The New York City Ballet Made 12-Year-old Peri’s Dream Come True

Diagnosed at 8 months old with a rare disease in the muscular dystrophy cluster, Peri, age 12, of West Hempstead, NY dreams of becoming a ballerina. On Friday, December 30, Peri’s dream came true when she shared the stage with members of the New York City Ballet “Nutcracker” company. A California-based charity called “When U Dream A Dream” made her dream possible when they received a nomination from her orthopaedic surgeon Michael Vitale, MD, Chief, Pediatric Spine and Scoliosis Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. The charity provided tickets and the New York City Ballet provided Peri and her parents with a special welcome and magical journey backstage that ended with Peri finding herself on stage in “The Land of Sweets” with fairies, angels and other Nutcracker dancers.

In Peri’s young life, she has survived multiple hospitalizations including surgery for scoliosis that was impacting her ability to breathe. Her successful series of surgeries allows her to sit straighter, breathe easier, experience less pain and attend her own ballet dance class each week.

“It was such a wonderful afternoon in Peri’s life,” described Lori, Peri’s mother. “All the ballerinas came to say ‘hello’ and she was presented with a pair of signed ballet shoes, a book on ballet, a program of The Nutcracker and a stuffed animal wearing a tutu. Peri was so thrilled.”