When I was a teenager I met a teacher at a ballet seminar who had a very buoyant energy field. She was so inspiring, and her enthusiasm uplifted all of us. When I was struggling to grasp the petite allegro, she gave me some valuable advice. "Stephenie, I want to you to sing to yourself during this combination," she told me quietly. "I love to jump. I love to jump," she sang to the melody that the pianist had played. I tried it, and it worked. Suddenly I had the combination, and I developed the coordination. She showed me how to make it easy. I felt an instant sense of relief and gained confidence. My ability soared with her simple advice.
Teachers who are positive have great self discipline. They make a choice to focus on what they want, not on what they don't want. They are able to explain the details of what you need to do to make things require less effort. They can see your blocks, and they know how to remove them. They've been there, and they know what works.
My Aunt Mary was a person who always lifted my spirits when she walked into the room. She was a very funny, positive, and warm person. She remained single her whole life, and she didn't have any children. She was extremely generous to all of her nieces and nephews, and we adored her. She would bring us really fun gifts like candy cigarettes. (She was a passionate smoker.) We thought it was so hysterical to have a smoke with her. I still remember how pink they were, and how sweet they tasted. I used to love to fix her a bourbon and ginger ale, and then light her cigarette. I was in my glory. Sometimes she bought us bags of chocolate coins. Her clever gifts were always things that we never got at home. They weren't expensive, but they were very humorous and creative. When we would visit at her house she would have a paint by number set for me, and a few model airplanes for my three brothers. It was so much fun to go to her home. She was a terrific cook, and she made delicious meals. Each visit with her was a celebration.
Aunt Mary always had an exciting trip planned, which she would look forward to for months. She would flip through the brochures from the cruise companies and talk about her next voyage to Alaska, or the Panama Canal. She would take my mother, to give her a break from raising four kids. My mother was ecstatic. Nobody else's mother in our neighborhood went on vacation from their family, but it really seemed to help my mom.
Each year Mary bought season tickets to see the Broadway shows that were playing in San Francisco. She got extras so that my mother and I could join her. It was because of her that I chose the career path that I did. After seeing A Chorus Line, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to dance in Broadway shows.
When I think of the type of person I would like to be, I think of my aunt. She radiated a spirit of generosity and an enthusiasm for life.
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