Learner Spotlight: Priscilla Pope

My name is Priscilla Pope, and I am 17 years old. I have been dancing since I was just two! I grew up performing with the Santa Clarita Ballet Company and studied under the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum. I hold each of my examinations with distinction and have trained at numerous ballet intensives. After performing many lead roles with the Santa Clarita Ballet, I was accepted into the Colburn Dance Academy’s pre-professional program. I have received multiple scholarships for dance and have also placed and participated in numerous dance competitions. I am extremely grateful to be a brand ambassador for PerfectFitPointe and Zarely Dancewear. I am currently in the process of applying to ballet companies and colleges across the US, some of which include the University of Utah, Butler University, Marymount Manhattan University, Indiana University, and Texas Christian University. I plan to double major in both business and dance.

I joined the iLEAD family in my junior year of high school, after finding out about my acceptance to The Colburn School. Attending iLEAD has been a true blessing and has helped me balance both dance and school. Furthering my education is so important to me, so having the flexibility of online learning has helped me achieve my scholastic goals, all while keeping up with my rigorous dance schedule. It has also given me the availability to give back to my community as a volunteer and maintain a part-time job. I currently work as a waitress at Chi Chi’s Pizza in Santa Clarita and actively volunteer with The Red Cross, The Gentle Barn, and as a Real Life Church youth leader. I opened my own small business (Priscilla’s Shoe Sewing Service), where I sew pointe shoes and teach young dancers how to properly sew their own. All of these achievements would not be possible without the support and flexibility of iLEAD Exploration.

Since I was a young girl, I have always been independent and ambitious, wanting to explore the world on my own, in hopes to figure out who I want to be. Now, as a young adult, I see myself as a leader who inspires others to be the best version of themselves. I am an acute perfectionist and am always setting higher goals for myself. While I have major dreams, I always hope to be a source of kindness and compassion. My ultimate goal in life is to open my own studio one day so I can teach and inspire future generations of dancers. I want to help others find the same love of dance I have found over the years, and I want to create a space where dancers feel welcome, encouraged, and challenged. I am so incredibly grateful to my teachers/mentors at iLEAD and every dance teacher I’ve had thus far. Without them, I would not be where I am today!