I am one of the original Soul Train dancers from the ’70s and I have many wonderful memories of my time dancing on the show. I remember being in awe of the impact I had, as a Soul Train dancer, on teenagers and adults across the country and that impact lifted me up to the status of role model. I was admired through no fault of my own and national television placed me into the living rooms of millions of people….. it was mind-boggling. Prior to dancing on Soul Train, I began my dance training around 4 with ballet being my first experience. I realized early on that ballet was a bit too disciplined and formal and wanted a more free-flowing style. I then decided to take modern classes and finally morphed into the jazz style. This is where I found my heart and I began performing professionally around the city at the early age of 10.
I have studied with such greats as Claude Thompson, Michael Peters, Debbie Allen, and Lula Washington just to name a few and worked such greats as Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five, Carl Carlton, Chevy Chase, Jerry Lewis and countless others that are too numerous to name. I lived and taught dance in Japan for over five years.
The life experiences that have had the greatest impact on me are those centered around injustices towards people of color all over the world. I felt lifted when Nelson Mandela was freed, exuberated when he was elected President and vindicated when he received the Nobel Peace Prize. A small step for mankind……there is still so much work to do.
Part 1
Part 2
