My Story

I loved dancing to the music my dad would play through the house on our stereo as soon as I could stand on my own. I started ballet and tap lessons at the age of five and did jazz and hip hop here and there until I left for college. But ballet was my constant. When in high school, I became a member of the company that my dance studio ran in North Florida.

Aside from a few attempts here and there, I did not keep up with dancing during college and my early career.

Then at the age of 29, just a couple of days after buying new ballet slippers in preparation to return to ballet class, I had an ischemic stroke. I was (temporarily) completely paralyzed on one side.

Needless to say, my plans to return to dance were postponed indefinitely. Early in my recovery, I remember taking part in a group discussion where we went around the room and were asked to say one thing we hoped to do again in the future. I said I wanted to dance again.

After intensive physical, occupational, and speech therapies, time, and support from loved ones, I recovered to the point where most of the remaining deficiencies were things only I really noticed.

After moving to North Carolina in 2022 with my husband, and what turned into a 15-year hiatus from dance, I started searching for adult dance classes in the RDU area. I could not believe it when I found TDW’s website. I was that much more elated when I met with Jules and Sara, told them my story, and was welcomed with open arms.

There is still some residual damage from the stroke. I can’t do everything I could do when I danced 6 days a week as a 17-year old. But I’m dancing. I am 11+ years post-stroke, I’m dancing and I'm having a blast!

What TDW Means to Me

The Dancer's Workout is filling a void in the dance world which is so important and necessary.

The process of returning to dance after time away can be physically and emotionally daunting for anyone. Not only had it been over a decade, I wasn’t even sure what I would be physically able to do. But I have received only love, support, and friendship from every single person since joining TDW. It was exactly the environment with exactly the right people I needed in order to start dancing again. And it continues to become more and more a part of my circle of friends and support network as time goes on. These are my people and this is my place.