INTRODUCTION TO THE DANCE

My Love of dance started at an early age.  I will always be grateful to my late Mother who introduced me to the world of ballet.  As a small child I can recall watching the magical performances of the Borovansky Ballet Company.  My favourites were Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Giselle and many more. I was fortunate to receive an invitation to go backstage after a performance and to meet Kathy Gorham who was the Prima Ballerina of the Company at that time. 

Her dressing room was overflowing with costumes, (tu tu's) and it seemed like hundreds of pairs of new and worn pointe shoes strewn everywhere.
This petite dancer was absolutely charming to me, despite my being over-awed by the experience.  I was surprised that she chain smoked while we were in her dressing room.  I could'nt believe it, because I had been taught that ballet dancers didn't smoke because they can quickly become out of breath whilst on stage.



Kathleen Gorham



I was still walking on air when I arrived home, and I immediately sat down and wrote her a fan letter expressing my excitement at meeting her and that I wanted to become a ballerina just like her one day.

I raced to the letterbox every day for weeks, but alas, I did not receive a reply.

When I was older and more independent, I would sneak into the Theatre Royal, crouch down behind the seats and watch their rehearsals.