Being able to do what you love everyday is something many people dream to have, whether it’s loving a career, a hobby, or in junior Katelynne Wade’s case, both.

  “I like how you can express things through movements of dance, that you can’t through talking,” Katelynne Wade said.

  Starting from the young age of three, Wade had been able to find her passion for dance, and her future career goal. By dancing for 10 hours each week in the studio, plus an additional six hours a week in the school’s dance program, Katelynne learned technique and much more, that contributes to being a dancer.

  “Passion, (makes a good dancer) because if you don’t like it, you’re not going to put forward your best effort that you can. When you have passion, you really strive to learn,” Wade said.

  Cinda Wade, Katelynne’s mom, had her start dance classes early and helped her decide whether to focus on gymnastics or dance. By choosing dance, Wade was given the opportunity to make some of her best friends.

  “She has friends from her team and friends here at the dance class at school. Sometimes we stay in at lunch and work on dances, and we just have so much fun,” Nicole Bersinger, one of Wade’s close friends.

  Dancing brought these two together, from when they were in seventh grade, and it keeps them connected even today.

  “Katelynne and I actually grew apart naturally around freshman year, and now that we are both in the advanced dance class together on campus, we have become best friends again (…) and it wouldn’t have happened without dance.”

Wade has completed five dance shows, which keeps her active in school activities, and a part of the student body.

  “I don’t really have enough time (…), so just to perform and show the school (what I can do) is one of my favorites,” Wade said.

  Wade and Bersinger continue to dance together in the advanced dance class program, which is an additional class to Wade’s already hectic schedule, not including her position as a teacher’s intern, for the dance program teacher, Deserie Milburn.

  “She has such great dance knowledge, and I always try to recruit strong leaders, who can then share (that) knowledge,” Mrs. Milburn said.