Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/778575
t m c » p u l s e | j a n / f e b 2 0 1 7 5 "It gives me motivation to keep working and dreaming, to get higher and higher, because now you are an example for the new generation," she said. "I want to show that you can achieve your dreams. Even when I was little, I remember dreaming about all of this, and now that I have it, I just feel like I've been completely blessed." It hasn't come without hard work— countless hours of it. González's workday begins at 10 a.m. with a prep conditioning class that lasts an hour and a half. It is followed by rehearsals—six solid hours of learning and practicing choreography—and usually ends around 7 p.m. The training schedule puts enormous pressure on the dancers' bodies; add pointe to the equation and every square inch of their frames, all the way down to their toes, demands constant maintenance. "I think not many people know that it is actually really hard," González said. "When you come to a show you see a beautiful performance and we make the dancing look easy and smooth, but it takes a lot of training." Outside of her schedule at the Houston Ballet, González prac- tices Pilates and yoga and stretches religiously. "I feel like that's my secret: stretch- ing after. Even before I go to sleep, I have these little things next to my bed that help me stretch my calves, and I think that's what keeps me out of inju- ries," she said. "I always say that our body is our tool, so if it's not in the right condition, it's hard to perform your best." Balanced nutrition is crucial for elite athletes like González, who, thanks to recent tracking on an Apple Watch, learned that she can burn nearly 600 calories in just one class. González makes it a point to eat healthy, consum- ing plenty of fruits and vegetables, but she'll also allow herself burgers and plates of pasta because, as she puts it, "We actually need to eat a lot." She and her fellow dancers love coconut water and peanuts, too. "We can't have bigger plates while we're rehearsing, so you always have to be snacking," she said. "That's our routine." It's exactly that regimen, her days in the studio and the hours upon hours of training, that she cherishes most. Every new ballet begins with a clean slate and, soon enough, she's learned a new dance by heart. "I don't know if it was destiny or if it was God, but I feel like there's somewhere my life is supposed to go," González said. "I don't actually know what I would be doing if ballet didn't happen—I can't even imagine. I know I've worked really hard to get to where I am, but I also feel like there's a plan for me." Professional Science Master's Program Building a career in science through a balanced curriculum R I C E U N I V E R S I T Y • H O U S T O N , T E X A S advanced science and engineering courses strong industry ties highly- respected faculty integration of technology and business practice solid employment record management training Choose from 5 programs: 2-year program communication enhancement corporate internship Bioscience & Health Policy Environmental Analysis & Decision Making Nanoscale Science Space Studies Subsurface Geoscience profms.rice.edu Karina González in Houston Ballet's Romeo and Juliet. Credit: Amitava Sarkar, courtesy of Houston Ballet.