Dance Student Spotlight: Leilani Kalil

My name is Leilani Kalil and I am 11 years old. I live in Florida and dance at Pembroke Ballet.

@leilani.kalil

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.

I started ballet when I was 3 years old. Ever since that day, I was super passionate about it. I do 10 hours of ballet each week. I am super grateful for where I am at today, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

No, not necessarily. Ballet is a very hard sport. You have to be very dedicated and passionate about what you do. You are not always going to get everything on the first try. You have to be patient and determined to be successful, and I learned that to be true as years go by.

What personal limitations if any did you go through in your young career?

I think that it may be a good one, but it could also be not so good. I like to do many things all at once, and I realize that sometimes they may cause me stress and other times they may cause me to do great things. It all just depends!

Has anybody ever tried to limit you on what you could do? If so how did you fight it?

No, thankfully. I am surrounded by many supportive family members and friends that are by my side for every step of my journey.

How do you conquer negative talk?

I always talk to my family. They always give me good advice, and they are super caring.

What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote would be:
“The key to success is to focus on your goals, not your obstacles.” - Author Unknown

So, what’s next? Any big plans?

I am currently rehearsing for a dance recital that takes place at the beginning of 2023 and hopefully some more competitions in the future.