LOS ANGELES, March 28, 2012 – The path to American citizenship is not an easy one. Regardless of who you are, the legal immigration process in the United States is complicated, lengthy, and costly.
Becoming a U.S. citizen is simply not available to many while for many immigrants, becoming an American citizen is a dream come true. For dancer Snow Urbin, the dream recently became a reality.
Snow Urbin was one of the most memorable contestants on Season 1 of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” where she ended up placing fourth. The Siberian-born dancer and choreographer would later tour with DWTS before lending her expertise as a judge for another show entitled “Dancing with Chicago Celebrities.”
Lithe and pretty, she has always considered the stage her home; at the age of three, she had already enrolled in folk, ballet, jazz and modern dance classes with her mother a choreographer in her own right to guide her. Urbin practiced four to six hours per day on her craft, specializing in both Latin and Ballroom dancing, and she began actively participating in dance competitions as the age of five.
She won the Russian Juvenile Junior championships in Ballroom and Latin, after which she and her dance partner were invited to train in the U.S
US citizenship offers several significant benefits to living in America. The process of naturalization provides a person from visa status to new US citizen with virtually all the same benefits and privileges of US citizenship enjoyed by those born in America.
Having citizenship, one can enjoy the right to vote in this country, the right to take full part in the United State military, the right to run for most public office except the president of United States you have to be born here for that one.
Citizenship allows you the right to travel and live outside of the United States without losing your citizenship status.
Immigration is always a hot-button topic in this nation, with many xenophobes fanning the flames of fear regarding dangerous, lazy, unprofitable persons seeking to immigrate in order to benefit from the welfare system. Urbin could not be more opposite of that portrait.
In America, Snow went on to have a hugely successful amateur career, winning the U.S. Youth Latin championship and competing in the Ohio State Ball, in the Manhattan Classic and the Amateur Latin Dance Championship.
Urbin was also honored to represent the United States at the World Latin DanceSport Championships on four separate occasions. She has taught children and teens at Rising Stars Academy, where she met her fellow “Dancing with the Stars” competitor Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
The two have danced together for many years as partners and teachers they have won many international dance titles.
On that day Snow Urbin was sworn in as an American citizen, more than four thousand people were sworn in with her. Seventeen years after beginning the process, she took the oath with tears of joy.
Snow is a testament to the fact that the immigration system in America, while far from perfect and while taking far too long to complete, does indeed work when people like Snow are allowed to take part of our Great Experiment. Snow is an illustration of what can happen in our nation for immigrants with hard work, determination, talent and a willingness to play by the rules rather than skirting them.
This dancer instructor, physical trainer and neo-celebrity should serve as an example to us all. Snow Urbin, new American citizen, is a star and not just because she dances with them.
Watch this video and see Snow Urbin become an America Citizen.
Find Snow Urban Facebook Twitter @snowurbin
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