Big Juliet Dreams (essay)

When I was nine, my mother took me to the ballet, “Romeo and Juliet.” From my balcony seat, my heart did every pirouette with ethereal Juliet in her swirling gowns. Instantaneously I knew what I wanted to be, but Fate had other plans. Soon, my 5’5, muscular frame developed, and despite how I sweated and studied, my natural body-type made it impossible for me to become a professional ballerina. So…I fine-tuned my dreams. Years later, I’m a choreographer. Now, I delight in helping baby “Juliets” learn dance without unnecessary pressures of body-type discrimination. Daily, I try to make small changes in a field that has been historically narrow-minded, and financially difficult to stay afloat in. I hope that the powers that "be" will allow me to continue sharing the magic of dance with all types of people. Juliet danced for true love and passion...not because she was skinny. We can all learn something from her.