Using Your Natural Abilities

Each of us has natural, in born gifts that are unique and individual.  Often, we aren't even aware of these talents, because they come so easily to us. As a dancer, I always had a very muscular physique. I was also very strong. The problem was, I was extremely stiff. There were many things I couldn't do, because I was so inflexible. My ballet teacher told me that I would never be a dancer. When I tried to sit in a straddle, my back was humped, and my legs were about half as wide as the other girls'. I didn't understand why I couldn't do the stretches that the rest of the class could do so easily It was just impossible for me. It wasn't until I was 51 that I found out I had some childhood hip dysplasia. My hip sockets are shallow. My hip surgeon pointed it out to me while studying my xray. That's why I couldn't get into the positions the other girls could, like bringing the knee to the chest.   To make up for it, I developed my sense of line. I studied how the men used their port de bras. I noticed that the male teachers we had possessed beautiful arms positions, and I could match them. I could see that this was very important in dance. Even if my leg wasn't as high, I could make the line of the body still look very beautiful. Sometimes it seemed to me that the high extensions distorted the line. It was a skill that I had, and I worked on it with an exactness and focus that helps me to this day. Because  I was very lean and toned, I looked good in the costumes, which also helped. The costume designers always beamed when I came out of the dressing room for a fitting. It was a great feeling. They were happy and I was happy. Although it came from hours and hours of classes and work, it was still a gift. For some reason, my body responded incredibly well to good training. Not all bodies do. This helped me get hired for many shows. I was also used in many publicity shots for the newspaper. I felt lucky at the time that the photographers were choosing me. Now I see that a lot of it was because I had the body. I looked like a dancer. To capitalize on that, I always wore nice leotards and tights, and I showed my legs. I made sure I did my make up carefully, and I fixed my hair and got haircuts that were flattering. So much of show business is how you look. People respond to what they see immediately, and the stakes are high. There are so many beautiful girls at those auditions.