TINY teenager Hannah Kritzeck loves singing, ballet and dancing to hip-hop, despite being just 39in tall. The 19-year-old was born with primordial dwarfism, a rare condition that only affects about 100 people in the world, which causes short stature and health problems, including the threat of brain aneurysms and a shortened life-span. Hannah, who wears children’s size four shoes, has to bravely face the reality of her condition, while also dealing with the normal teenage challenges. A new film follows Hannah as she prepares for graduation from high school, choosing a career, dreaming about boys and finding a date for her end of year prom. The bubbly teen, who weighs just over two stone, also spends her free time taking hip-hop and ballet classes and has her own voice coach. Hannah was adopted by Jackie and Larry Kritzeck at birth and grew up in Minnesota, USA, but she soon learned her normal teenage experiences were going to be different from those of her friends. Her condition comes with many medical needs including annual MRI scans to check for the possibility of brain aneurysms and because her teeth and mouth are so small she has dental implants. She also developed scoliosis and had two titanium rods placed in her back when she was young. But despite the limitations posed by her condition, Hannah has never let it get in the way of her passion for dancing. * Little and Looking for Love is on Wednesday February 11, 9pm, on TLC
People do still think I'm like 5, even little kids think I'm like 5.
And I tell them that I'm 18 and they'll be like, wow, you're short for being 18.
Now 19 years old, Hannah Kritzik is just under a metre tall.
She was born with primordial dwarfism, a rare genetic disorder which only affects around 100 people worldwide.
Just because I'm small, I'm no different.
Hannah faces a shortened life expectancy and lives every day like it's her last.
Despite her condition, she's on a mission to become a star with her enormous talents.
Hannah lives in Hugo, Minnesota with parents Jackie and Larry and dogs Princess and Ella.
Despite being an adult, she weighs just under 30 pounds and wears children's size 4 shoes.
Hannah's passion is performing and she attends dance classes with other students her age.
It makes you feel good, like hip-hop makes me feel strong and ballet calms me down.
I'm going to like travel, like dancing, I'd like to be in movies, like ballet, all that.
Even though her body is the size of a young child, she has no trouble keeping up.
Obviously there's a size difference, but that really doesn't stop her.
She can definitely freestyle, probably better than a lot of the other dancers here.
She's a triple threat, she can sing, she can dance, she can act.
Yeah, she can do all the stuff we do in dance, like there's not like much she can't do, so she does it all.
And like most teenage girls, Hannah's other interests include shopping for clothes and hanging out with her friends.
She's the same as any teenager would be, because she loves dancing, she loves singing, she likes boys.
Today I didn't really.
But while hanging out with her friends helps the bubbly teen to feel more normal,
there's no escaping the attention her unusual condition brings.
People do still think I'm like 5, even little kids think I'm like 5.
And I tell them that I'm 18 and they'll be like, wow, you're sure about being 18?
Primordial dwarfism is still not fully understood by medical professionals,
and few people with the condition live into their 20s.
Because of her delicate situation, Hannah and her mum Jackie have an extremely close bond.
I know I have a special bond with her, she's kind of like my sidekick.
We just do everything together, the problems, the risks are going to be always there.
And yes, that does worry me a lot.
Hannah does have a dream to have her own family, to have a husband, to have a child.
I guess the delving on the life expectancy, that's the part that just, don't like to talk about it, do need to face it.
So, we're just going to live each day like there isn't one tomorrow.
I mean, that's all you can do, live to the fullest.
And Hannah understands the gravity of her situation.
I do have to go to a lot of doctors, I have lots of problems.
I have to check my blood pressure a lot.
You never know if something's going to go wrong.
But the seriousness of her condition hasn't stopped her making plans for the future.
I'd like to have a boyfriend.
He needs to have blue eyes, brown hair, mohawk, an earring.
He has to be tough right now.
And cute.
Perhaps because of her uncertain future, Hannah relishes new challenges.
And isn't afraid to put herself in the spotlight.
I'm going to be a sports coach.
Exactly, this is why I love what you're doing.
I want to be a swimming coach.
I want to travel, like dancing.
I would like to be in movies.
I want to dance, like ballet.
And she has an inspirational message for others wanting to make every moment count.
Don't give up the dream thing, just keep trying.
