For Abigail Williams, her future revolves around her love of story.

"I've always been entranced by stories in any medium," she said. Williams hopes to double major and double minor once she reaches college: with majors in English and linguistics and minors in piano and ballet.

Perhaps it should be no surprise that Williams has a preferred seat in all of her classes: front row, just left of center.

Williams has studied at Pellissippi State since last fall as a Dual Enrollment student, allowing her to earn high school and college credits at the same time. This semester is her last as a home-schooled high schooler, and she's applying to a number of colleges with plans to attend one in the fall.

For Williams, the relationship between English and linguistics and piano and ballet is more than a connection in, say, a liberal arts department or through an artistic talent. It's about the power of stories.

"I love stories, and I love how, with dancing, you become the story. You portray the story. It's a bit like acting where you have to embody a certain character," Williams said. "To get into character, you have to find this attitude and confidence, and have a passion to want to do it, then just go out on stage.

"The outfits help. They give you a form to put your character into. Plus, pointe shoes make you feel confident and tutus make you feel powerful," she said. "It's not that you aren't yourself, it's that you're more than yourself."

For Williams, the long hours spent practicing dance are all worth it -- because it's her passion.

"I think it's beautiful. I lose myself in it when the music is playing and I'm moving, and I like how I'm lost in it."

For Abigail, success might be causing her audience to gasp and applaud -- as they did when she lifted another dancer during a recital -- but personal success is measured not by comparisons to others, but by her own standards.

"I know when I've done something right. I know when I've pushed myself toward a certain goal, or when I can do it and no longer make mistakes. For me, success isn't doing it right the first time. It's working at it until you can't do it wrong." 

Last fall, Williams loaded up her schedule with five courses, but she never regretted it, even when she added that to her dozen-or-so dance practice hours per week.

"I do really like Pellissippi State. I've had many great teachers here; it's really great to have someone who specializes in a topic to talk about it," she said. "It's stretched me a bit and got me out of my comfort zone, but I really enjoy it."

Someday, Williams hopes to teach her love of dancing to others, particularly to young children, as she currently does at her dance studio.

"It's beautiful getting to work with little girls and boys and seeing them acquire this passion for dance."