Sydney Price lunges forward and then leaps. She looks like she’s doing the splits as her body hangs in mid-air.

But what goes up soon comes back down, and when Sydney lands, her pink flip-flops slap the concrete floor with a loud thud.

Ah, the life of an 11-year-old dancer who is demonstrating some of her moves.

“I have my own little dance floor,” she says, her hands pushing back her long dark hair.

It’s in the basement of the home she shares with her parents, Lori and Rodney Price of St. Joseph, and her little brother, Zachary. And it’s complete with dance-studio mirrors.

Sydney is, after all, a veteran dancer. She learned to dance at age 2, the same age as her brother, who she now is teaching to dance.

“We make up dances,” she states.

She’s danced for several studios, including Darcee’s School of Dance and Allison’s School of Dance. But it was at a dance competition two years ago that Sydney found her present home, Priscilla and Dana’s School of Dance in Kansas City.

“They were perfect,” she says.

So, Sydney joined the studio, making the trip to KC with mom or dad three to four times a week to practice. All because she loves to dance.

Honors have followed the young dancer. There’s the Elite Top First award for her jazz solo “Going Bananas” and for her tap solo “Footloose” at the Talent on Parade competition. Don’t forget the platinum medal for her performance at the Starpower competition and the diamond award for her solos at the Spotlight competition. And, she’ll head to Daytona Beach later this month for the Showbiz National Competition.

“I feel happy that I get to do this,” she says.

And perhaps, when she’s up on stage at Daytona Beach, she’ll get to wear her favorite pink costume, one of 12.

“It’s all sparkly with rhinestones.”

But today, it’s pink flip-flops, not the best choice for dancing. But dance Sydney does, tapping to a beat that only she can hear.

She lifts up on her toes and then spins like a top.

Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached

at cathyw@npgco.com