Tulsa Girl Accepted to the Prestigious Dance Theatre of Harlem

Alise Armour: "when you finally get to your stage the lights are on you and there's just a feeling that takes over everything."<br/><br/>For a dancer, the stage holds a special magic. One Alise Armour

Sunday, May 22nd 2005, 6:14 pm

By: News On 6

Alise Armour: "when you finally get to your stage the lights are on you and there's just a feeling that takes over everything."

For a dancer, the stage holds a special magic. One Alise Armour is just discovering. The 13-year-old had tried on several different sports, track and field, gymnastics, and swimming but nothing quite fit. Until she slipped on her ballet shoes.

Alise Armour: its so graceful

But starting at the beginning wasn't easy.

Alise Armour: when I was in level one I was 12 and everyone else was 6 and 7."

Alise Armour:I was just determined to get out of level one and two just so i could be with people my own age and then i did so i'm pretty comfortable with where I am now."

The hard work paid off. Alise skipped two levels in less than two years. And now she's won a spot in a summer program at the prestigious Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Alise Armour: being there for two months and dancing every day from 2-5:30...oh god it'll just make me such a better dancer."

Alise Armour: "I have to give all the credit to Tulsa ballet their training is the best Tulsa has to offer and she's an example of that."

Alise's mom Wanda Armour hopes this experience will encourage her daughter to pursue dancing as a career.

Wanda Armour: "if she could go to new york and train with other african american dancers who were serious about their craft then she would become more inspired and dedicated to continue on."

Alise is still young, but she thinks ballet might be the career for her.