Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre corps member Caitlin Peabody was dancing famously at her small variety-dance school in Derry, New Hampshire, as a young student. She had so much potential that her instructor encouraged her to audition for Boston Ballet's summer intensive, and she was accepted. Months earlier, she had starred as Cinderella in her school's production. But when she reached Boston, the competition was such that she was placed into the program's lowest level. “I was not where I should have been for my age," Peabody says.

Perhaps you've had a great year at your studio. When you rehearse your variation for The Nutcracker, the younger ones sit cross-legged on the floor watching in awe, and you feel the tiniest air of jealousy from your peers. But being at the top of your class back home won't exactly help you improve. For many hometown heroes, assessing the competition at a large summer program can be a bitter reality check. Rather than grow discouraged, here's how to use the experience as an opportunity for growth.