+
upworthy
More

This ballerina inherited a love of dance from her mom, even though she's adopted.

True
Minute Maid

When you adopt a child, there’s no telling what kind of person they will be.

Their talents, their personality, their likes and dislikes — everything about them will be a surprise. So when Alison Stroming, originally from Brazil, was adopted into a family of dancers, it was anybody's guess whether she, too, would take to the stage.

All photos courtesy of Minute Maid.


Her mother, Jackie, let her try everything from horseback riding to gymnastics. But as it turned out, it was indeed dance that stuck — something she was pretty amazing at. With her mom's help, she trained extensively throughout her childhood and has gone on to dance at Juilliard, the Guggenheim, and the Metropolitan Opera.

The only drawback is that today, Allison lives and dances in Manhattan and rarely gets to see her mom, who lives in Los Angeles.

Luckily, they recently had a chance to sit down and talk, and Alison took the opportunity to thank Jackie — with a care package made of memories especially for her.  

Watch:

"What was it like the first time you saw me?" A conversation between a mother and her adopted daughter.

Posted by Upworthy on Monday, July 3, 2017

It was clear from the beginning that what Alison wanted was to dance.

But though she was clearly born with the same natural talent for dance as her siblings, there was one way in which they differed — Alison was much more shy than her four older siblings.

It was Jackie who guided her, time and again, back to what she loved. "When you would go on stage, you lost all fear," Jackie says.

Now, Alison isn't just a dancer — she's an impressive one who can even name Misty Copeland as a mentor.

She's toured across Europe with the American Ballet Theatre and currently trains at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, one of the most prestigious dance schools in the country.

Dance also would continue to unite Alison and her mom — through cross-country moves, international tours, and all of life’s obstacles — for years to come.

Throughout her life, Alison's mom was there to help guide her toward achieving her dreams.

It was Jackie who taught her to overcome her hesitations. "You go after what you want, and don't worry if it doesn't work out," she would tell Alison.

As a mom and a supportive resource for her dancing children, Jackie has clearly done an amazing job. Alison is quick to acknowledge how much her mom's help contributed to her ability to achieve her dreams. "I wouldn't be where I am today without her love and support," she said.

It can be hard to find a way to thank our parents for all they've done.

It sometimes feels like there are no words that are sufficient to express our appreciation for all that our parents do.

But Alison's story reminds us that sometimes, all it takes is a treasured memory to show them we care — and that it's not just genetics that determine what runs in a family.

Family

Mom calls out teacher who gave her son a 'zero' grade for not providing class with supplies

Her viral video sparked a debate as to whether or not providing school supplies should be mandatory for parents.

@shanittanicole/TikTok

A zero grade for not providing school supplies?

The debate as to whether or not parents should supply classroom supplies is not new. But as prices continue to rise, parents are growing more baffled as to how they can be expected by teachers to provide all the various glue sticks, colored pencils, rulers and other various items the incoming students might need.

What’s even more perplexing, however, is penalizing the children of parents who won’t (or can’t) provide them.

This was the case for Shanitta Nicole, who discovered her son received a zero grade in his new school for not bringing school supplies for the entire classroom.
Keep ReadingShow less
Photo by Kats Weil on Unsplash

Ready for a refreshingly wholesome story?

The stereotypical image we get of bachelor parties is a booze-filled evening of depravity and bad choices. Followed of course by a massive hangover…and some regrets.

And granted, there are plenty of viral videos to show that this is sometimes the case. But there are also plenty of grooms who don’t see it as their “last night as a free man.” On the contrary, they see it as an opportunity to simply celebrate the next chapter with close friends.

Case and point: a husband-to-be named Luke, who apparently couldn’t stop “gushing” about his bride, Sam. This, according to a woman also named Sam, who happened to be at the bar Luke was having his bachelor party at.
Keep ReadingShow less

Golden Retrievers are the ultimate good doggos.


If there's any dog breed that encapsulates "good doggo" energy, it's the Golden Retriever. Friendly, gentle, good-natured and oh-so-affectionate, Goldens have come by their reputation honestly. Even "I'm not a dog person" people tend to find themselves taken by Golden Retrievers, and a post on TikTok demonstrates why.

The video shared by @hugoandursula is captioned "my dog getting cuddles from strangers on the train," and that's exactly what it shows in the most adorable montage ever.

Keep ReadingShow less

A woman looking at her phone while sitting on the toilet.

One of the most popular health trends over the last few years has been staying as hydrated as possible, evidenced by the massive popularity of 40-oz Stanely Quencher cups. The theory among those who obsess over hydration is that, when you pee clear, you’ve removed all the waste in your body and are enjoying the incredible benefits of being 100% hydrated. Congratulations.

However, according to Dr. Sermed Mezher, an NHS doctor in the UK, peeing clear isn’t always a sign of being healthy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio and Andres Ayrton via Canva

Man's response to a child being told to kill himself is so wholesome

Editor's Note: This story discusses suicide. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.


Being a teenager is hard enough on its own but when you couple it with the rise of social media and sites like Omegle, it becomes even harder. Omegle is a real-time video platform that's sort of like pulling the lever on a slot machine. You never know who will appear in the little box in front of you, nor do you know what they'll say or do.

Cyber experts have warned parents of the dangers of websites like Omegle but as long as the site exists, teens will find a way to use it. A recorded video of an Omegle interaction recently went viral when posted on the Instagram page Soul Seeds for All. A young teen named Jesse, who looks uncannily like a young Corey Feldman, appears on the screen of a guy that appears to be early to mid-20s.

As soon as the Omegle video appears, Jesse informs the man, "the last person I talked to immediately told me to kill myself and then left."

Keep ReadingShow less
Identity

Neo-Nazis slowly realize this small town totally punked them

Local residents came together to fight Nazis a hilariously perfect way.

Image from YouTube video.

Neo-Nazis parade.

In preparation for an upcoming neo-Nazi march in the small Bavarian town of Wunsiedel, local residents decided to fight back in a hilariously perfect way: by sponsoring each of the 250 fascist participants.

According to Heeb Magazine, "For every metre they walked, €10 went to a programme called EXIT Deutschland, which helps people escape extremist groups."

Keep ReadingShow less