From Daytona Beach to Kansas City to Nashville to Seattle, with bag packed he navigates the airport, boards the plane, looks out the window at the city he’s leaving, anticipating the city to which he is traveling. He works a grueling weekend, squeezes in meals when he can, survives on minimal sleep, bandaids sore feet, spends as much time as he can with the other Collective members, builds relationships with the faculty and gives high fives, words of encouragement, and genuine smiles to every dancer he encounters. Every interaction fuels him, every dance step validates and reaffirms, every moment is a moment he wants to live in for as long as possible.

Lucas’ energy outsizes him, is shared freely and is wonderfully contagious. People tell me what a talented dancer he is but more often they will tell me what an incredible person he is.

After 6:30 am call times, rehearsals, assisting, running competition, meetings and 1 am bed times and after watching the Super Bowl, he ended the long weekend taking a hip hop class because he was in Seattle and a friend was teaching and you seize every opportunity.