I absolutely love what I do, and I want to dance for as long as I can and feel good about what I am putting out there on the stage.

I know there are a lot of eyes on me now from young girls, and it makes me so proud. The only Black woman examples aren't Rihanna and Beyoncé. It makes me proud that I am a classical ballerina and they can look at me and see another way to succeed. That is setting a new standard.

The higher you go up in rank, usually the longer you can dance.

You can do anything you want, even if you are being told negative things.stay strong and find motivation.

The fact that I was African American was never addressed, and that allowed me to just be a student, like anyone else. I was not aware of how rare it was to be an African American, how rare it was to have four years of training under my belt, and how, even though I could imitate people and fake it, unprepared I was to become a professional.

I know that I'll forever be involved in ballet. This is where my life was meant to be, and I don't see myself straying completely away, ever.

I will never be the best dancer or artist. I will be growing until the day I retire.