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15-year-old Lizzy Howell doesn’t understand why photos and video of her dancing are suddenly gracing everyone’s social media channels.
The teenager has been dancing ballet ever since she was five years old, so she isn’t “sure why it’s such a big deal.”
This is why: Howell doesn’t have the typical thin, willowy body type typically assumed of a ballerina. And she’s not letting that define her ability to dance or enjoy dancing.
“I enjoy the emotional release [ballet] gives me,” she explained. “If I had a good day, I go to dance. If I had a bad day, I go to dance.”
Although Howell is able to say this now, she confesses that she did have some difficulty finding a ballet studio that would take her seriously and not criticize her because of her weight.
“My previous dance teacher would tell me that unless I lost weight, I would have the same roles in the Nutcracker for the rest of my life, because the costumes wouldn’t fit me,” Howell said. “At my current studio, they work with me, to give me a part I can not only handle, but that they can make a costume for.”
Despite what you might see on Howell’s social media channels, it hasn’t been easy for her to get past all the negativity. Howell has had to learn to move past it and really focus her mind on why she dances and why it continues to be so important to her.
The teenager also suffers from pseudotumor cerebri, a medical condition where pressure builds up inside the skull, but seemingly for no reason. Howell has to take medication to keep the headaches under control, and dance helps her keep her mood (and anxiety) level.
So while Howell doesn’t quite understand all the hype around her, she does enjoy the thought of being a role model for other girls,” I like being a role model to others, especially to younger girls struggling to find themselves.”
Watch her do some amazing fouettés here:
