Doing What You Love

I come from a dancing family. It’s just what we do. At the age of 3, I was given the pink tights, black leotard to stretch over my round belly and new ballet shoes. That was the start of a long dancing career – but one that ended at the age of 16 in order to pursue other interests (such as regular trips to Circle K). I stopped because I was burned out big time, but also because I needed to get out of a very large shadow: that of my older sister, Carley.



Dance is her passion. It keeps her moving and young. She has created her own modern dance company with many other mothers in order to fill that need to move, create, emote, and perform.




Carley has creatively figured out how to hold fast to her two loves: dance and her kids. When Carley deals with her children, it is like she takes her dance from the stage into her home. She is a natural mother, so gentle, funny and nurturing – many qualities that I admire and want to emulate. Whenever I call her she’s on her way to rehearsal or going to another performance, usually with one or both of the kids in tow.

Carls is an amazing teacher and choreographer as well. When I go to her shows, I just really want to see what I’ve been watching for 35 years now: watching Carley dance. Nothing makes me more proud or more emotional than watching my sister jump, leap, lunge, fall with abandon. She gives it everything – and even though I’ve watched her star as Clara in the Nutcracker to directing her own dance company, I know I cannot ever understand how hard she has worked to carve her way in the dance field.




Happy birthday, big sister. I love you. I miss you.