Sand Springs Teen Lives Dream At Tulsa Ballet

An 18-year-old from Sand Springs says she's living her dream.

"I've always wanted to dance with Tulsa Ballet," said TyLeigh Baughman.

She knows the hallways and studios at Tulsa Ballet like the back of her hand.

"I joined when I was 8 years old. As soon as I joined, I knew this is where I wanted to be," Baughman said.

She came to every summer camp, and she enrolled in the Ballet's Center For Dance Education. The staff could see she had something special.

"They started putting me ... working with the Second Company while I was still in school," Baughman said.

The second company is Tulsa Ballet II. It's the pre-professional company of Tulsa Ballet.

Then she was promoted. She joined second company full-time while in high school.

She finished high school online so she could devote full-time to dance. After a couple years, she got called to the boss's office.

"Oh my gosh, am I in trouble...?" Baughman said she thought.

Actually, she was the first Tulsa Ballet professional to have spent her whole career with Tulsa Ballet.

There may be another TBT professional in one of these studios, but Baughman will always be the first.

"I'm just pretty lucky to have grown up here," Baughman said.