A lot of people have asked in the past few months about why I'm retiring from my 12 year career of being a professional ballerina.  In 2000, I started my professional career in NJ, and its been a wonderful 12 years!  My commute to the studio during most of those years has averaged 50 miles one way.  I arrived at the studio to the routine of plies, tendues, degages, rehearsal, lunch, rehearsal mixed with laughter, sweat and sometimes tears-- that has been my life. I don't really know life any other way. Two of those twleve years were spent rehabbing torn ACLs. Two years of physical therapy, being apart from what I love, two years spent wondering when or if I'd be able to dance again. But more than all of that, since my first trip to Africa in 2007 when I was impacted beyond words, there has been a still voice inside of me wondering how many more people would drink clean water if I had more time for COME UNITY. Each time I returned from a trip overseas I wondered, how many more girls could go to school if I invested myself in this?

So, last Saturday was my last time standing on stage in front of the applauding audience. I will miss it there--- I will miss so much about that life and the wonderful people that fill my days. Etched in my mind are so many vivid moments of this dance and that one--- inclusive of the show on Saturday, a piece that means so much to me.  Etched on my heart is how one by one they came to bring me sunflowers, a boquet from Graham, kind words followed by tears and hugs and more flowers from friends and family and long time ballet go-ers that are so dear to me.

It's time for moving forward. I am thrilled to have something to move on towards that I am so excited and passionate about. It will be a new exciting challenge to lead COME UNITY into a new phase of growth. Thank you to all who have given and invested so much in me and COME UNITY till now... As the Chris Tomlin song says, "Greater things are yet to come!..."  I can't wait!