Hello! My name is Olive Grey Orozco, I am 17 years old, and I've been dancing for 6 years at California Arts Academy. I found ballet at a late age but since then I've advanced quickly, skipping various levels. I now train at the highest level at my dance studio. Originally, I started ballet as a hobby, but with each opportunity and class, I continue to fall more in love with it. I've found a strong passion for dance and a significant desire to pursue what I love most as a career. Ballet has served as a huge release from the real world. My personal life is always swarmed with stress, but the minute my feet hit the dance floor my mind settles. I find peace. It serves as an outlet for me to find myself. I've discovered that I have mass amounts of ambition and determination fueled by my passion for dance. I would love to bring my commitment to the professional world, but getting there is hard. As many people know, ballet is not a cheap art form to pursue. Pointe shoes alone can cost up to $150+ and must be replaced almost every month, sometimes sooner. The classes I currently take cost over $600 and will only get more expensive depending on where I attend next. In order to take the next step towards pursuing ballet, I need to attend activities such as summer intensives, competitions, and overall performing outside of my dance studio. But again, those things cost a lot of money. To attend summer intensives, you have to pay an overall tuition, meal fee, and housing fee, along with purchasing several pairs of pointe shoes. All of this can cost a minimum of $5,000 and possibly more depending on how superior and known the program is. Dance competitions like YAGP and UBC are also very expensive. The costs of registration, dance entries, costumes, traveling, and of course, pointe shoes all add up to $700 possibly more. These are both very beneficial ways to put my name out into the world and achieve my goals. With how expensive this industry is, having generous donations along with support from the community is going to help me achieve my dreams and have a dance career. I greatly appreciate the support from those willing to help me get to where I yearn to be. This is just the beginning. - Olive