Dorothy Carter, A dance teacher leaves her mark

I can't remember when I didn't love to dance. I just makes my heart sing. It sets my spirit free. But along with school and other childish things, I left dancing behind when I 'grew up'.

One of my favorite memories came as a surprise. It was a class like all the others. A Ballet class this time. I was pushing myself to do better and dreaming of becoming a ballerina. We were doing an excersise for the head instructor, Dorothy Carter, or Mrs. Carter as she was called. My group had already gone. So, instead of watching, whispering or waiting for further instruction, I continued with my goal to nail a triple pirouette.

I found a quite corner at the barre and started. Turning again and again. Then suddenly like the wind just blew me around, I did it. As I landed in a plie, I stood there just staring in the mirror and let this new accoplishment sink in. I turned around to see if anybody else saw this grand and wonderful triple pirouette. Nothing, Nobody. I turned back to the mirror and and privately congratulated myself.

That's when the music stopped. I turned to the front of the class. There was Mrs. Carter, smiling at me. She said, 'You think that nobody saw, but I saw.' Then she announced to the class that, 'Marilyn just did a perfect triple pirouette.' My heart burst and I was floating. My head instructor was proud of me and further more was praising me in front of the class. Not the ususal behaviour of a British Dame! I think I was on a cloud till I surrendered to sleep that night. Even then, I probably dreamed of Sugar Plum Fairies and Floating Swans.