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Nine-year-old Hazel Rose O’Neal of Andalusia is ready to take her biggest stage yet after being accepted to the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive in New York City.

The invitation to join one of the nation’s most prestigious ballet training programs July 7-11 is a dream come true for the young dancer. She auditioned in March and recently found out she made the program.

“I was beyond excited, surprised, and a little nervous too. I hope they notice my potential. I want to learn new techniques and really hope this opens the door for more opportunities in the future,” Hazel Rose said.

Hazel Rose, who recently completed the third grade as an online homeschool student, first became interested in ballet when she was three years old.

“I was obsessed with the movie ‘Leap!,’ which is about a girl who is an orphan and her journey to become a prima ballerina. It’s a musical adventure that follows Félicie, an 11-year-old from rural France, who despite lacking training, works hard to compete for a lead role in The Nutcracker. I watched that movie every day for the longest time when I was little, and it really inspired me to start ballet,” she said.

Hazel Rose has been dancing with Andalusia Ballet since the age of four.

“I can be super creative through ballet and am a very emotional person. Dancing allows me to express my emotions,” she said.

Her journey has been a testament of hard work and perseverance along with the love and support of her family.

“They support me financially and drive me back and forth to all my classes and competitions. My mom also encourages me to set intentions and think positively about all the good things that are happening. Having their support means the world to me,” Hazel Rose said.

Hazel Rose also expressed her appreciation to those she has worked closely with during her time at Andalusia Ballet.

“I love all my teachers. They teach me about hard work and discipline, and we have fun, too. I can tell they really care about each one of us as dancers, and that makes me feel so loved and inspired,” she said.

She added that her favorite ballet move is the leap.

“I’ve always loved doing the leap. It feels amazing and like I’m flying.”

Although small on the outside, Hazel Rose’s ambition is anything but that on the inside.

“Ballet is really my only hobby because I love it so much—well, dancing in general. Honestly, I dance all day long even when I’m doing school. I might even dance when I’m not supposed to maybe sometimes,” she said.

With even more dreams planned for the future, the sky is the limit for this nine-year-old girl. She has aspirations to make it shine and influence children with similar interests.

“I hope to take on more challenging roles in the future and want to keep dancing after school. I’d really love to be on Broadway one day. I hope to inspire other kids by inviting them to our local performances with Andalusia Ballet and by sharing my journey on social media, including our trip to New York and my experience with Joffrey Ballet,” Hazel Rose said.

Hazel Rose is the daughter of Josh and Leigh Anne O’Ferrell and Hoyt O’Neal with three sisters: Addison, Mary Kate, and Charlotte and two brothers: James and Everhette.

She raised funds for her trip during a lemonade stand at her home during Memorial Day weekend. The public is invited to contribute donations in cash or through Venmo @LeighAnne-OFerrell-1. Leigh Anne said that additional money past the amount needed for the trip would be donated back to the community.

“We are so proud of Hazel Rose and excited for her to have this wonderful opportunity to study in NYC,” Andalusia Ballet Artistic Director Meryane Murphy said.