As soon as he started taking lessons at Ballet West Academy, 8-year-old Lucas Horns was hooked. He decided he could be a professional dancer, and a decade later, his dream came true. Now 24, Horns is in his sixth season with Ballet West.
But shortly after joining the company, Horns found himself in a “dance bubble,” aware that his life was revolving around his art. “It’s really easy to get pretty obsessive about ballet,” he said. “You can end up eating and breathing ballet.”
In volunteering, he found a new passion. Now Horns spends every Sunday staffing the front desk at a shelter for homeless youths in downtown Salt Lake City and running a support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients there.