On Point

Like so many 3-year-olds, Ashley Anderson knew what she wanted to be when she grew up from the moment she watched “Swan Lake” with her grandfather. But unlike so many girls whose dreams of dance give way with age to more conventional aspirations, Ashley left her Northridge home last month to begin a yearlong stint as an apprentice dancer with the American Ballet Theater--one of just 13 international students asked to join the famous company.

Ashley’s accomplishment highlights the happy results when talent and dedication converge. At 17, Ashley may be too young for college or the job market, but her mastery of ballet’s mental and physical rigors reveals a maturity and focus not often seen in young people. Her skills will be challenged further in the months ahead by a program that demands dancing eight hours a day, five days a week.

Ashley’s journey from the suburban streets of the San Fernando Valley to the bright lights of New York City demonstrates what can happen when young people and their families allow dreams to burn. A little girl really can grow up to be a ballerina. Or a doctor. Or a firefighter. But never chasing a dream is the one sure way to let it slip away.