A girl steps on stage, taking a deep breath as she positions herself between the people next to her. Getting into her stance, she looks up at the crowd with complete focus and pride. Music starts playing and she is off, moving fluidly with the other dancers, never missing a beat. 

“I fell in love with it, it presented a challenge, but it was also super fun, because I’m learning how to do things that normal people don’t know how to do or understand,” senior, Brenna Hood said.

Hood started dancing at the Performing Arts Center in St. Charles at the age of six, beginning her journey towards a passion she continues to this day.  She does all sorts of different dance genres such as ballet, jazz and lyrical. Although she enjoys doing all, her heart lies in the art of ballet. 

“It makes me feel strong and powerful, because you have to be a beast on the inside but you have to make it look effortless and be a swan on the outside and I think that’s really cool and I wanna do that,” Brenna said.

In order to have gotten to the high level of dancing Brenna does, she has had to have a lot of training and help, one of these people that has helped her is dance teacher Shelby Graves. Graves specializes in teaching ballet and teaches many different levels of dance classes. Graves has known Brenna for a long time and enjoys watching her flourish and grow as a dancer and a person over the years. 

“I think it goes back to her work ethic, the time that I’ve known her, her hardwork has developed her as a beautiful technical dancer and an outstanding person,” Graves said. “I feel like dance has really opened her up to all the things she has experienced, I think that the discipline of dance and ballet has made her an excellent person overall.”

Although having plenty of support and encouragement from her dance instructor, no one ever gives as much support and love than her parents. Emily Hood, mother to Brenna and her twin siblings, has constantly been there for Brenna driving her to early practices and never failing to show up for recitals. Emily is extremely proud of Brenna and what she has done in the time she has been dancing. 

“I think I’m most proud of her dedication to it,” Emily said. “I know sometimes she has challenges where she feels like she’s not doing something so well or not getting something quick enough and I’m proud of her for pushing through them and working hard and figuring it out.”

Brenna doesn’t want dancing to only be a hobby but she wants it to eventually become a career too. After high school she plans to go to college and major in dancing and someday become a professional ballet dancer. Hood doesn’t know what she would do without dance in her life, and will never forget how it feels to do what she loves most.