At three years old, junior and JV dancer Briana Pinto began her dancing career in children’s tap and ballet. At first, it was just a thing to keep a young child active, but 13 years later it has become a sport Pinto has fallen in love with. For Pinto, dancing is more than just a hobby; it is an escape from her worries. When her life starts to get stressful, she can turn to dancing to help her.

“It’s something I can do when I’m stressed,” Pinto said. “It allows me take my mind off things and not worry about it.”

Pinto knows that no matter what is going on in her life, she can go dance and it will make her feel better. Whether Pinto is by herself, or with her team, dancing makes her happy.

This passion carries over into her dancing career at Antioch Community High School, always bringing a smile to the competition floor and to her teammates. Being on JV makes no difference to how Pinto feels about dancing. Pinto has found not many people bring up the difference between her, her teammates or the Varsity dancer’s skill levels.

“Everybody is just like ‘she’s a dancer’,”  Pinto said.

Pinto’s teammates agree with this idea of not being treated differently but the concept of being on JV does not change Pinto’s attitude towards dancing or her teammates.

Junior Lea Fanella has been one of Pinto’s teammates and friends since their freshman year and applauds Pinto’s positive attitude. Fanella said

“Pinto is a great person inside and outside of dance. She is funny, caring and very easy to talk too,” Fanella said. These positive traits are displayed while they are dancing as well.

“She really cares about everyone doing well,” Fanella said.

According to Fanella, Pinto is one of the first to want criticism to help improve the team, striving to help her team and herself become better dancers in order to lead the team to bigger and better goals. When times get tough for the team, Pinto lightens the mood.

“Brianna is a great teammate and leader,” Fanella said.

Pinto’s teammates are happy to have her on their team. The team will not be the same without her in a couple years when moves away for college.

Although Pinto will be leaving ACHS in another year, she is hopeful to continue dancing in some way or another. According to Pinto, she is unsure whether or not she will dance in college or on an official team. She knows she wants to continue it, even if it is just in a studio. Pinto’s love for the sport could not keep her away from dancing for long.

“I just want to keep pursuing dance, because it is one of my favorite things,” Pinto said