Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina (34 page)

I was photographed during my ABT audition. In the background, you can see Jared Matthews and Craig Salstein, both of whom are also now soloists!

Soul mates. Leyla and I were inseparable.

Eric—my brother at ABT

My family.
Top row:
Miranda and Tom (the Cantines’ daughter-in-law and son);
middle row:
Lindsey, Jeff (Erica’s husband), me, Aiden Cantine (the Cantines’ grandson), Sofie Cantine (the Cantines’ granddaughter), Erica, Mariah, Mom;
bottom row:
Liz, Chris

With my father, Doug, in Chicago

Olu

Legendary ballerina and mentor Raven Wilkinson and me in my apartment, after interviewing her for a documentary

Dancing with Prince

As the Firebird, with Herman Cornejo

In the ABT costume shop, being fitted for my Firebird headpiece

Back where I started—with a group of talented young dancers from the Boys and Girls Club

Onstage as an odalisque in
Le Corsaire.
I’ve danced this role ever since I joined the company.

Acknowledgments

I NEVER THOUGHT THAT
I would be so blessed as to be given the opportunity to share all that makes me
me
: my dreams, my struggles, and my hope to inspire many to dare to dream bigger than they can imagine.

I have to thank my family for the strength we have maintained throughout our lives. Erica, Doug, Chris, Lindsey, and Cameron: it was our belief in one another and ourselves that made it possible to beat and defy all odds. Thank you, Mom, for not giving up. Thank you, Daddy, for stepping into my life and raising me as your own. Cindy, Wolf, and Patrick: What can I say other than that I’m not sure where my life would be without our fateful meeting. Thank you for taking me into your home without judgment . . . just genuine love. Thank you for bringing me to ballet! I will forever be grateful. Thank you, Liz and Dick, my godparents. Thank you for not only being the catalysts to my career but for remaining a part of my life: for your guidance and love.

Boys and Girls Club of San Pedro! Boys and Girls Clubs of America! Everything you stand for is real, and it
works.
You change lives and started my future, and what a future it has become!

American Ballet Theatre: thank you for the endless belief and support in me. I’m proud to be an ABT baby. From the summer intensive to the Studio Company to a member of the main company! Thank you for helping to create an atmosphere where I felt capable of being a new mold for what a ballerina can be! To Susan, my second mommy, I can’t say enough. Your mentorship changed my views and mind-set. You have set the bar high. Vicky! I think you were one of the first brown ballerinas I ever met. Thank you for taking the time to show me that I’m not alone, and for being an incredible example that my dreams are limitless. Diane, the short time spent training at the Lauridsen Ballet Centre was so vital to my training. Thank you for
never
taking it easy on me, for never treating me any differently from your other students, and for pushing me beyond what I thought my limits were. Raven, you gave me that second wind, inspiring me not to feel sorry for myself and my situation, but to fight for what I know is right. You remind me every day that life isn’t easy, and therefore the fight in me is that much fiercer. Your perseverance is beyond admirable. You will always be that example of what a true ballerina is! Marjorie, I don’t have to say it, because we both know it. We speak the same language, and your knowledge is endless. I admire and respect you, and I am grateful for the discoveries I have started to uncover within myself and my body because of you.

Gilda, where would I be without you? Vernon’s introduction brought forth this magical collaboration that neither of us
knew could reach these heights. And boy, do we have so much higher to go! Thank you for your incredible vision and for bringing it to life. You’ve brought ballet to a level I wasn’t sure was possible. To the team at Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, Megan Reid, and Steve Troha: Who would have thought . . . well, you guys did! And it’s all happening. Thank you for the tremendous work and belief! Charisse, what a beautiful experience this has been, to sit in my living room and talk to a friend. This book has been far from work. It has been an exploration of myself, my past, and my future. Your words have brought it to life!