Flexible Online Learning Helped Turn Passion Into a Profession

For as long as she can remember, Mya Dzierzawski has loved dance.

She began dancing at eight years old and eventually found her home at Ann Parsley School of Dance and the Michigan Ballet Company, where she trained as a pre-professional ballerina under the instruction of Amber Megna-Michalik throughout all four years of high school.

Unlike the competition dance environment she started in, ballet gave Mya something deeper: purpose, discipline, and a clear vision for her future.

“I just knew I wanted to pursue a professional ballet career,” Mya said.

That dream quickly became more than just an aspiration. Over the years, Mya earned recognition at some of the nation’s most prestigious ballet competitions, including multiple Top 12 placements at Youth America Grand Prix, a Top 12 finish at the 2025 World Ballet Competition Finals in Orlando, and first-place honors in both classical and contemporary categories through the Cecchetti Council of America in 2026.

She also performed leading roles with the Michigan Ballet Company, including Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella in this year’s spring production, and both Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.

But while Mya was training, balancing elite ballet training with a traditional high school schedule became increasingly difficult. Both her art and her studies began to suffer.

“I was super stressed out,” she said. “I wasn’t able to train the hours that I wanted to, and I wasn’t able to get my schoolwork done on time.”

The pressure began affecting every area of her life. Her grades dropped, motivation faded, and the dream she had worked toward for years suddenly felt out of reach.

“My dream to become a dancer was definitely fizzling out,” Mya said. “It wasn’t something I wanted anymore.”

Everything changed when she enrolled at Michigan Online School.

The flexibility of online learning allowed Mya to build an academic schedule around the rigorous demands of ballet training while still receiving the support and encouragement she needed to succeed in the classroom.

“It completely changed the game for me,” she said.

With the ability to learn in a way that fit her life and goals, Mya found balance again — and with it, renewed confidence in both her future and herself.

Next year, Mya will continue pursuing her professional ballet career with BalletMet while also taking general education courses online through Oakland University.

“It definitely would not have been possible if I hadn’t made the switch to online school,” she said.

Michigan Online Academy didn’t just support Mya’s dance career. It also changed the way she viewed her academic potential.

For much of her life, Mya believed she was “just a dancer.” But one teacher at Michigan Online Academy, Jennifer Dunning, helped her realize she was capable of far more.

“She made me feel like I am smart, I can do this, I can get good grades,” Mya said.

After encouraging Mya to consider AP Biology, Dunning inspired her to enroll in a college-level biology course — something Mya never imagined herself pursuing before.

“It made me realize that teachers see that in me too,” she said. “I’m not just a dancer.”

Today, Mya’s story reflects what can happen when students are given access to flexible, personalized learning environments that support their individual goals and talents. Through learner choice, she was able to pursue excellence both academically and artistically without sacrificing one for the other.

As she prepares for the next chapter, Mya says she is especially grateful for the support system that helped make her journey possible.

“I want to thank my family for all the opportunities they’ve provided me,” she said.

For Mya, personalized education didn’t just make learning more accessible — it helped launch her future.