Best Moments in Memory

The Day The Dance Began

One of my fondest memories was on a Saturday after rehearsal. It had been a long drive to Florida. My never ending of giving Mother had driven miles in the morning to get me to ballet class , a long haul from Cordele , Georgia to Tallahassee , Florida, where I was training with the Southern Academy of Ballet Arts. I was new to the scene but had worked super hard to catch up with what training I needed to become a working Ballet dancer one day.

Being from a small town I lacked essential basics in training , and although I studied with some of the best at an early age, they were short-termed workshops or just one day a week teachers, so my body was very behind. I always felt like I made it in just in time when my parents found the school. My Dad was completing his masters degree in music from FSU, and they stumbled upon the school as well as a great classical guitar teacher on campus that year.

We sat in for a mandatory meeting on day, our newsletter moment for the school. I learned that I had been awarded a scholarship to study at their school where I would have a professional schedule of pointe, variation, Pas de Deux classes ( my favorite) , character, and the normal everyday classes. It was a special moment, I’ll never forget that feeling, I felt I didn’t didn’t deserve it, but was chosen to do it! The best part was having Gwynne Ashton present it to you. If not for her early belief in me I wouldn’t have gotten this far.

Thanks to the this training I caught up with my goals and ended up being awarded four scholarships to major Ballet schools and companies around the nation, where I met many more inspiring teachers that did the same.

It’s one of those moments in life you say Thank You to.

~ McGlamorous