Students explore the themes of loss, courage, and new beginnings through the story of a young woman whose dream of becoming a prima ballerina ended with a rejection phone call at age fourteen. Through Christina’s experience, students hear how the loss of a dream, combined with difficulties at home, led her to a place where she had nothing left to lose, and how auditioning for a theater program she never planned on opened a new path forward.

Participants identify four story elements within the narrative and reflect on the people who challenge them, the difficult moments they have faced, and the lessons they have learned from their peers.