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| Lin at age 20 performing ballet |
A BEGINNERS BALLET class is starting here in our retirement community. Well it's been more than 40 years since I'm done any ballet, although in my earlier years I started ballet lessons at age 14 then danced professionally in the Los Angeles City Ballet company.
At BYU I majored in dance-modern, social and folk dance because at that time they had no ballet classes. After getting my masters degree in Physical Education (Dance) I taught 4 years at BYU, then taught dance including ballet for 3 years at Wisconsin State University in Stevens Pt and later at California State Fullerton part time for 3 years during those years I also had 3 sons.
I loved dancing and it was part of my professional life as a university teacher until I got divorced, moved to Utah, and needed to work full time to support my 3 sons at the time. So I became an elementary school teacher of first graders in Orem, Utah. Later I became a school librarian. There was no time for dancing while raising my family.
How did the beginners ballet class go? It was a challenge but not uncomfortable because all the other students and the teacher are senior citizens most in their 60s and 70s. I did find it a shock to my system to do barre exercises and try to balance on my feet when both are numb from neuropathy from diabetes. But they do feel better after the exercise and hopefully I will still be able to move tomorrow from new muscles that I discovered today. Quite the CHALLENGE but fun.
What's a challenge you have given yourself lately?
