There came a point a few years ago where I sort of dispelled the idea that I would get a promotion.

It's like when you know you'll never get something, and then it just sort of happens right in front of you is - I was speechless.

I'm adopted.

My first two and a half years, I was in foster care.

My now mother adopted me and immediately whisked me to the Hamptons.

We're not wealthy by any means, but she had some friends that had places up there, so.

My mom always noticed that I had a way of moving on the beach.

And I loved to run, and I loved the wind.

My mother had a ballet, a ballet class in her school.

She's an educator.

And so she would put me in that class.

But it all really started at the beach.

19 00:01:07,566 --> 00:01:10,300 I've had a long journey with Incubator.

It was led by David Hallberg.

He had this big dream of nurturing choreographers within ABT.

David then had taken on the role of artistic director at Australian Ballet, so they needed a new person.

And Kevin, at the time who was the director, had asked me if I was interested.

What I've loved is how it's changed my existence within a work setting.

So I now feel like I have a complete understanding of how both sides of the room work.

I understand the stress, the struggles of a choreographer getting their piece.

It was nice to put my two cents into it, so to speak, and help guide and nurture these new-ish choreographers and bringing their, you know, thoughts and ideas to life.

I've always been a more giving person generally.

I wanted to always be someone who could provide, help, nurture, care for.

That's me.

That's my DNA.

I can't, I can't change that.

I think the lack of opportunity I was sort of given in my time was something that I'd wanted to avoid for others.

I started Hamptons Dance Project with the idea of opportunity.

I wanted to provide opportunity to my fellow colleagues to be able to work with choreographers they wouldn't normally get to work with.

And for audiences out in Long Island.

To give them an opportunity to see, sort of, ABT dancers from a different vantage point.

I feel really fulfilled.

I feel like I've done something.

I've helped somebody.

I've changed something.

It has been a long time.

I've been in the company a long time.

There came a point a few years ago where I sort of dispelled the idea that I would get a promotion.

I was doing featured works.

I was getting to work with amazing choreographers, so I was very happy.

And not that I lost hope, but I just sort of dispelled the idea.

When the promotion actually happened, psychologically, I didn't really know how to handle it.

I immediately started crying.

The promotion was a total surprise.

Susan started talking about this person that she wanted to promote, and in my mind, actually, I thought it was a friend of mine.

And then she said my name and the overwhelming of emotions just poured out.

And then on top of that, everybody, like, stood up for a big applause and - almost makes me want to cry, but.

The love and support from all my colleagues and everything was so heartwarming.

It was a really, really emotional day.

I cried all day.

My mom, who's like my biggest champion, cried all day.

I was exhausted the next day, and I had to still rehearse.

And it was just a really, really magical moment for me.