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North Las Vegas ballet teacher puts students before health

Posted at 7:06 AM, Sep 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-22 14:26:48-04

A ballet teacher in North Las Vegas is putting her students before her health. Now, parents want everyone to know what she's is going through as she prepares for a big recital.

"My eyes will be fine one day. I know that and I want to make sure they -- oh my goodness you're making me cry -- and I just want to make sure they're able to grow. They're so good. I want to be here for them," said Bernadette Sanders, the director of the North Las Vegas Ballet Theater.

Sanders started losing her sight four years ago and it keeps getting worse. That never stopped her from teaching.

"This is our third studio in North Las Vegas, but we've been in North Las Vegas the whole time," said Sanders.

Sanders laughs a lot, even though she can no longer drive or even go to the movies. In class, she relies on touch and memory.

"I know [their] body shape. I know them. I can tell their body language. I know how they're feeling by their body language," said Sanders.

Parents and students adore her. She loves the students so much; when they can't pay for a class, she lets them come for free.

"I don't want to stop with them because, yeah, they're worth it," said Sanders.

She's put her life on hold for her ballet kids. There's a surgery that could help her eyes, but money is too tight for her to consider it.

Sanders doesn't cry much with the big recital just months away. Her strength makes a pirouette or plié look easy.