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GROVES — Sophia Simon is all about dance.

The 12-year-old has taken dance since she was 2, takes part in competitive dance events and has not missed a day of dance since Christmas.

Last fall Simon was crowned Little Miss Mexican Heritage, so when she took part in StarQuest National Dance competition earlier this month she opted on a folkloric solo dance.

She got some coaching from the 2019 Miss Mexican Heritage Queen Ariel Wimberly, who choreographed her solo.

Simon earned platinum in the teen category.

Her mom, Lacey Simon, said her daughter has been in competitive dance for five years and they travel to take part in national competitions.

“She takes dance at June Badon Elite School of Dance and takes everything: ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, acrobatic, modern. Any class they offer, she takes,” Lacey said.

Sophia goes to dance daily and has given up her Friday nights as well as her Saturdays and Sundays to spend time practicing.

“I think she’s an incredibly hard-working kid,” Lacey said. “I couldn’t imagine being at a dance studio seven days a week. I would want to be at home watching cartoons and eating a bowl of cereal. She doesn’t miss a day.”

Sophia, the mother said, is passionate about dance and excels in the arts. While there is some time to think about career fields, she plans to tell her daughter about different colleges and the fact she can focus on the arts in higher education.

Sophia also takes part in advanced theater and advanced choir at school.

The dance aficionado said she enjoyed learning the folkloric dance and would like to learn more.

“Its really fun to do the steps,” Sophia said of representing part of her cultural heritage.

As for the future, she’d like to be on Broadway, but if that doesn’t work out she might go into cosmetology.

Her favorite style of dance, she said, is musical theater.

“All of my solos are musical theater,” Sophia said. “It’s really fun to go through the emotions and facial expressions. I’m a very upbeat person.”

The extrovert said musical theater ties in all of her favorite activities: dance, theater and singing.

Sophia has Tourette Syndrome, her mother said, and has still accomplished all that she has done.

Lacey said she is very proud to be associated with the Mexican Heritage Society and they absolutely love their dance school.

“I couldn’t ask for a better group of people for our kids to be around,” she said.

Sophia Simon is the daughter of Lacey and James Simon.