I see a lot of myself in the role I am portraying in this ballet. I came from a very small town in Brazil, where everybody knows everybody, and just like the girl from Whispers of the Soul, I did not want to stay there. I wanted to experience more than just what my small town had to offer, and with that I ended up not liking it as much.  Katie (Coastal City Ballet Artistic Director), Mr. Li (Founder of Coastal City Ballet), and Mauricio (Artistic Director of Promodanca, the festival where I was invited to train at Coastal City Ballet) are my “Butterflies” – they guided me and gave me the opportunity to get out of my hometown and see more. After being away from home I have learned that I really love my family and I am proud of where I came from.  I love all the new experiences I have been able to have, but I also will never forget my origins. I am so grateful to my family and community that I grew up in for all their support and for making me the person I am today.