I have been dancing for as long as I can remember: since I started movement classes at the Lawrence Arts Center in my hometown at the age of two.

When I was around four or five, I was deemed ready to start ballet. By the time I was 14, I had been accepted into the Lawrence Ballet Theater, the pre-professional dance company at my studio. Throughout high school, I was a member of this company, adding more and more hours to my schedule to meet the demands of dancing at such an intense level. I went to the University of Kansas Dance Intensive every summer and participated in several productions a year, as well as worked with visiting choreographers who set pieces for the company.