"Step, step, step. And up! Down tap, tap—" The clock continued to tick. His dance instructor swayed along with the imaginary sound. "Be proud! Strut, strut and baam!"

Following the rhythm smoothly, Julien finished his performance with a shallow bow. The instructor was the first to clap his hands followed by the frantic cheering of his younger brother, Howard. "Good job. We're done for the day, Jules. You can now take a rest."

Julien didn't say thanks. He's nothing but honest— Why is he going to be grateful for this non-essential dance class? It does not belong to the top 10 things he desires to do. Not even inside the...