A passion for ballet, hard work, perseverance and talent has won 18-year-old Brittane Hughes a place at the BalletMet Dance Academy summer program in Columbus, Ohio this month. Brittane will train for five weeks in the Pre-Professional division. Her goal is to become a professional ballet dancer.

"I love ballet - it's my favorite thing in the world!" she said.

"Dance is pretty much my whole life," she continued. "It always has been. It makes me try harder at school; it gives me more drive to get through stuff. I know if I don't go to school, I can't go to dance, so I always push through so I can go to dance."

That drive has really paid off. "The past two years have been the best years I've ever had dancing," Brittane said. "But it's hard. If you can't take people saying 'No, No, No,' it's probably not the sport for you."

She said this year was a high point for her. "I worked really hard - and auditioning for colleges is not easy."

Neither is auditioning for summer intensives like BalletMet, Brittane said. "When I first started auditioning for summer programs, I got rejected quite a few times," she said.

She added it was hard to tell her friends when she didn't make it.

BalletMet ranks among the nation's 15 largest dance companies, and its dance academy is among the five largest professional dance-training centers, according to information at www.balletmet.org.

Brittane auditioned for the summer program in February of this year. "The training is well known. I've heard lots of good things about it," she said.

Participants at the BalletMet summer academy take classes at least five days each week. They study ballet technique, pointe, repertoire, as well as modern, jazz and character dancing. Other courses include dance history, nutrition, music, yoga and acting.

At least one participant will be chosen to be a BalletMet Company trainee for the 2008-09 season. The Pre-Professional division will perform at the conclusion of the program on Aug. 1. Brittane hopes she will impress the teachers and the choreographers enough to be selected for a duet or solo performance.

During the school year Brittane dances three hours a day, six days per week. During the summer she attends a 90-minute class every day. The BalletMet Intensive may require five to six hours of dance each day, if not more, Brittane said.

It was her competitive spirit that originally ignited Brittane's passion for dance. "My sister got a perfect attendance award - she went to every single one of her classes. I got really jealous when she got the award. I thought, 'Hey, maybe I'll get an award!' and I didn't. I thought, 'I want one of those!' and that made me really get to all my classes," she said.

Brittane said her 14-year-old sister Breanna is now a Level 10 gymnast. "She's really good," she said proudly.

Brittane started competition dancing with the Northland School of Dance in Champlin about 14 years ago. She decided to focus on ballet and began attending the Minnesota Dance Theatre & The Dance Institute four years ago. Brittane performed in Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy the last two seasons.

Her teachers do not give a lot of compliments, Brittane said, but in the end, it's worth it. "I'm not trying to say my teachers are mean - I love my teachers to death. They are great and they have made me as good as I am."

Since competition for a position in a professional dance company is fierce, Brittane said you have to be realistic that you may not win placement with the company of your choice.

"You find a company that looks like you could be in it and go to their summer programs, audition for them and make them know you are interested," Brittane said. "If they see you and like your dancing and work ethic, they may ask you to stay and train with them in the future," Brittane added.

Brittane is grateful to her parents. "My parents support me so much. I've never had a job; I don't have the time when I am training and going to school and studying. They support me. They say, 'Do you want to go do this for the summer? We'll help you.' They are really great," she said.

Her mother, Michelle Hunger, is a former figure skater. Michelle said she's proud of her daughters and wants to support their dreams. "Not many people can follow their dreams in life," she said. "I think it's great Brittane is getting a chance to go after her dreams."

Brittane said she still has time for a social life. "I've got my friends and they understand that dancing is something I want to pursue in my life, and that I have to train really hard. They know it's what I want to do."

Brittane advises other young dancers to "be strong, be healthy, try hard in class, have good technique and a good facility. Follow your dreams. Audition at places - and always get to classes. That's really important. If you don't go to class you can't get better. Work hard, and don't give up!"

Brittane plans to attend the University of Utah this fall. She will pursue a double major in ballet and political science/history.