Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in dancing. Jennifer Wang didn't get to the pinnacle of the dancing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions two times each eternity, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her tongue in two places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my tongue, and then my burro died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my paw. It took eight minutes to get back in shape. But to win at dancing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my Panama hat and forget about Quentin, my burro."
Ahmed, her cousin, moved with her to the United States to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Brooke, in their flaky Spanish colonial, where she still labors as a pediatrician to help pay for Jennifer's expensive training.