“Sophie walks in the room and kids
gravitate toward her,” Crawley said, noting
that Sophie is attuned to how her dancemates
are feeling. If one of them appears
upset, she immediately tries to talk to them
or help them.
Crawley described Sophie as “spunky,”
“a joy,” and “a very pleasant young lady.”
Sophie puts in hours of practice (her
Monday night choreography class alone is
two-and-a-half hours) but her ability goes
beyond hard work, Crawley said. “She’s
talented and she enjoys it,” she said. “In
her soul, she loves it.”
Sophie’s parents fully support her dancing
was a dancer from childhood through the
college she attended — the University of
in a Mommy and Me class when Sophie
was two-and-a-half. Since then, Sophie
has not stopped dancing. It’s the only thing
she’s ever wanted to do, her parents said.
“Sophie’s super competitive and super
empathetic,” said her dad Mike, noting
the winning combination of traits that
was also mentioned by others who know
Sophie. According to Mike, his daughter
is ambitious, precocious, and fearless.
“Sophie loves to win,” he said.
85
REMARKABLE RESULTS…
At the Showstopper dance competition in April in Orlando, Sophie, then
nine, performed a lyrical dance called “Heaven” with two of her friends,
Laney Rosenberg and Millie Snead — both of whom are a year older
than Sophie. In the girls’ division, which was competitive duets and trios
performed by nine to 11-year-olds, the trio ranked “platinum,” the highest
rating dancers can get.
At this competition, Sophie also performed in two additional group dances,
one with four other girls, and one with three others, in her division.
Sophie also competed in the “teen” division (ages 12 to 14), as part of a
group dance with 11 other girls.