Ballet has been part of my life since I was 3 and my mother enrolled this dancing toddler in a ballet/tap/acrobatics combo class. I hated ballet then. Thought it was so boring. Couldn't wait for tap and acrobatics, though!
When we moved the studio owner really instilled a love for dance and ballet that was further developed by several excellent teachers I had over the course of the next several years. We moved again to another state, but lucky us! An excellent school was only about 17 miles away--and we won the (figurative) lottery.
Our teacher --(by this time my siblings were involved as well)--has become one of the most respected in the country and turns out more professional ballet dancers than any other small school of which I've heard. It was assumed by the students that there was a career in ballet ahead, and although not everyone made it, a large percentage of us did. Myself and my two sisters all became professional ballet dancers in major companies. (Our brother became a "normal" person! He went on to college and became a school teacher, for which we are all very proud!)I've been retired for several years and continue to be involved through teaching, as does my youngest sister. Our other sister, though, continued to dance until last weekend and after a long and very illustrious career had the dream-come-true final performance
to a packed house with bouquets being thrown onstage, the audience yelling "Brava!" and many, many bows and curtain calls. Words cannot express how emotional this occasion was for our family to whom the theatre has been a second home. Who knows if any of our children will continue the family tradition? Many would not wish the instability on their children, but it was a very good life for the three of us. We LOVED what 
we did. We still do. It was and will always be a love affair we have
with ballet, dance, and all of the performing arts.
For our family it is the end of an era. But, for all of us the love of the art of ballet will last forever and between the three of us, we
will be able to spread a little of it around when we teach.
So to all of those who helped to instill this love I say "Brava!"
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Check out more of our cards and photos at
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Check out more of our cards and photos at
http://madebyswirlygirl.etsy.com
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Wow, you ARE talented. I love watching ballet, as much as watching martial arts (one of my passion). Both makes a great combination at a show performed by the Lines Ballet (of SF) and the Shaolin Temple USA monks.
ReplyDeleteI will only be able to love martial arts forever, but I'm glad you will be teaching ballet to the future generations. Brava!
Thank you! Lines Ballet is terrific! And I know nothing about martial arts, but can recognize and appreciate the similarities between the two art forms.
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