by talking to more people throughout my day. This made interacting with others more comfortable for me, both on stage as Ed, and off stage in my own social life as Vinny. I really liked Ed. I had fun being Ed. Portraying Ed pushed me out of my comfort zone. When the play ended, I vowed to keep a little bit of Ed in my real life. Although it does not come naturally to me, occasionally playing the role of “social butterfly” has made me a happier person. Ultimately, that’s what I love so much about theatre. It allows me to try on other people’s lives for a while, and in the process, it helps me craft the person I am. Theatre also allows me to see myself represented on stage. Musicals such as The Prom and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which both have LGBTQ representation, inspire me to my true, authentic self and reminds me that we all deserve to be loved and accepted. For example, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake has inspired and empowered me. Unlike countless other versions of Swan Lake, in which the swans are all women, in Matthew Bourne’s version, the swans are played by men. In the ballet, the Prince falls in love with the lead swan. Before seeing this ballet, I never quite fully connected with the story. However, I can relate to the Prince feeling like he's not accepted by others in his life. In 2021, I spent weeks preparing this variation from Swan Lake, which I performed for scholarship contests, and I found Matthew Bourne’s version to be the inspiration in my mind as I prepared to perform. Eventually, I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. Through my dancing, I want to tell stories. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also an art form. Dance becomes more exciting when it is performed with intention. Making a statement and telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. Ultimately, I want to utilize my dance abilities and my voice as an artist to inspire others.

My favorite thing about Disney is the magic and the storytelling. When I was little, my parents bought me every Disney DVD that appeared on store shelves, and took me to see every Disney movie that came out in theaters. Disney was my happy place. When Princess and the Frog came out in 2009, my mom was pregnant with my sister. I insisted that she be named Tiana. It took a few months, but my parents gave in. Disney women inspire me. I vividly remember the first time I saw the national tour of Mary Poppins the musical, at five years old. I was transported to London, where there were statues doing ballet in the park and chimney sweeps tap dancing on the rooftops. I also watched in awe as Mary Poppins flew across the sky. Seeing Mary Poppins sparked my interest in theatre and my love of storytelling. That year, I bought colorful lights with my birthday money and I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed to make my bedroom into a "theatre". I remember doing shows all the time, singing along to my favorite Disney songs. Sometimes I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast Tiana or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. Disney fostered a love of storytelling that has come to define me. Disney inspires me to dream big and work hard to achieve my dreams in life. In the words of Peter Pan, “All it takes is faith and trust and a little bit of pixie dust.” This right here is Disney magic in its essence. To me, Disney magic is more than fairy dust and pixie dust (although that is pretty cool ✨). To me, Disney magic is hope and faith. It is belief. The belief in the impossible. Or in the words of Mary Poppins, “Anything can happen if you let it.” Whether big or small, everyone dreams of something. Everything starts with a dream, and what I love about Disney magic is that it inspires me to make my dreams a reality. Regardless of one’s age, nobody is too old to stop dreaming and believing in Disney magic. This reminds me of the story of Walt Disney and the carousel. One Saturday, when Walt took his children to the carousel in Griffith Park, he sat on a bench and watched while they rode the merry-go-round. Walt felt that there should be a place where parents and children could have fun together, which is how Disneyland started. It’s truly inspiring to know that such a magical and exciting place as Disneyland, which continues to thrive, all started with Walt’s dream as he was sitting on a park bench. A dream of a place where adults could have fun with their children. Walt’s legacy lives on today as Disneyland continues to thrive because people of all ages keep believing in Disney magic.

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five years old, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula, all at once. Other times, I’d cast my sister or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows and school plays. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes and I absolutely fell in love with dance. At age eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes multiple days a week. Being a boy in the ballet world has never been easy. As one of the only guys in my ballet classes, I sometimes feel like an outcast. I remember taking my first ballet class at the city recreation center when I was five, and I did not enjoy it at first because I was the only boy and the teacher had us pretend to be “fairies.” After that class, I didn’t go back to ballet for a few years. In 2013, Billy Elliot the musical was playing at a local theater, so my mom and I went to go see it. The story revolves around a young boy who is forced to do boxing, but wants to pursue his dreams of ballet. My favorite scene was the “Dream Ballet” scene, when Billy dances with his older self. I was so inspired by the show that the day after, I showed up to ballet class again. I am passionate about ballet; it is what I love doing. Whenever I dance, I feel happy. I simply enjoy moving to the music with grace and elegance. I still love telling stories like I did when I was a little kid, except now I tell stories through movement. I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. I got accepted into Point Park University’s dance program, where I plan on attending in the fall. Point Park is a private university, located in Pittsburgh, with a conservatory program which has a ballet concentration. I chose Point Park University because it is one of the only colleges in the country where students can focus on ballet. For male identifying dancers, Point Park offers men’s technique class every semester, in addition to pas de deux class and numerous performing opportunities, which would give me the training and experience I need to prepare myself for a professional career in the ballet industry. They also have a robust theater program, which I hope to pursue in addition to dance. Going to college out of state is far more expensive than going to college in-state. I have to pay $29,000 for college this year, in addition to travel costs and other expenses. Additionally, in November 2022, my father's contract with his church ended. Since then, he decided to go back to school to earn his teaching credential. With my father and I both in school this year, it is going to be difficult to pay for Point Park's tuition. It would mean so much for me to attend Point Park this fall and I will feel much pride in being able to fund my college tuition through this scholarship.

During my freshman year of high school, I started serving as a club leader for my school’s Gay Straight Alliance. As a leader of the club some of the responsibilities include helping to plan meetings, presenting, inviting guest speakers, and recruiting new members. These tasks are challenging enough on campus. My first year as a GSA leader was completely online. Out of an abundance of caution, Vaughn stayed on Zoom the entire year. Several members who usually attend in-person meetings did not login to our Zoom sessions at lunch because home is not a safe space for them. Although, I ensured the sense of togetherness we usually have at in-person meetings continued remotely. Every year, by the time November arrives, we all eat pie together and have a “Friendsgiving”. The pandemic did not stop us from doing this. Throughout the week of the meeting before the break, I delivered a slice of pie to each of the members, including members with low attendance. On Zoom, we all ate our slices of pie and shared something we were thankful for, continuing that sense of togetherness. Presenting is a whole different story. Presenting a powerpoint on Zoom is awkward enough. One of my fellow leaders felt that we should make a powerpoint about sex education. Honestly, I was not too fond of the idea. Why would I want to talk about sex with my peers? However, everyone was genuinely engaged and had lots of questions, most of which our club advisor had to answer. Since 2020, now that school is in-person, I realize how important it is as a leader to build community with one another and form connections with my peers. Towards the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, which was my school’s first year back after being online, our GSA hosted a “speed friending” activity because if home isn’t a safe space, it is vital to have a support system of friends. Additionally, I realize how important it is to form connections with those who are passionate about leading the club, such as allowing other members to lead a meeting so they can build their leadership skills. Especially during my senior year, I focused on the legacy I would leave behind. Overall, I want to ensure that our GSA remains active next year and beyond because I care about my school being a safe space for future students to come.

I value inclusion. Being inclusive means not being exclusive. I know how it feels to be an “other.” It is the “others,” those who are not quite the same as everyone else, who often feel excluded. I am an “other” in a lot of areas of my life. I am a male dancer in the ballet world, which is dominated by females. I attend a school where the majority of the students are Latino and speak Spanish. I am not Latino, and I am one of the only students who doesn’t speak Spanish. Because it is a conservative community, I am one of the few “out” gay kids at my school. Since I know how it feels to be excluded, I strive to make everyone feel included in every space that I can. As a club leader for the Gay Straight Alliance, I have exhibited a commitment to inclusion by welcoming everyone, whether they are openly gay, in the closet, or even just an ally. I joined GSA in middle school, but my first year as a high school GSA leader was completely online since my school stayed on Zoom the entire year. Several members who attended in-person meetings did not login to Zoom sessions because home is not a safe space for them. I wanted to make them feel included, even if they couldn’t log in to Zoom meetings. I appreciated the sense of togetherness from our in-person meetings in middle school, so I wanted to find some way it could continue remotely. I encouraged my old middle school GSA peers to login to Zoom and participate in the chat. I made a point to include everyone, even the cameras off and chat-only participants, by reading their comments aloud and responding to each of them individually. The high school GSA had a tradition of eating pie together each November. Before the meeting, I delivered a slice of pie to each of the members, at their homes, including members who couldn’t always attend on zoom. That Tuesday, we all ate our slices of pie and shared what we were thankful for, continuing that sense of togetherness. Once school returned in-person, many of our online club members came to in person meetings, so as a leader, I worked to build community and form connections with my GSA peers. Towards the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, which was my school’s first year back, we hosted a “speed friending” activity to help build a support system of friends. We continue to have community circles about various topics, such as mental health. Even though it is sometimes hard for me to share, I try to open up as much as possible, since my struggles might look like other people’s struggles, and hearing about it might help someone feel less alone. Regardless of one’s identity, ethnicity, personality, age or disability, in GSA, we celebrate everyone and lift each other up. In the Fall, I will be attending Point Park University for my B.F.A. in Dance. I appreciate the diversity in Point Park’s dance department. Ultimately, I want the dance world to be accessible for everyone, regardless of one’s appearance, gender identity, or economic background. The ballet world needs more representation of individuals from all backgrounds, in choreography and in leadership. My goal, upon graduating with my dance degree, is to promote accessibility and representation throughout my dance career, so ballet becomes more inclusive to everyone. Ballet can stay relevant if the next generation of dancers, such as myself, take the responsibility of inclusion and diversity seriously, to keep ballet alive.

I was born and raised in Simi Valley, a suburban town just outside of Los Angeles County. Growing up, I did not have the best experience attending school in Simi. To sum it up, I went to three different schools between kindergarten and fifth grade. When I was in third grade, my teacher had told me not to draw on the back of a test. I don’t know why this bothered the teacher so much. I was simply expressing myself. Creativity should be encouraged, not diminished. This experience made me fear being my true self at school. I also faced discrimination from a campus supervisor, who had called me “Fairy Poppins”, making fun of my Mary Poppins obsession at the time because it was considered “girly”. In the first grade, a kid shoved me and called me “fag”. As I decided to grow out my hair, I was told many times that I looked like a girl. When I was in middle school, my family moved to Berkeley for a year so my dad could finish seminary. As tough as it is to move to a new place and start at a new school, I fell in love with the Bay Area very quickly. I remember my humanities teacher mentioning something about her wife a few times. Up to that point, I did not have any teachers in school who were “out”. Furthermore, our neighbors in Berkeley, Juli, who was studying with my dad in seminary, and her wife Michelle sort of became second mothers, as my mom would commute back to Socal on weekdays to continue teaching. It has always been so important to have queer role models in my life. Eventually, when my family moved back to SoCal, a woman named Katie Hill was running for Congress in the District which Simi Valley is part of. Even though we did not move back to Simi, my family and I cared about flipping the District "Blue." Especially since up until that point, Simi Valley hadn't been represented by a woman. I did online school that year, so either on weekends or days when I did not have much schoolwork, I'd help canvas. Katie Hill is openly bisexual. Once she got elected, she became the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress to represent the District. Having that representation for Simi Valley in the United States Congress was truly special. I remember listening to various speeches in which she'd passionately advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, feeling inspired by her voice. Members of Congress such as Katie Hill inspire me to use my own voice to advocate for my rights as an LGBTQ+ youth. Last year, I volunteered to present at the Models of Pride Conference on implementing queer inclusive sex ed in schools. Presenting at Models of Pride was a unique experience to empower other like minded youth who want to advocate for change. In 2019, I visited Sacramento for Advocacy Day with Equality California to advocate for implementing LGBTQ+ inclusive training for teachers. I remember how I felt a few weeks later when it passed in the state Assembly, knowing that sharing my story with elected officials helped make a difference for other LGBTQ+ youth in California. Sharing stories and making one’s voice heard truly matters in order to create change.

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five years old, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula, all at once. Other times, I’d cast my sister or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows and school plays. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes and I absolutely fell in love with dance. At age eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes multiple days a week. I am passionate about ballet; it is what I love doing. Whenever I dance, I feel happy. I simply enjoy moving to the music with grace and elegance. I still love telling stories like I did when I was a little kid, except now I tell stories through movement. Eventually, I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. After graduating from high school, I plan on focusing all of my energy on professional dance training. This Fall, I will be attending Point Park University for my B.F.A. in Dance. Through attending a college dance program, I can maintain strong classical technique while also becoming a more versatile dancer. Numerous companies have expanded their repertoire to include contemporary pieces, instead of only performing classical ballets. Thus, taking classes outside of ballet is crucial in order to successfully pursue a career in dance. The dance program at Point Park University in Pittsburgh has a concentration in ballet. Very few college dance programs have that, and none of them are in my home state. For male identifying dancers, Point Park offers men’s technique class every semester, in addition to pas de deux class and numerous performing opportunities, which would give me the training and experience I need to prepare myself for a professional career in the ballet industry. Point Park also has a robust theater program, which I hope to pursue in addition to dance. Going to Point Park would allow me to dance and act, which is an important skill to have as a professional dancer. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also an art form. Making a statement and telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. I also look forward to experiencing Pittsburgh’s culture, which is a rather artsy city. Pittsburgh is home to art museums such as the Carnegie Museum of Art and The Andy Warhol Museum. There are also theaters such as the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, which has several Broadway shows and ballets performed by Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre each year. Ultimately, I’m choosing Point Park because I think nowhere else in this country will set me up better for future success as a performing artist. In November 2022, my father’s contract with his church ended. Since then, he decided to go back to school to earn his teaching credential. With my father and I both in school this year, it is going to be difficult to pay for Point Park’s tuition. Their conservatory offered me scholarship money to help cover costs, but my family will need to pay the rest of it. Additionally, attending college out of state is more expensive than going to college in-state. It would mean so much for me to attend Point Park this fall and I will feel much pride in being able to fund my college tuition through this scholarship.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most people think having OCD means keeping everything clean, which is partly true. My OCD is like this little monster in my head. In my own voice, he says, repeatedly,: “Are you sure the door is locked? It couldn’t hurt to check one more time.” “Close the zipper all the way.” “Close the drawers, all the way. Push it one more time just to make sure it's shut. What if there is an earthquake and all the stuff goes flying out?” I am aware that none of this is logical. If there is an earthquake, the stuff will go flying out anyway. I cannot help it though. It has been this way since I was in kindergarten. If the teacher moved us to do group work, I couldn’t focus on the work because I was busy being bothered by someone else sitting in my seat. I recall feeling like the world was going to end if they moved my stuff. I love my systems. My books needed to be in size order inside my desk. What if they took one out to look at it? These household tasks are bothersome, but I find it most troublesome when my OCD spirals, interfering with academics. To say that I overthink assignments would be an understatement. The easiest way for me to manage my OCD is by keeping myself busy. When I keep myself busy, I don’t take as much time preventing catastrophe or worrying about my systems getting out of order. Staying busy was easy until 2020. Without going to dance classes to keep me busy, I had plenty of time to focus on school. Thus, my OCD wanted to make sure every assignment I turned in was perfect. In the fall of 2020, I took physical education, online, via zoom and distance learning. Each week, the teacher assigned a sports essay. I knew nothing about sports. I spent my childhood dancing and doing theatre, not kicking goals or scoring home runs. Needless to say, I couldn’t write perfect essays about sports, thus I didn’t do most of them. One week, I decided to give the essay on basketball a shot (no pun intended). I laboriously drafted and edited, including important details and citing all of my sources. I got the essay back the next day with points marked off because I had exceeded the maximum word count. I felt surprised because I figured the teacher would be pleased with all the details I wrote about. Ultimately, I learned from that imperfect essay. I realized I had wasted hours on it, when the teacher intended it to be a much simpler assignment. From then on, I set boundaries for myself. I wrote the 250 words the teacher assigned and forced myself to turn it in without proofreading it five times. When school finally returned in-person in fall of 2021, I gained more control over my OCD. I returned to daily routines I had missed during the pandemic, like eating lunch with friends. Chatting with my friends prevents me from wasting my lunch hour rewriting a thesis statement seventeen times. Occasionally forgetting a line in drama class reminds me that I do not need to be perfect, and what’s more important is that I am having fun performing in plays. Now, whenever I find myself overthinking an assignment, I remind myself that nobody is perfect. There will always be some subjects I don’t understand as much as others, and that is perfectly fine.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most people think having OCD means keeping everything clean, which is partly true. My OCD is like this little monster in my head. In my own voice, he says, repeatedly,: “Are you sure the door is locked? It couldn’t hurt to check one more time.” “Close the zipper all the way.” “Close the drawers, all the way. Push it one more time just to make sure it's shut. What if there is an earthquake and all the stuff goes flying out?” I am aware that none of this is logical. If there is an earthquake, the stuff will go flying out anyway. I cannot help it though. It has been this way since I was in kindergarten. If the teacher moved us to do group work, I couldn’t focus on the work because I was busy being bothered by someone else sitting in my seat. I recall feeling like the world was going to end if they moved my stuff. I love my systems. My books needed to be in size order inside my desk. What if they took one out to look at it? These household tasks are bothersome, but I find it most troublesome when my OCD spirals, interfering with academics. To say that I overthink assignments would be an understatement. The easiest way for me to manage my OCD is by keeping myself busy. When I keep myself busy, I don’t take as much time preventing catastrophe or worrying about my systems getting out of order. Staying busy was easy until 2020. Without going to dance classes to keep me busy, I had plenty of time to focus on school. Thus, my OCD wanted to make sure every assignment I turned in was perfect. In the fall of 2020, I took physical education, online, via zoom and distance learning. Each week, the teacher assigned a sports essay. I knew nothing about sports. I spent my childhood dancing and doing theatre, not kicking goals or scoring home runs. Needless to say, I couldn’t write perfect essays about sports, thus I didn’t do most of them. One week, I decided to give the essay on basketball a shot (no pun intended). I laboriously drafted and edited, including important details and citing all of my sources. I got the essay back the next day with points marked off because I had exceeded the maximum word count. I felt surprised because I figured the teacher would be pleased with all the details I wrote about. Ultimately, I learned from that imperfect essay. I realized I had wasted hours on it, when the teacher intended it to be a much simpler assignment. From then on, I set boundaries for myself. I wrote the 250 words the teacher assigned and forced myself to turn it in without proofreading it five times. When school finally returned in-person in fall of 2021, I gained more control over my OCD. I returned to daily routines I had missed during the pandemic, like eating lunch with friends. Chatting with my friends prevents me from wasting my lunch hour rewriting a thesis statement seventeen times. Occasionally forgetting a line in drama class reminds me that I do not need to be perfect, and what’s more important is that I am having fun performing in plays. Now, whenever I find myself overthinking an assignment, I remind myself that nobody is perfect. There will always be some subjects I don’t understand as much as others, and that is perfectly fine.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most people think having OCD means keeping everything clean, which is partly true. My OCD is like this little monster in my head. In my own voice, he says, repeatedly,: “Are you sure the door is locked? It couldn’t hurt to check one more time.” “Close the zipper all the way.” “Close the drawers, all the way. Push it one more time just to make sure it's shut. What if there is an earthquake and all the stuff goes flying out?” I am aware that none of this is logical. If there is an earthquake, the stuff will go flying out anyway. I cannot help it though. It has been this way since I was in kindergarten. If the teacher moved us to do group work, I couldn’t focus on the work because I was busy being bothered by someone else sitting in my seat. I recall feeling like the world was going to end if they moved my stuff. I love my systems. My books needed to be in size order inside my desk. What if they took one out to look at it? These household tasks are bothersome, but I find it most troublesome when my OCD spirals, interfering with academics. To say that I overthink assignments would be an understatement. The easiest way for me to manage my OCD is by keeping myself busy. When I keep myself busy, I don’t take as much time preventing catastrophe or worrying about my systems getting out of order. Staying busy was easy until 2020. Without going to dance classes to keep me busy, I had plenty of time to focus on school. Thus, my OCD wanted to make sure every assignment I turned in was perfect. In the fall of 2020, I took physical education, online, via zoom and distance learning. Each week, the teacher assigned a sports essay. I knew nothing about sports. I spent my childhood dancing and doing theatre, not kicking goals or scoring home runs. Needless to say, I couldn’t write perfect essays about sports, thus I didn’t do most of them. One week, I decided to give the essay on basketball a shot (no pun intended). I laboriously drafted and edited, including important details and citing all of my sources. I got the essay back the next day with points marked off because I had exceeded the maximum word count. I felt surprised because I figured the teacher would be pleased with all the details I wrote about. Ultimately, I learned from that imperfect essay. I realized I had wasted hours on it, when the teacher intended it to be a much simpler assignment. From then on, I set boundaries for myself. I wrote the 250 words the teacher assigned and forced myself to turn it in without proofreading it five times. When school finally returned in-person in fall of 2021, I gained more control over my OCD. I returned to daily routines I had missed during the pandemic, like eating lunch with friends. Chatting with my friends prevents me from wasting my lunch hour rewriting a thesis statement seventeen times. Occasionally forgetting a line in drama class reminds me that I do not need to be perfect, and what’s more important is that I am having fun performing in plays. Now, whenever I find myself overthinking an assignment, I remind myself that nobody is perfect. There will always be some subjects I don’t understand as much as others, and that is perfectly fine.

I am passionate about ballet; it is what I love doing. I have always known that I want to be a performing artist. I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. This Fall, I will be attending Point Park University for my B.F.A. in Dance. At Point Park, I am excited about all the shows I will be able to perform in, as the dance program puts on multiple shows each semester. Point Park also has a robust theater program, which I hope to pursue in addition to dance. I’ve been in shows since I was a kid, and I am just as passionate about theatre as I am about dance. Going to Point Park would allow me to dance and act, which is an important skill to have as a professional dancer. Performing always fills my emotional bucket with loads of joy, as I love sharing the magic of live theatre with others. In college, I strive to maintain my mental health by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and getting lots of sleep so I have enough energy for all my dance classes and rehearsals each day, as well as prevent mental fatigue in my academic classes. As much as it is an art form, dance is without a doubt an athletic activity. As a dancer, it is crucial to maintain healthy eating habits by eating foods that will give me energy and restore sore muscles, in addition to eating an amount of food based on the calories I burn each day. For example, I love starting my day with breakfast, and I never skip it. Eating a balanced breakfast each day puts me in a good mood and gives me plenty of energy. When I practice healthy eating habits, it improves my mental health and makes a difference in my dancing. In addition to prioritizing healthy eating habits and sleep, I will keep in touch with my family often. Calling my family will help me to not get homesick while being away from them. Additionally, I plan on putting up photos in my dorm room to give it a sense of home. I will also focus on making new friends with my peers. Since I do not have any family members in Pittsburgh, I need to find my chosen family and form a new support system so I have people whom I can trust and rely on.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most people think having OCD means keeping everything clean, which is partly true. My OCD is like this little monster in my head. In my own voice, he says, repeatedly,: “Are you sure the door is locked? It couldn’t hurt to check one more time.” “Close the zipper all the way.” “Close the drawers, all the way. Push it one more time just to make sure it's shut. What if there is an earthquake and all the stuff goes flying out?” I am aware that none of this is logical. If there is an earthquake, the stuff will go flying out anyway. I cannot help it though. It has been this way since I was in kindergarten. If the teacher moved us to do group work, I couldn’t focus on the work because I was busy being bothered by someone else sitting in my seat. I recall feeling like the world was going to end if they moved my stuff. I love my systems. My books needed to be in size order inside my desk. What if they took one out to look at it? These household tasks are bothersome, but I find it most troublesome when my OCD spirals, interfering with academics. To say that I overthink assignments would be an understatement. The easiest way for me to manage my OCD is by keeping myself busy. When I keep myself busy, I don’t take as much time preventing catastrophe or worrying about my systems getting out of order. Staying busy was easy until 2020. Without going to dance classes to keep me busy, I had plenty of time to focus on school. Thus, my OCD wanted to make sure every assignment I turned in was perfect. In the fall of 2020, I took physical education, online, via zoom and distance learning. Each week, the teacher assigned a sports essay. I knew nothing about sports. I spent my childhood dancing and doing theatre, not kicking goals or scoring home runs. Needless to say, I couldn’t write perfect essays about sports, thus I didn’t do most of them. One week, I decided to give the essay on basketball a shot (no pun intended). I laboriously drafted and edited, including important details and citing all of my sources. I got the essay back the next day with points marked off because I had exceeded the maximum word count. I felt surprised because I figured the teacher would be pleased with all the details I wrote about. Ultimately, I learned from that imperfect essay. I realized I had wasted hours on it, when the teacher intended it to be a much simpler assignment. From then on, I set boundaries for myself. I wrote the 250 words the teacher assigned and forced myself to turn it in without proofreading it five times. When school finally returned in-person in fall of 2021, I gained more control over my OCD. I returned to daily routines I had missed during the pandemic, like eating lunch with friends. Chatting with my friends prevents me from wasting my lunch hour rewriting a thesis statement seventeen times. Occasionally forgetting a line in drama class reminds me that I do not need to be perfect, and what’s more important is that I am having fun performing in plays. Now, whenever I find myself overthinking an assignment, I remind myself that nobody is perfect. There will always be some subjects I don’t understand as much as others, and that is perfectly fine.

I dream of being a professional dancer and arts advocate.

I dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer. As much as it is an art form, dance is without a doubt an athletic activity. As a dancer, it is crucial to maintain healthy eating habits by eating foods that will give me energy and restore sore muscles, in addition to eating an amount of food based on the calories I burn each day. When I practice healthy eating habits, it improves my mental health and makes a difference in my dancing. One of my favorite meals of the day is breakfast. I love starting my day with breakfast, and I never skip it. Eating a balanced breakfast each day puts me in a good mood and gives me plenty of energy. Scrambled eggs are a must. They are a good source of protein, and as a dancer, consuming plenty of protein is vital for success, as it improves muscle growth and recovery after exercise. Without protein, my body would not get stronger. With my eggs, I usually like to eat a bagel and cream cheese (for carbs and more protein!). Consuming carbs in the morning ensures that my body receives plenty of energy for a full day of dancing. Without carbs, my body will become physically fatigued faster, making it more difficult to maintain stamina and endurance. Additionally, eating enough carbs makes up for all the calories I burn each day. When I'm at the ballet studio, I love to eat either protein bars or fruit (bananas are my favorite!) during my breaks. Bananas are a great source of potassium, which helps to prevent cramps. Additionally, I drink lots and lots of water during and in between classes or rehearsals. Staying hydrated aids blood circulation and prevents injuries. Eating healthy snacks and drinking plenty of water ensures that I go about my day with as little pain and muscle cramps as possible, so I can stay focused on my dance training. When I get home from dance, I love a home-cooked meal! I am a pescetarian, which means I eat fish, but not other types of meat, and my family is vegetarian, but that doesn't mean I don't get enough protein in my diet. Some of my favorite meals my family cooks often which have lots of protein include burrito bowls, cous cous with chickpeas and veggies, and bibimbap bowls. Ultimately, food is the best source of fuel, and practicing healthy eating habits is good for both my mind and body.

I love storytelling. When I was five, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. What really sparked my interest in theatre was when I saw the national tour of Mary Poppins. I fell in love with the magic of theatre. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. Last year, I volunteered to play Peter Pan with a group called Fairytales in the Park, in which we performed free outdoor children's shows. It brings me joy to share the magic of theatre with others. In addition to performing in shows, when I was seven, I started taking ballet classes. Being a boy in the ballet world has never been easy. As one of the only guys in my ballet classes, I sometimes feel like an outcast. I remember taking my first ballet class at the city recreation center when I was five, and I did not enjoy it at first because I was the only boy and the teacher had us pretend to be “fairies.” After that class, I didn’t go back to ballet for a few years. In 2013, Billy Elliot the musical was playing at a local theater, so my mom and I went to go see it. Billy Elliot, a young boy, is forced to do boxing, but wants to pursue his dreams of ballet. My favorite scene was “Dream Ballet,” when Billy dances with his older self, a professional dancer. I was so inspired by the show that the day after, I showed up to ballet class again. I still love telling stories like I did when I was a little kid, except now I tell stories through movement. Through my dancing, I want to tell stories. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also an art form. Telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. I want to utilize my dance abilities and my voice as an artist to inspire others. Hopefully I can become a source of inspiration and empowerment for other boys who want to dance, just as Dream Billy was for me. During the peak of the pandemic, there were many days I wanted to quit ballet. Dancing from home was demotivating, as I lacked in-person connections with other dancers and I did not have enough space to travel across the floor. Fortunately, a group called The Male Dance Connection formed online, and it outlasted covid. Every week, even in 2023, Bryce Lee, a company dancer from the Colorado Ballet, teaches men’s ballet classes on Zoom. Bryce’s online classes motivated me to continue dancing. I have cherished the opportunity to connect with other boys who share my passion for dance. Through these online classes, I have formed lifelong friendships, despite us all living in different states. Additionally, Bryce has become a positive influence in my dance career. Thanks to Bryce’s classes, I did not quit ballet, which I am forever grateful for because the performing arts is a necessity. If I’m ever feeling down or have a bad day, going to dance class lifts my spirits and makes me happy.

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. What really sparked my interest in theatre was when I saw the national tour of Mary Poppins. I fell in love with the magic of theatre. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. In 2016, I played my first lead role as Edgar in Ragtime. I have also performed in multiple drama shows at school. Last year, volunteered to play Peter Pan with a group called Fairytales in the Park, in which we performed free outdoor children's shows. It brings me joy to share the magic of theatre with others. I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. Since 2017, most of my focus has been on ballet training. This Fall, I plan on attending Point Park University for my B.F.A. in Dance. Through my dancing, I want to tell stories. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also an art form. Telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. Ultimately, I want to utilize my dance abilities and my voice as an artist to inspire others.

I love storytelling. When I was five, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes, I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes and I absolutely fell in love with it. At eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. One of my favorite roles I’ve portrayed is Ed in a comedy called Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last. Whenever I act, I always think about the character’s objectives. Ed is a middle schooler who wants to get his friend, Petra, together with somebody she has a crush on, Anabel. Ed puts on Romeo and Juliet and casts Petra and Anabel as the leads. Ed wants to see his best friend happy, which is why he is dedicated to the play. I also thought about Ed’s personality traits. He's loyal, protective, and caring. He is a bubbly, loud, and flamboyant extrovert. Ed is a social butterfly who has a lot of connections with his peers. I, on the other hand, am introverted. I’m often the quiet kid in class. Unsurprisingly, it took me time to figure out how to best portray Ed. I decided to try being Ed by talking to more people, which made interacting with others more comfortable for me, both on stage as Ed, and off stage in my own social life. Portraying Ed pushed me out of my comfort zone. When the play ended, I vowed to keep a little bit of Ed in my real life. Although it does not come naturally to me, occasionally playing the role of “social butterfly” has made me happier. Ultimately, that’s what I love about theatre. It allows me to try on other people’s lives for a while, and in the process, it helps me craft the person I am. Theatre also allows me to see myself represented on stage. Musicals such as The Prom and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which have LGBTQ representation, inspire me to my authentic self and reminds me that we all deserve to be loved and accepted. For example, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake has inspired and empowered me. In Matthew Bourne’s version, the swans are played by men. In the ballet, the Prince falls in love with the lead swan. Before seeing this ballet, I never quite fully connected with the story. However, I can relate to the Prince feeling like he's not accepted by others in his life. In 2021, I spent weeks preparing this variation from Swan Lake, which I performed for scholarship contests, and I found Matthew Bourne’s version to be the inspiration in my mind as I prepared to perform. Eventually, I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. Through my dancing, I want to tell stories. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also an art form. Dance becomes more exciting when it is performed with intention. Making a statement and telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. Ultimately, I want to utilize my dance abilities and my voice as an artist to inspire others.

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five years-old, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes regularly and I absolutely fell in love with it. At age eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. Being a boy in the ballet world has never been easy. As one of the only guys in my ballet classes, I sometimes feel like an outcast. I remember taking my first ballet class at the city recreation center when I was five, and I did not enjoy it at first because I was the only boy and the teacher had us pretend to be “fairies.” After that class, I didn’t go back to ballet for a few years. In 2013, Billy Elliot the musical was playing at a local theater, so my mom and I went to go see it. Billy Elliot, a young boy, is forced to do boxing, but wants to pursue his dreams of ballet. My favorite scene was “Dream Ballet,” when Billy dances with his older self, a professional dancer. I was so inspired by the show that the day after, I showed up to ballet class again. I still love telling stories like I did when I was a little kid, except now I tell stories through movement. I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. After graduating from high school, I plan on focusing all of my energy on professional dance training. This Fall, I will be attending Point Park University for my B.F.A. in Dance. I'm choosing Point Park University because it's just a few short blocks to The Milkshake Factory, which has some of the best milkshakes I've ever had. All kidding aside, I'm really choosing Point Park because I think nowhere else in this country will set me up better for future success as a professional dancer. The dance program at Point Park University in Pittsburgh has a concentration in ballet. Very few college dance programs have that. For male identifying dancers, Point Park offers men’s technique class every semester, in addition to pas de deux class and numerous performing opportunities, which would give me the training and experience I need to prepare myself for a professional career in the ballet industry. Point Park also has a robust theater program, which I hope to pursue in addition to dance. Going to Point Park would allow me to dance and act, which is an important skill to have as a professional dancer. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also an art form. Making a statement and telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. I also look forward to experiencing Pittsburgh’s culture. Pittsburgh is home to art museums such as the Carnegie Museum of Art and The Andy Warhol Museum. There are also theaters such as the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, which has several Broadway shows and ballets performed by Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre each year. Ultimately, I’m choosing Point Park because I think nowhere else in this country will set me up better for future success as a performing artist.

I have always loved storytelling. When I was five years-old, I’d do shows in my bedroom. I bought colorful lights with my birthday money. I hung stage “curtains” from my bunk bed. Sometimes I’d do shows by myself. I was happy to play Ariel, Eric, and Ursula all at once. Other times I’d cast my sister or my friends or my grandmother in supporting roles. My love of storytelling defines me. Eventually, I graduated to community theatre shows. When I was seven, I started taking ballet classes regularly and I absolutely fell in love with it. At age eleven, I got more serious about ballet, and started taking ballet classes more days a week. Being a boy in the ballet world has never been easy. As one of the only guys in my ballet classes, I sometimes feel like an outcast. I remember taking my first ballet class at the city recreation center when I was five, and I did not enjoy it at first because I was the only boy and the teacher had us pretend to be “fairies.” After that class, I didn’t go back to ballet for a few years. In 2013, Billy Elliot the musical was playing at a local theater, so my mom and I went to go see it. Billy Elliot, a young boy, is forced to do boxing, but wants to pursue his dreams of ballet. My favorite scene was “Dream Ballet,” when Billy dances with his older self, a professional dancer. I was so inspired by the show that the day after, I showed up to ballet class again. I still love telling stories like I did when I was a little kid, except now I tell stories through movement. I dream of dancing in a professional ballet company. After graduating from high school, I plan on focusing all of my energy on professional dance training. This Fall, I will be attending Point Park University for my B.F.A. in Dance. I'm choosing Point Park University because it's just a few short blocks to The Milkshake Factory, which has some of the best milkshakes I've ever had. All kidding aside, I'm really choosing Point Park because I think nowhere else in this country will set me up better for future success as a professional dancer. The dance program at Point Park University in Pittsburgh has a concentration in ballet. Very few college dance programs have that. For male identifying dancers, Point Park offers men’s technique class every semester, in addition to pas de deux class and numerous performing opportunities, which would give me the training and experience I need to prepare myself for a professional career in the ballet industry. Point Park also has a robust theater program, which I hope to pursue in addition to dance. Going to Point Park would allow me to dance and act, which is an important skill to have as a professional dancer. As much as ballet is an athletic activity, it is also an art form. Making a statement and telling a story with one’s dancing is just as important as having strong technique. I also look forward to experiencing Pittsburgh’s culture. Pittsburgh is home to art museums such as the Carnegie Museum of Art and The Andy Warhol Museum. There are also theaters such as the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, which has several Broadway shows and ballets performed by Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre each year. Ultimately, I’m choosing Point Park because I think nowhere else in this country will set me up better for future success as a performing artist.