Sara Johnson

Grew Up… with her mother, who was always loving and supportive of Sara’s dream to be a ballet dancer. While Sara’s mother was driving to watch Sara’s Julliard audition, she was killed in a car accident, which caused Sara to feel so much guilt that she gave up on her ambition of dancing professionally.

Living... with her father in Chicago. Since the death of her mother, Sara has been forced to move in with her mostly absent father.

Profession... student and outcast in her new urban Chicago high school. Luckily she befriends teen mom Chenille, who invites her out to a dance club.

Interests... dancing. Sara has been a ballet dancer her whole life, but it wasn’t until going to STEPPS, a dance club, that she was introduced to hip-hop dancing. Seeing that she has trouble letting loose with her dance moves, Chenille’s brother Derek offers to help Sara work on her hip-hop dancing.

Relationship Status... in a complicated relationship with Patrick. Things are great when she and Patrick are alone together, but Sara doesn't understand why their relationship is sending everyone into a frenzy. The black girls hate her for taking one of the “best” black guys off the market, and the white guys can't stand seeing her with Derek. As she complains, “We spend more time defending our relationship than actually having one.”

Challenge... mourning her mother’s death while pursuing her passion for dance. Derek has helped Sara find the motivation to keep doing what she loves, convincing Sara that her mother would still want her to follow her dream even though she’s gone. However, Sara feels out of practice and only has a handful of weeks to prepare for her upcoming Julliard audition, which she is determined to crush this time.

Personality... humble, passionate and sensitive. Sara has serious trouble adjusting to life without her mother cheering her on. She is a talented and passionate dancer, but without her mother, Sara finds it hard to believe in herself. In addition to teaching Sara to incorporate hip-hop into her ballet dancing, Derek inspires Sara to work hard and not give up on the lifelong dream she deserves to fulfill.