Teen dancer wins scholarship for NYC summer ballet program

TAMPA (FOX 13) - An extraordinary and talented teen dancer is making big moves in the ballet world.

With dedication and devotion,14-year-old Dominika Afanasenkov is dancing her way to the top. 

The aspiring professional ballet dancer started dancing when she was two, after going to the ballet with her mom.

"We went and watched Borchardt Ballet perform Nutcracker and I just fell in love with it," Dominika said.

Her passion, talent, and hard work earned Dominika a scholarship to the School of American Ballet in New York.

"It's an amazing opportunity, it's one of the best schools in the world," Dominika said.

Philip Neal is the artistic director for Next Generation Ballet. He believes she has the right stuff to be a great dancer.

"It takes a lot of things to make a perfect dancer," Neal said. "It's like a perfect recipe and she really has them all - and then, on top of that, trickle that with modesty and dedication."

Dominika says she got her will to succeed form her dad, Dimitri Afanasenkov. He played with the Lightning Hockey team in 2004 when they won the Stanley Cup.

"His determination and his career really helped me when I was down," she said. 

 Dominika will spend the summer in New York. She competed against thousands of dancers from around the world to be one of 300 dancers to participate in the prestigious summer program.

"The energy and the happiness and the emotions are something that is very special to me," Dominika said. "It makes me happy inside and I can't stop thinking about it."