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Sofie Treibitz began ballet at age 2 in McLean. Now, after years of training, she is performing professionally with American Contemporary Ballet in Los Angeles.

In early June, Treibitz is dancing in a program combining “The Euterpides” with George Balanchine’s “Serenade,” the influential 1934 ballet set to music by Tchaikovsky.

The move has placed Treibitz at the center of a far different entertainment scene. She has spent about a year in Los Angeles, where her company performs in a CBS studio—the same building used to film “Dancing With the Stars.”

“I always get excited,” she said of encountering celebrities there.

Treibitz has also visited the Hollywood sign and participated in two high-level photo shoots with professional photographers known for magazine covers, including Vogue and Vanity Fair. The productions featured makeup artists, costumes and the polished atmosphere of a red-carpet event.

“Both shoots that I have been part of were way above things I’ve experienced before,” she said.

Despite the Hollywood surroundings, Treibitz said performing remains her priority.

“Ballet was always my focus. I love to perform,” she said.

Her path began with local classes, including training at Adagio Ballet School in McLean, where she appeared in an end-of-year recital in 2009.

Life in Los Angeles has also brought difficult moments. Treibitz was not directly affected by the region’s massive fire, but she saw its impact on fellow artists. She helped sort donated goods at a local YMCA as part of the response.

“The fire was scary,” she said.

Her mother, Kelly Treibitz, said ballet has taught her daughter lessons that extend beyond the stage.

“Ballet has offered Sofie the opportunity to work with so many other talented, dedicated professionals all over the country,” she said. “She has learned to persevere when things get hard and appreciate the positive in every situation.”

Treibitz is also embracing Southern California life away from the studio by taking surfing lessons—adding a new kind of balance and movement to her repertoire.