02/12/2026
Briley Hensley, 17, has been dancing nearly her whole life.
She knows falls happen, especially to dancers. What she didn't expect was a fall in November 2023 that led to two surgeries on her ankle and stopped her from dancing for nearly two years.
Briley had her first, tight-rope surgery in March 2024; the device failed and broke apart in her foot, leaving her to need a second surgery that October. She has been in physical therapy since.
"I was nervous when I first visited," Briley shared, "I was unsure if I would be able to dance again, let alone at the level I was when I got injured."
When she started physical therapy, Briley couldn't walk, run or even stand for long periods of time without pain. She turned to Ellen Vogt at our Lexington - Bryan Station center because Ellen regularly works with dancers to get them back on pointe.
With Ellen's help, Briley worked hard in physical therapy. She focused on her range of motion and strength and eventually was able to put on her pointe shoes for the first time in two years. While she's not fully back to 100%, she is continuing to work towards that goal.
"I feel much better and much more confident," Briley said. "I'm very excited to continue dancing and continue working to get back to where I used to be."