'It shouldn't matter how much I weigh' 15-year-old ballerina becomes an inspiration for people of all sizes
'Stereotypes are made to be broken'
A 15-year-old girl has opened up about becoming an inspiration for people of all sizes to dance, after her ballet videos went viral.
Lizzy Howell, who lives in Milford, Delaware, got the attention of the internet after sharing a video of herself performing a series of perfect turns, which has since been viewed over 100,000 times.
Commenters have showered the young dancer with praise for her form, with one exclaiming: 'You are so beautiful, and so inspiring!💜💗💜' and other adding: 'Congrats! Great inspiration and role model!'
Lizzy's follower count has since steadily grown, and now she's opened up to the Daily Mail about the sudden influx of attention and why she's thrilled to be breaking down stereotypes.
'My video has been shared all over the world, which is a big thing for someone where I live,' she said.
'I enjoy most of the comments saying I'm an inspiration for people of all sizes. I really like being called an inspiration, it makes me feel better about myself and what I'm doing.'
'However, I do not like when people say, "Oh my gosh I can't believe she's better than me!" That implies that plus sized people can't dance, and it makes me feel self conscious,' she adds.
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
'It shouldn't matter how much I weigh, the only thing that should matter is my passion for dance. I am trying to lose weight. I know it will make me a better dancer, as well as make me healthier. Losing weight is hard!'
However, Lizzy says that she does manage to shrug most of the negative comments off - when someone wrote under her video: 'Kids, this is how hurricanes are made', she says she laughed for 10 straight minutes and then responded: 'Don't you mean tornado?'
And her advice for any young dancers struggling with body confidence? 'You will have to work twice as hard for everything that everyone else gets, but it will be worth it in the long run to prove the "haters" wrong,' she concluded.
'Do what you love and don't let anyone stop you.'
Trusted, informative, and empathetic – GoodToKnow is the ultimate online destination for parents. At GoodtoKnow, our mission is 'simple': we're trying to make sense of parenthood. On the site, you'll find everything you need for a happy, healthy family life. Our huge archive of content includes more than 18,000 articles and 1,500 how-to videos. These include expert-backed advice features on parenting, dealing with relationship changes after having a baby, self-care for mums and managing your family finances. We also feature tried-and-tested product reviews and buying recommendations for every stage of family life - from prams and Moses baskets to birthday gifts and top toys.
