Aptadance

Today while telling my students about this great woman, I googled her on my tablet and up came this tread. Although this topic has not been touched on in years, I feel compelled to add my experience with Madame. I was one among her last students. In a ballet world that in the seventies/eighties had few people of color, she built me up by telling me about Raven ( years later I would understand she meant Raven Wilkinson). One day while I was at the barre Madame stood beside me looking at me intensely, I started to sweat not knowing what I was doing wrong. As I waited for the correction , she spoke in a tone almost as if she was deciding my future "You will teach" she said. From that day on, with great pride she started to teach me to teach others. I don't know if anyone is still out there but I want to thank you for the fond memories, and to gold comb, thanks after all these years you reminded me of why I do what I do and the way I do, from terms like ironing board , old ladies to "No chi, chi!". Even with my modifications through the years my style is still very much hers, and I as one of many survivors pass her legacy to my "babies".