Janet Andrews. Photo courtesy of nola.com.

Janet Andrews,61, was an aspiring dancer when she was younger but her mother discouraged her from pursuing a professional career, according to this article on nola.com.

So Andrews, who lives in New Orleans, earned a master’s degree in social work at Tulane University and worked with recovering addicts. However, the job eventually burned her out.

“This was where people went after they had a problem,” she said. “I wanted to work with people before they had a problem.”

However, Andrews is continuing her passion for social work and dance. She founded the New Orleans Dance Collective, an organization that brings dance to disadvantaged children. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana recently awarded Andrews with a $20,000 Angel Award so she can continue her work.

“My inner-city kids come in with bad attitudes and all kinds of negativity,” she said. “My dance lessons become a group therapy session where my students can air out their frustrations and dance their blues away.”

Cheers to nola.com for highlighting Andrews’ story.