I gave up ballet as a teenager, when I realized I wouldn't make it professionally. It took covid and cancer to remind me that it might be okay to dance just because I love it.
I love this picture. This is how I found your writing. I had read a review of yours about the book A very Young Dancer by Jill Krementz and I thought “who is she?” I loved your review.
I grew up performing and it does shape you for better and for worse, I feel.
I think often of a quote we had in the music room at school: "If you can walk you can dance, if you can talk you can sing". What a beautiful and simple reminder that to be with music is as innate and natural as can be. Goodness be damned.
Yes once you' ve been trained in ballet at any level.., it stays with you in other body movements all through your life......even 70 years later!! Your writing just wakes it up again. Thanks Jennifer
It’s wonderful that you returned to ballet just for yourself. I will share your lovely writing with my granddaughter who gave it up much as you did- but when I visit I sleep in her room and her ballet slippers still hang by their ribbons on a hook at her dressing table.
Thank you! I am grateful to you for sharing my writing. I love that your granddaughter still has her ballet slippers hanging nearby... perhaps to be used again one day?
You must, must publish this! For anyone who has felt the despair and invasion - the loss of self, of control, of a sense of comfort with a body now betraying us - of cancer, you must get this out there. For anyone who doesn't know how to love her limits, please publish this to help her.
This is so necessary, dear Jennifer. Thank you so much for trusting us with it!
Thank you! I am so glad for your support. I think now that it is published here, no one else will publish it, but I would be very grateful to you and anyone else who shares this widely with friends! I hope it will reach many who need it.
Beautiful Jennifer. There is something about the art of physical movement (for me it's open water swimming) that is such a refuge for the mind. So happy you have dance.
Jennifer- it’s good to hear your voice. Keep dancing. M
Thank you, Jennifer. This dance is true of all our endeavors, and you put it so well.
I love this picture. This is how I found your writing. I had read a review of yours about the book A very Young Dancer by Jill Krementz and I thought “who is she?” I loved your review.
This is so beautiful! Thank you!
I grew up performing and it does shape you for better and for worse, I feel.
I think often of a quote we had in the music room at school: "If you can walk you can dance, if you can talk you can sing". What a beautiful and simple reminder that to be with music is as innate and natural as can be. Goodness be damned.
Yes once you' ve been trained in ballet at any level.., it stays with you in other body movements all through your life......even 70 years later!! Your writing just wakes it up again. Thanks Jennifer
It’s wonderful that you returned to ballet just for yourself. I will share your lovely writing with my granddaughter who gave it up much as you did- but when I visit I sleep in her room and her ballet slippers still hang by their ribbons on a hook at her dressing table.
Thank you! I am grateful to you for sharing my writing. I love that your granddaughter still has her ballet slippers hanging nearby... perhaps to be used again one day?
You must, must publish this! For anyone who has felt the despair and invasion - the loss of self, of control, of a sense of comfort with a body now betraying us - of cancer, you must get this out there. For anyone who doesn't know how to love her limits, please publish this to help her.
This is so necessary, dear Jennifer. Thank you so much for trusting us with it!
Thank you! I am so glad for your support. I think now that it is published here, no one else will publish it, but I would be very grateful to you and anyone else who shares this widely with friends! I hope it will reach many who need it.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!!
Jennifer, you are a great writer: your words dance on the page.
LoveB
Beautiful Jennifer. There is something about the art of physical movement (for me it's open water swimming) that is such a refuge for the mind. So happy you have dance.
Thank you for the diversion. We all need some these days.
I loved reading this account of a journey that in so many ways parallels my own. Just dancing is its own reward xoxo
When I picture you, when I remember passing you in Warner, you are always in dance clothes, always dancing.