Thirteen years ago, sophomore Sophia Gasset’s mom enrolled her in ballet class for fun, and she fell in love with dance ever since then.

Gasset has been dancing at the Academy of the Arts dance studio located in Shawnee, Kansas, since she was two and has been on the dance team at school for two years.

“I do all styles of dance,” Gassest said. “Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Hip Hop and Tap.” 

According to Gasset,there are certain styles of dance that put Gasset in a different mood and speak to her more. 

“My favorite style of dance would be lyrical because it is a very flowy kind of dance and you can express your emotions,” Gasset said. “The music is very calming for lyrical and I just enjoy it.” 

One of Gasset’s lyrical solos last year was a very memorable dance for her because it was about her fight with scoliosis. 

  “‘Warrior’ was about my back problems and when it got so bad I did not know what to do about it, I thought it was my fault and I was weighing myself down,” Gasset said. “But through the dance I got to express myself straying away from all these feelings and how I became a stronger person out of it.”

Gasset beamed with excitement when she said she has had the same duet partner for seven years.

“My duet partner is Lilly Theiam, she goes to St. James, and we have been best friends since kindergarten,” Gasset said. “We will probably be partners till the day we die.”

Gasset’s life is surrounded by dance, but the hobby is something that she enjoys so she keeps up with the busy schedule. She splits her time between Miege and her studio throughout the week.

“I dance four days a week and every day is kind of different,” Gasset said. 

Being a competitive dancer, Gasset’s weekdays are full, but sometimes she is also busy during the weekends with dance.

“Sometimes I have practice on the weekends as well, or sometimes we will have competitions all day it just depends.”

While involved with a studio dance company and a school dance team, Gasset finds balancing everything to be a little difficult, but she said she loves it so much she does not want to stop. 

“I know school comes first, and I get home really late but I make my school work my priority,” Gasset said. “I know if I do not do it before anything else then it won’t get done, so I make myself do it first.”

Gasset said she sees dance in her future for college and as a career.

“In college, I hope to minor in dance or join my company,” Gasset said. “I want to own my own studio or be a choreographer for someone.”