It’s a rare thing to see me doing ballet these days. Here in this Parisian flat, one thing led to another and I started dancing. Josh encouraged me to dance for some photos, and then we captured it on video. It’s not often I get to be in a big open room like this one, 5 flights up above the busy streets and all the windows open to let the essence of my favorite city fill the air inside and inspire me. Jazz plays on the radio, and a little old lady watches me from her window across the way- she seems to enjoy it rather than be bothered.
Ballet
in Paris
That’s what I love most about Paris. Arts and creativity is so much a part of the culture that because the people appreciate it, one finds their self becoming more in tune with their artistic side. I’m never more myself than when I’m in this city. I’ve never felt more like I belonged than when submerged into the richness and history of this place.
Dance was such a huge part of my life. Some of you know I spent my entire life until the age of 19 training to be a professional ballet dancer, under some of the best instructors. From Chicago with Watmora Casey to NYC at Ellison Ballet to Cleveland with my Russian trainers Inna Stabrova and Dmitriy Tuboltsev from the Vaganova Academy and Bolshoi Ballet.
I learned so much about perseverance, motivation, self-expression, hard work, and elegance. I learned to be my own tough coach, wether through the arts or in life. And it’s because ballet was such a deep seeded part of me that I am who I am, and where I am. I’ll always be thankful for this.
I wish I could live two lives so I could have dedicated one to dance, as it requires your whole body, mind and youth. But I realized at the critical age of 19, that I wanted to chase more than just one passion, and to see what else the world had to offer. And so here I am today!
See my video below to watch me dancing in Paris!
Lovely!