I definitely like to be natural and more relaxed and not wear a lot of makeup.

Ballet found me. I was discovered by a teacher in middle school. I always danced, my whole life. I never had any training, never was exposed to seeing dance, but I always had something inside of me.

Physical fears change and shift depending on the role and depending on the mindset I'm in.

What makes people and companies and artistic directors and choreographers interested in working with dancers is the ability to kind of let go of everything you think you know and be a blank canvas.

I think that training is the key, definitely, and I devoted my life to it.

Going on stage and transcending the audience and becoming this otherworldly thing makes you a dancer. It's not so black and white.

I do think that it's a responsibility when there are so few of us as African Americans to kind of get to that place of success in a positive light. We should take a stance and stand for something and use that platform for positivity.