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6. "for me, it's always been a creative outlet and an incredible tool for instilling so much confidence." The platforms' youthful audience appreciates the behind-the-scenes camaraderie with other dancers and his playful athleticism, such as running on a speeding treadmill in sky-high pink stilettos. During Black History Month, he does dedications to other dancers, which he says give him a lot of joy. Touching glimpses into his personal life have included his journey to recovery from ankle surgery 18 months ago and his father's presence in town to be there for him. When Watters merged his dancing with the authenticity he shared online, he brought both aspects of himself onstage. The result was more confidence — and more roles. "The first work I really danced in was when John Neumeier cast me as Puck in his A Midsummer Night's Dream. I thought it was a mistake — I'm not like that at all. But I realized I didn't have to be what I thought was Puck. I can be Harper as Puck. What would I do? How would I react? And when I first did the Prince in The Nutcracker, I thought, 'I'm not a Disney prince, but I can be as Harper. How would I make that first gesture? How would I look at the Sugar Plum Fairy?'" Each role, he says, gave him a little bit more confidence for the next one. "I used to think solos are about impressing," he says, "but when you think of it as for yourself, at least for me, they're less intimidating and way more enjoyable." Two seasons ago, he performed the role of Blue in Welch's Tu Tu. "It was my favorite solo. I remember when I first joined the company, they did Tu Tu. I was in Houston Ballet II, and I said, 'I'm going to do that one day. I have to.' And then I got to do it when it came back into season." H arper Watters began dancing at age 6 and started taking classes at the Portsmouth School of Ballet in Dover, New Hampshire, at age 12. Four years later, he arrived in Houston for the Summer Intensive Program with the Houston Ballet — and he never left. After two years with the pre-professional second company, he joined Houston Ballet as an apprentice and was appointed to the corps de ballet in 2012. Since his promotion, Watters says, "I started doing more. I'm so eager to take "When I first did the Prince in The Nutcracker, I thought, 'I'm not a Disney prince, but I can be as Harper. How would I make that first gesture? How would I look at the Sugar Plum Fairy?' " —Harper Watters Gucci wool double-breasted suit $5,700, wool shirt $1,400, and wool necktie with horse pattern $240, at select Gucci boutiques. Loewe scarf coat $4,850, and cotton jean $990, at the Loewe boutique, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue.