00:00I kept my dancing from my dad for a whole year.
00:03I was afraid of how he would react to it.
00:05Physical fitness was always important in my house.
00:08Dance was really foreign to my dad.
00:10He was so intent on me becoming a soccer star or a track and field star,
00:14so it really alarmed him when I told him I wanted to dance for my career.
00:19In my first big on-stage performance, my mom turned to my dad and saw that he was crying.
00:23My dad finally saw how important dancing was to me.
00:26Dancers aren't seen as hardcore athletes, but I aim to defy that.
00:31I'm a junior in college studying commercial dance.
00:34I'm in the studio dancing and taking class and rehearsing eight hours a day.
00:38Every day starts with a ballet class.
00:41I spend half the class at bar.
00:42This warms me up and gets my body into place.
00:45The second half of class is spent at center,
00:48and then I have rehearsal for four to five hours.
00:51Real power comes from within.
00:53I realize you have to spend time working on yourself to find it.
01:03I think self-care and self-love are absolutely vital for anyone pursuing their dreams.
01:09In dance, you can't just wish your way into getting the steps right.
01:12You have to put in the time and energy to understand how your body and mind connect with one another.
01:17In everything I do, I try to find the balance between artistry and athleticism to make something beautiful.
01:24I love the energy dance gives me.
01:26It's euphoric, and it makes me feel like all this hard work has really paid off.
01:36My name is Elsa Stallings.
01:38My commitment to dance goes beyond the studio.
01:40It's a part of everything I do.
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