An Emotional Evening
Thirteen years ago, I was introduced to a lovely, talented, ambitious young woman. She became my "adult ballet teacher" when I had decided to start dancing again. Very quickly, she became my friend. At the time, Kristen was using the ballroom at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA for her dance studio. I paid her weekly for the lessons, and in return I gained confidence, strength, stamina, and poise. Her fee for dance lessons was simply not enough for what I got in return. Eventually, Kristen started her own dance company, Without Walls. She invited me to perform as part of her troupe, and I was elated - truly over the moon! We rehearsed and performed many different pieces, from ballet to modern to tap. Yes, at age 28, I learned how to tap dance! Along the way, the Mary Stegmaier Mansion was being used for many things - including monthly events where artists of all kinds were invited to share their work and their in...