The smell of hairspray and desperation fill the room, as the dance moms go into panic mode trying to get their daughters ready for the dance recital. It was their first recital. As I looked to my right, I could see the young aspiring ballerinas admiring themselves in the mirror. All seven of them dressed in a leotard with a long romantic tutu, pink tights, ballet slippers and a flower crown to finish the look. Their buns so tight and fixed to perfection it was like I was seeing clones. The young ballerinas fluttered around as their mothers tried to sit them still, so they would look good on stage. They were innocent flowers and had not yet stepped into the real ballet world. A world full of stereotypes and judgements, where a dancer is expected to coincide with what society thinks a ballerina should look like: a petite pale dancer with long legs and beautiful lines. Those young girls are unaware of what awaits them. As they look at their reflections, I think to myself when will the barriers be broken? When will they stop judging dancers based on their looks rather than their talent?... 20 years from now, I want to be able to sit in a theatre and watch dancers of all colors share the stage. The barriers must be broken to guarantee that ballet will stay alive for years to come. Maybe then young ballerinas won’t be afraid to step into the ballet world.