“Hey there, you must be Brianna.”

“Yes, I really am! And this is my sister, Marley,” Brianna says cheerfully as she sat talking, laughing, and sharing a snack with her baby sister in the library.

“So, why do you want to participate in ballet?”

“Well, because it’s fun!”

“What sorts of things are you excited to learn from this activity?”

“Umm…ballet?”

So went the meeting to award a scholarship to Brianna, a kind, goofy, and imaginative 10-year-old who is enthusiastic about ballet, among many other things. Her favorite color, something her mom said is highly variable, is black on this day. She loves writing, reading, math, and art and is an astute student. As a role model, she looks up to her mom, and hopes that her baby sister will look up to her in this way some day (and I’m certain she will). Some of her goals for the semester include healthy eating, to stay calm in stressful situations, and to “practice everything” that she can remember.

It was a joy to talk with Brianna, her mother, and her little sister during our meeting. I learned about how helpful and compassionate Brianna is with her family and at school, and about her sprightly and positive approach toward life. I learned about her flexibility and work ethic, transitioning on a few occasions between languages and cultures, in Columbia and Mexico (the country). I learned about how ballet classes have impacted her, through exercise, learning about commitment, fostering friendships, and creating a space for fun, to be a kid. Brianna, her family, and the Day Dreams Foundation team are all very excited and grateful for Brianna to be able to participate in ballet at the School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet for another year. Who knows? We might just have the next Anna Pavlova in our midst.

“Yes, a ballet dancer. That’s what I want to be when I grow up. Well, either that or a miner… someone who looks for interesting things that nobody has even thought up yet.”

We’ll see if she pursues ballet, mining, or any number of additional undertakings in the future. We’re delighted that she is happy to participate in dance classes now.