FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Laura Catherine Hilley has been dancing classical ballet since she was 3 years old, so it should come as no surprise that she is pursuing a career as a professional ballerina. The 16-year-old Fairhope resident has been accepted into a year-round training program at the Houston (Texas) Ballet Academy. While there, she will continue her academics and practice her art.

“She attended her first ballet at 18 months,” said Joy Hilley, Laura Catherine’s mother. “She saw a friend perform with the Mobile Ballet, and she was absolutely mesmerized.”

In fourth grade, Laura Catherine briefly considered playing basketball instead, but ballet instructor Kimberly Sears instilled in the young girl a renewed interest in dance.

“She was able to connect the body with the movement, and that really clicked for Laura Catherine,” Joy said.

A member of the Mobile Ballet Co. since age 11, Laura Catherine has danced in its productions of “The Nutcracker,” “Cinderella,” “Dracula” and “Sleeping Beauty.” The two years of instruction she will receive in Houston will build upon her previous experience.

Laura Catherine entered the pre-professional program late last month. It includes 22 classes a week (Monday through Saturday), for a total of 30 to 40 hours of dance instruction.

Joy said, “A part of ballet is muscle memory. You need time in the shoes. The ballet world has changed professionally, and younger and younger people are coming into it. Two years will enable her to audition right after high school.”

In the meantime, Laura Catherine will also hit the books at night and on weekends, studying such typical high school subjects as English, math and history. Her mother believes the talented teen is up to the challenge.

“Since this is her heart’s desire, we feel God has given her everything she needs,” Joy said. “Dancing depends on your body type, musicality, discipline, giving up a lot of other things and having the brain for it. You’re learning multiple ballets at a time and multiple parts. The seasons are so compressed. There’s a lot to remember. You have to have a passion for it. You have to love it.”

Joy and her husband, Joe, adopted Laura Catherine when she was 5 ½ months old. She is a native of Shaoyang, which is in the Hunan province of China. They later adopted her brother, Jack, at 4 ½ months. He was born in Katmandu, Nepal, and is now age 12.

Being raised by a loving American family opened up many opportunities for Laura Catherine, and receiving the letter notifying her of acceptance into the prestigious program has been a highlight of her young life.

“It was a bunch of feelings,” Laura Catherine said. “I opened it at a stoplight. I was shaking. I started crying. It was the most amazing feeling ever.”

Although excited, Laura Catherine admits being slightly overwhelmed about the prospect of moving to the next level.

She said, “It’s a little bit intimidating – just the shock of it. I was a little nervous at first, but it took about a week to get used to it.” Laura Catherine had visited the academy this summer, and now has three ballet intensives (relatively brief technique training programs) already under her belt.

She said dancers who take part in summer intensives need much stamina, because the programs can be physically taxing. The year-round academy will not be much different in that regard, and on-campus exercise facilities include top equipment. Pilates classes are offered as part of the program.

“It helps your core,” Laura Catherine said. “Every dancer’s body is different, and knowing your body helps your dancing. You don’t want to develop muscles in areas that will become problematic. But you don’t want chicken legs.”

Laura Catherine is petite, a fact that might have sidelined her if she had put away her ballet shoes in favor of high-tops while in elementary school. She was then at a point in her life where her love of ballet had waned, and a need for team sports had developed.

“I’m very competitive,” Laura Catherine said. “When I’m playing a boy game, I have to win.”

She added, “Every single dancer has a burnout point where they ask, ‘do I want to do something else? Is it worth it?’ Some burn out completely. I haven’t had a burnout point since then.”

The Houston Ballet program is designed to accommodate a student at their current level of artistry for two years, while they work toward personal and professional growth. Dancers are ranked at levels 1 through 8, and Laura Catherine is currently a level 7.

“I’m about the third-youngest in my class right now,” she said. “The fine line in ballet is level 7 and up.” She noted an individual’s instruction “depends on what they need and how things work out.”

Laura Catherine attended Christ the King School in Daphne from kindergarten through fifth grade, and has been homeschooled since then. She is now a high school junior.

Asked about higher education, Laura Catherine said, “I’ll probably defer college. You can decide to become a doctor at (age) 40, but you can’t decide to become a dancer at 40.”

Her parents will live in Houston as well, and she will work toward eventual college attendance under their tutelage.

“We as a family want to support her in this,” Joy said. “We want to protect her as a family.”

The expenses tied to the family’s relocation, along with the costs directly related to ballet, are high though, and Laura Catherine’s family set up a website to help them raise the needed funds.

Joy estimated at least $15,000 will be needed to keep Laura Catherine outfitted in leotards and ballet shoes, and cover living expenses. In fact, a dancer can wear out a pair of shoes each week, she noted.

“We hesitated when we established that site,” Joy said. “Historically, the arts have been funded by donations. We are supported by churches and other organizations, so we think we’ll be fine. People of faith can pray for us.”

To learn more about Laura Catherine’s story and to see how you can help, check out her Web page at www.indiegogo.com/born-to-dance.