From First Twirls to Five Years of Ballet: Elizabeth’s Tutu School Cary Story

Some ballet stories begin with a carefully planned first class. Elizabeth’s began because a not-quite-two-year-old spotted some very special tutus from afar.

In June 2021, Elizabeth and her family were visiting the North Carolina Museum of Art when they happened to cross paths with Tutu School Cary dancers arriving for our outdoor Bravo Bash performance. Elizabeth immediately noticed all those dancers in their recital tutus.

Her parents asked if she might like to try dancing one day.

She said yes.

A trial class followed—and, as her family puts it, “it was love at first twirl!” 

Elizabeth officially began dancing at Tutu School Cary in July 2021, when she was just 22 months old. Five years later, she’s still here—now a first grader who has grown from one of our tiniest dancers all the way into our most advanced division.

And what a joy it has been to watch.

Growing Up at Tutu School

Elizabeth’s family affectionately calls her a “joy tornado”—a description that feels pretty perfect for a little girl who pours her whole heart into the things she loves: puppies, singing, friends, school, family and, of course, dancing.

Over five years at Tutu School, we’ve had the privilege of watching all that joyful energy grow right alongside her ballet.

The toddler who first entered the studio has gradually developed greater coordination and increasingly sophisticated ballet skills. Today, Elizabeth will happily tell you that some of her favorite steps are pas de chat and grand jeté—although skipping across the dance floor and bubbles still rank pretty high on her list.

And perhaps that’s one of the sweetest things about growing through the Tutu School program: the ballet grows with our dancers, without asking them to leave the magic behind.

Ten Bravo Bashes—and Counting!

Remember those Bravo Bash tutus that first caught Elizabeth’s eye?

She’s now worn quite a few of her own.

Elizabeth has performed in an incredible ten Bravo Bash recitals, and her family has photos from each one—creating what they describe as a documented history of her growth in six-month intervals. 

For Elizabeth, performing is one of her favorite parts of ballet. Her parents say she has never hesitated to hop onto the stage when her name is called. She loves having family and friends there to watch, getting a new tutu, earning her performance gift—and cheering for her fellow dancers when it’s their turn to shine.

For her parents, those performances have offered a front-row seat to something even bigger.

We love seeing her work hard to learn a dance and do something that she loves come to life on stage.

Confidence That Travels Beyond the Ballet Studio

Of all the ways they’ve watched Elizabeth grow, her parents say one stands out most: her confidence.

From her earliest Tutu School classes, dancing independently gave Elizabeth opportunities to become comfortable being seen by others. But she got to practice that in an environment where, as her parents describe it, “perfection is not expected and each accomplishment is celebrated.” 

Over the years, they’ve watched that confidence follow her beyond ballet.

It shows up when Elizabeth performs on other stages. When she raises her hand and asks questions in public settings. When she participates in activities at school. Even when she confidently steps into an important role like being a flower girl in a wedding.

That is one of our favorite things about watching a dancer grow through Tutu School. Ballet may be what brings them through our doors each week, but what they practice here can become part of how they move through the rest of their world, too.

Still Twirling, Still Dreaming

Elizabeth is still twirling through her Tutu School years, although she does have some big dreams ahead… 

For now, she still looks forward to seeing her teacher, Ms. Mayerlin, each week. She still gets excited for Bravo Bash. She’s still learning new steps, developing her technique and discovering what she can do.

And after five years, her review of Tutu School Cary remains wonderfully uncomplicated:

I love Tutu School so much. It’s fun and I am excited to dance each week!

As for where all that confidence might eventually take her? Elizabeth has some pretty big ideas.

My big dream is to become a singer and perform for audiences like Taylor Swift.

And we love that.

Because perhaps the most beautiful measure of Elizabeth’s five years at Tutu School isn’t whether her biggest dream ultimately happens in ballet slippers. It’s watching a little girl who once noticed some beautiful tutus from afar grow into a child who feels at home onstage—and dreams about performing for an audience of her own.

For now, though, we’re very happy that she’s still twirling right here with us.

Happy five years of Tutu School, Elizabeth. We can’t wait to keep watching you grow. 🩰✨