World's First Muslim Hijabi Ballerina Shows How Beautifully Cultures Can Merge

14-years-old Stephanie Kurlow is the world's first Muslim hijabi ballerina. And that didn't just happen when she put a hijab on. Her struggle to balance a lifelong dream of becoming a ballerina with her beliefs started when she was only 9 and her family converted to Islam.

As you probably know, hijab is an important article for Muslim women to practice their beliefs, but that bit didn't convince ballet teachers across Sydney, Australia to allow it to be worn in classes. After struggling to find a school she would be accepted in, Stephanie launched a Kickstarter campaign and raised over $7,000 to use for private tutoring. It was a long road, but she pulled through, showing a dedication that she summed up perfectly with the quote she gave to CNN: “I think it’s really cool and amazing how ballerinas never show pain. We could be bleeding in our shoes and never show pain.”

Now she's on her way to becoming world's first professional Hijabi ballerina as well as becoming a beacon of inspiration to all the others who struggle to be connected with their communities despite their ethnicities or religious beliefs. She even hopes to open up her own dancing school one day, tailored for a diverse youth: “This school will have special programs for specific religions, support groups for our youth and people who are from disconnected communities,” she said in her LaunchGood campaign. “I will provide for our future generations a chance to express and heal themselves and others through the magnificent art of performing and creativity.”

(h/t: huffingtonpost)

14-years-old Stephanie Kurlow is the world's first Muslim hijabi ballerina

Her struggle to balance a lifelong dream of becoming a ballerina with her beliefs started when she was only 9 and her family converted to Islam

Ballet teachers across Sydney, Australia didn't allow hijab to be worn in classes

So Stephanie launched a Kickstarter campaign and raised over $7,000 to use for private tutoring

She summed up her dedication perfectly with the quote she gave to CNN: “I think it’s really cool and amazing how ballerinas never show pain. We could be bleeding in our shoes and never show pain”

She's also becoming a beacon of inspiration to all the others who struggle to be connected with their communities despite their ethnicities or religious beliefs

She even hopes to open up her own dancing school one day, tailored for a diverse youth

"I will provide for our future generations a chance to express and heal themselves and others through the magnificent art of performing and creativity."

For yet another different perspective on ballet, take a look at these Cuban dancers who showed off their skills on the streets.