The ballet lesson that changed my life

Every once in a while we stumble across a story so beautiful,so life changing and so inspirational, it would be the biggest shame not to share it with fellow dancers and dance lovers.
This is one of those stories that literally makes me cry every time I read it. A friend, who I am privileged to say has taught me a few dances for school competitions, Julie-Anne Oberholzer, kindly let me share this story. Her Instagram account is @julzie_obrhlzr

Here it is:

For those who know me, I am a Tap teacher. Tap is my forte and comfort zone. It is what I am known for. The intricate rhythms and beats, timed to perfection with (or without) music. Tap is what gets me going. However, Dance is my passion and I am trained in other genres, of which Ballet is included. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Ballet, but revert to the first sentence and you’ll figure out I much prefer other genres. I always struggled to connect with Ballet; struggled to connect my heart to the technique. It is much easier to connect to an emotional Contemporary dance piece, or an upbeat Jazz number. All it took

was one lesson, and my heart made the connection.

To try paint the picture for you, just a few key notes to this melody – 

The resident Ballet teacher at the dance school had recently had a bad run with illness. She was booked off for close to a month. During this time, I was covering her classes. I had noticed that two of the students who were with us last year had not yet returned for classes this year. Let’s call them the Mitchell* Family. The Mom in this family had been fighting for her life last year, struggling with breast cancer. Often we would see her come to the studio with her daughters, and each time was harder and harder. The last time we saw her was at the studio production last year, where she sat in the audience in great discomfort, but was there to watch and support her daughters doing Ballet. They are true inspirations of bravery, resilience, strength and positivity.

On this particular Monday evening, I was finishing up the class prior, when the studio owner came in and asked if I had anyone for the Open Ballet class. Now as a dance teacher, it is usually slightly discouraging when only one student/client shows up for class. She mentioned the Mitchell Mommy was here to do Ballet. I went to say hi and realised she was there with her husband and the two daughters I had missed in class. With that, she says she has always wanted to do Ballet and never got the chance. As I brought her to the barre, I hear her eldest daughter say “Don’t worry Mom, I’m going to dance with you so you don’t have to be scared to dance alone.” I was very careful not to push her too hard and worked out a simple Port De Bras in the centre for her. When we stopped for a break, I asked how everything was going. She had been through chemo, radiation, and reconstructive surgery, and as of the end of January, she was done with all of it. She had been given the clear to start exercising, and this class was one of the first things she came to do. Every time I looked at her in the mirror, I could not help but smile at the way she was beaming. Her husband kept popping in to check up on her andwhipped out his phone to take a video of his wife fulfilling a life-long dream. When she saw him, she immediately blushed, but I encouraged her to push on and dance. Her daughters kept their eyes on her- their Mom; their superhero. We got to the end of the routine, and she went to hug her husband. He clung onto her, tears welling, with all the love, admiration and appreciation he has for her and her life and their family.

She then turns to me and says how beautifully I dance…. ME? This lady who has overcome the extraordinary, compliments me? ME?! The overweight, unfit, hasn’t-done-ballet-full-out-for-years teacher who is better known for her tap skills, and she compliments me?

SHE was the stunning one. SHE was the one who danced more beautifully and gracefully than any prima ballerina I have seen. To date, without a doubt, the most stunningly beautiful woman I have had the privilege of encountering.

THIS is why I love what I do. THIS is what drives me. It is because of people like HER and the dozens of other students that have come through my classes. Each and every one brings a unique and spectacular encounter. It is true what they say – You learn so much more through teaching. The fact that I have the incredible opportunity and platform to create experiences like this for others is more valuable than I can begin to articulate. No, I
am not the greatest teacher and I have loads to learn, but I am passionate, and the Mitchell Mommy was a clear reminder of why I do what I love.

In that instant, I was humbled, grateful, challenged. I am forever changed. Heart connected to head. Heart forever connected to Ballet. I drove home that night smiling through a well of tears. My husband didn’t know what to make of it when I got home! All I could do was sit down on the couch and tell him about the Ballet lesson that changed MY life.

If you have a similar story of how ballet changed your life or someone’s life and you can share please send an email to dancegrace2@gmail.com.  If the subject is happy with it the story could be featured on my blog.
Equally as important, let me know by blog comment or email what you thought of this story!

It’s so good to hear about our love,our passion but also how ballet changes our lives!

*Story used with permission*