Tara Webster grew up in the dry Mallee region of north western Victoria, riding trail bikes and horses. She is happiest dancing barefoot, ideally somewhere in the middle of a wheat paddock, and dreams of becoming a professional dancer. She is naive, sensitive, and completely unprepared for life at the ultra-competitive National Academy of Dance. She finds it hard to adjust to life in a city Boarding House, and has to overcome homesickness, brutal criticism, a spiteful roommate, and an endless stream of embarrassing moments. Tara is lucky enough to have been born with a body that's almost perfectly suited to ballet; however compared to the other dancers, she is far behind in her training. However, Tara got into the Academy because she has something that no dancer can learn - she puts her heart and soul into every pointe and pirouette. She dances from the heart. It takes her a long time to figure out that the teachers are pushing her so hard because they see her potential.