God answers prayer! I have found a wonderfully sweet and generous host family to stay with in Orlando. I'm moving this weekend!

I got my senior pictures taken a few weeks ago and here are a few dance shots. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

These last few weeks back in Virginia have been great! I missed my family, home-cooked meals, and my bed while in Florida! Since I've been home, I have been using this time to take on extra sewing projects and babysitting jobs to save money for housing in Orlando. That's right! I have decided to look for housing down there so that I may train with the Orlando Ballet year-round. My experience there was so incredibly wonderful that I can't wait to go back! If you know of a host family or anyone in need of a roommate, please let me know! I plan to start classes in September. Please keep me in your prayers! I will keep you all updated.

This post has a lot going on, but now that I have finally figured out how to upload more than one picture at a time, my future posts will be shorter and more frequent.

The lovely dorm I stay in

The bus that takes everyone to the studios in the mornings and back to the dorms in the evenings.

One of Orlando Ballet's three campuses.

 My roommates names are Chelsea, Hannah and Samantha. We get along well.

My sweet friends Genevieve and Hannah.

July 1st

Field trip to Daytona Beach!

 Relaxing with Emily and Stephanie

 Not all ballerinas eat just yogurt and salad. Well, at least not this one.

We decided we had to have a cliche "dancer on the beach" picture, too.

 Emily left after a week to go back to the Joffrey Ballet School in New York. I miss her!

 Annalisa, Stephanie, and Rachel. Beautiful, hard-working dancers!

July 4th

We had to do it.

Madison, Rachel, Annalisa and myself before our trip to Downtown Disney on the fourth of July.

 Meadow, Nicolette, and myself. Nicolette left last week because of a minor sprain in her ankle, tendonitis in the tendon under her ankle bone, and a bone in her lower leg that is jamming into her ankle/foot. We miss her!

With Emily, Meadow and Nicolette.

 A group shot of Level 2 (minus a few people). I love my level! Everyone is so sweet and encouraging. We all work very hard and love dancing together!

 July 6th

With Meadow before the Cirque du Soleil performance!

 Stephanie!

My lovely friend, Katie Mae!

Waiting with Stephanie, Amanda, and Genevieve for the show to start!

 Rachel and I love our new Yumiko leotards.

 July 8th

At Islands of Adventure! I rode the famous Hulk roller coaster and LOVED IT! I'm officially a fan of roller coasters thanks to my new friends.

With Stephanie before character class.

Melissa! My beautiful and hard-working barre buddy.

Genevieve! She had to leave on Monday because of an injury. So sad! We haven't stopped texting each other since she left, though. We became good friends!



Auditions for The Orlando Ballet School's year-round program were held on Friday and the names of the students accepted were posted yesterday. I got in!

I have not forgotten about my promise to blog about everything! I have been having difficulty uploading the pictures I have taken, but I have decided that you all have waited long enough and to go ahead and post without them.

My first airplane ride was great! I sat next to a cute, young couple that didn't speak any English and I didn't throw up. Mission accomplished.

My three suitemates are fabulous! We get along very well. There are four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living space and kitchen in our suite. We are not allowed to use the stove or oven which is very sad since the cafeteria food is digusting, but everything else about our apartment is perfect.

The Orlando Ballet School has seven, beautiful studios at it's central campus and two at it's south campus. The levels from highest to lowest are E (for ensemble), 1, 2, 3 and 4. I am in level 2. Everyone takes five classes a day starting at 10am and ending at 5pm Monday - Friday. On Saturdays we just have two classes and Sundays are our days off. Classes include two technique classes and pointe, partnering, jazz, character, contemporary, musical theater, stretch/conditioning and repertoire. My level is performing Waltz of the Hours from Swan Lake and a character dance at the end of the program.

The faculty and guest teachers here are amazing! All of my teachers love what they're doing and are so inspiring to watch and listen to. I keep a journal of everything from advice to encouragement to corrections my teachers give me. I'm learning so much!

I'm ready for week two!

I would just like to thank, again, all who helped me reach my goal so that I can train with The Orlando Ballet this Summer. I could not have done it without your prayers, babysitting jobs, sewing jobs, and gifts. I GREATLY appreciate EVERYTHING that you guys have done for me! I'm so blessed to know you all and excited to be a part of this new adventure!

Can you believe that everything below has been paid for?

Tuition.............................$825.00
Room and board.............$2375.00
Travel..............................$340.00
Food................................$250.00
Pointe Shoes....................$240.00
Ballet Shoes.....................$20.00          
Outings............................$350.00

Total.................................$4,400.00


God is so good!