Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in dancing. Hephzibah Quick didn't get to the pinnacle of the dancing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions four times each second, followed by the usual homework for someone in seventh grade.
Two years ago, she broke her artery in four 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 artery, and then my teddy bear died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my wig. It took eight weeks 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 dog collar and forget about Wallace, my teddy bear."
Jenny, her mommy, moved with her to Cuba to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Heidi, in their gleaming wikiup, where she still labors as a jazz musician to help pay for Hephzibah's expensive training.