MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – It’s a little under 700 miles from Andrews, South Carolina to New York City, New York, but if you’ve ever been to both you know they’re a world apart. However, this fall there will be a new connection to the two and it starts with the ‘shag’ and ends with the most prestigious performing arts school in the world. 

“I would use the word surreal,” said Lindsay Phillips mother, Brooke Phillips. “You don’t, dreams are wonderful things, and as parents you want to nurture those dreams and you hope your children reach for their dreams and they succeed, and then when they reach this moment, and do it. It’s just surreal.”

Two-thirds of Lindsay Phillip’s life has been spent twisting, turning, and pirouetting. She knows she can dance, and so does Juilliard. 
“I’m very excited to be pursuing that,” said Lindsay Phillips. 

Lindsay’s journey started when she was six-years-old. 

“Here she is in Hemingway at a shag festival,” said Brooke, “and up on stage, and the teacher says ‘your daughter loves it,’ and it just grew from there.”

“I never thought this is where I’d be where I’m at when I started dance when I was six years old,” said Lindsay.  

From rec-dance in Andrews, to the Coastal Dance Centre in Myrtle Beach, to the last three years at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, and now to the Juilliard School. 

“Yeah there’s still some nerves, but I’m also very excited,” said Lindsay. “I mean with anything new there’s always going to be some because you don’t know what to expect.”    

“She’s no longer my daughter when I watch her on stage,” said Rodger Phillips, Lindsay’s father. “It’s like she transforms into a performer. And even though I’m her dad, I simply become an audience member. And I’m kind of mesmerized, like is ‘that my daughter? That’s my daughter,’.”

From a sleepy town to one that doesn’t sleep, Rodger and Brooke are ready to send Lindsay off, but for now they’re just going to enjoy their next few months together before they slip slide away.

“From the moment they’re born you’re trying to slow down time,” said Brooke. “And it always seems like time’s what you run out of.” 

Lindsay is just one of 24 students from around the world and one of just 12 women to get in to the Juilliard School of Dance. 

It is very expensive, and while Lindsay was accepted to the school back in March, they waited until late April to commit, because of the tuition. 

The estimated cost of attendance is over $300,000 for all four years. 
Lindsay did get a scholarship through Juilliard, but the remaining costs will be around $160,000. 

If you’d like to help get Lindsay to Juilliard click here to get to their GoFundMe page.