Everyone has their thing—their hobby. It’s the thing that people always associate them with. For example, when you think of Michelangelo, you may think of art and medieval times—or a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Look around the school. The guy sitting by the teacher’s desk? He bakes. The girl sitting in the back of Chemistry class? She plays lacrosse. The group of kids in the commons breaking out in song? You guessed it – show choir. Even though these activities don’t define them, they’re all a big part of their lives.

    For senior Kylie Gainey, that activity is dance. For 11 years, she’s tapped, tendu-ed, and twirled across the stage.

    “I moved here from California in 1st grade, and my mom was kind of just like, ‘You have to find an activity to do,’ so I guess I said dance, and here I am,” Gainey said.

    She found that activity at Ballerinas Academy of Dance, located in Noblesville just off of 37. Owner and Artistic Director Becky Van Briggle met Gainey in 2006.

    “My first impression of Kylie is one of a wide-eyed and happy child with loads of beautiful long hair,” Van Briggle said.

    Over the past 11 years, Gainey has taken up ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and even hip-hop. Recently, she’s also assisted with preschool and jazz class.

    “Overall, I’m [at the studio] for about 24 to 25 hours a week,” Gainey said. “The most I’m there [at one time] is about 4 hours, which is three classes…if we’re preparing for a show, I could be dancing for 12 hours on a Saturday.”

     Gainey still manages to complete her school work, even though she spends most of her time at the studio. “If I get a 20 or 30 minute break, I’ll do my homework or catch up on what I need to catch up on,” Gainey said.

    But no matter how much time she spends dancing, she always enjoys how personal it is.

    “Dance is a very personal sport, I think. With a lot of other sports, [you have] the team support and you’re about trying to win as a team and be together as a team. And [with] dance, a lot of it is personal. You get as far as you want to get.”

     Sophomore Emma Hoffsetz has been dancing with Gainey for 8 years, which is Hoffsetz’ entire dance career thus far.

    “[She] is always motivated. You can always see her striving to do more turns or hold something longer,” Hoffsetz said. “She never stops pushing herself, and [she] is definitely a leader.”

    Gainey has been a leader since the beginning of her dance career.

    “I remember [at my second recital] I told a girl where to go on stage because she wasn’t in the right spot,” Gainey admitted with laugh.

    Aside from being a leader, Gainey is also a great role model and friend to Hoffsetz.

    “Kylie has been my rock since day one, and if I ever have something I need to talk about, she’s there. We go out on long drives every so often on Friday nights to rant about anything and everything, which is definitely the highlight of my week,” Hoffsetz said.

    Gainey plans on attending Purdue University this fall to study sports medicine.

    “If my body can’t dance any more, I want to be a resource for other dancers,” Gainey said.

    Hoffsetz will miss her next year, but she know that if anyone can handle the pressure of sports medicine, it’s Gainey.

    Van Briggle feels the same way.

    “We will miss her next year at Ballerinas, but we wish her every success and happiness in the next chapter of her life.”