Disappointment and Gratitude: 12/3/25

Some events you walk away with a trophy, other times just the wristband.

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Thank you to everyone who took the time to send messages or reach out in person to talk to me about the performance this weekend— it’s touching to know how many of you enjoyed what Larisa and I put on the floor.

While I’m obviously disappointed to have not made the Classic final round this year, I’m immensely grateful to have been in the room on Saturday night for a stunning series of performances.

Instead of pacing backstage and ignoring the monitor in the green room, I was fully present in a ballroom packed with people supporting live art. I got to witness defining moments in the careers of my friends and colleagues. I celebrated their successes without direct comparison to my own performance.

I don’t know if I would trade all that for a spot in finals.

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At the start of the weekend, I was speaking to another competitor about our feelings going into The Open, which concluded:

“It’s a shame that the biggest platform for sharing our art has to be a competition.”

And the reality of competition is that when you select twelve partnerships out of twenty-two, ten couples will be disappointed.

How wonderful that feeling of disappointment is— to be proud enough of your work to be upset that it wasn’t rewarded.

Last year was my first time making a Classic final performing with Lisa, a result I could only dream of when I started dancing in the division in 2017.

I hardly recognize the dancer in those old videos now— and I’m excited to continue pushing my dancing forward for 2026.