Hello Dancers- I have been dancing since I was a small child-I always wanted to be a ballerina and even though my path has taken some unexpected turns my life has always been centered around dance. I was bless to have study and dance with NYC Ballet. I couldn’t ask for a better training! I also performed in many ballets throughout my time as a dancer: started as a Rat in yes the Famous Battle Scene,a Solider, on to a Snow Flake, a Flower and Finally the Spanish Lady in Nutcracker. Four Seasons-I was always the dancer in the Fall season. Swan Lake - Started as one of the core Swan dancers and finally I was cast as one of the 4 Big Swans!! Yeah! and many more ballets I was honored to perform in! One day my path took an unexpected turn-I woke up BLIND-I went straight to the ER- I was so scared—and surrounded by tons of ER Doctors and Nurses? What was happening to me? Well, it took sometime and lots of test and The MAYO Clinic in MN to get the answers-I had MS. Lost my job as a dancer and I was just so depressed-wanted to die-thought my life was over but the Nurses talked to me and the first thing they said- Once a dancer always a dancer!!! The doctors told me to start teaching ballet and to stay in MN because the Mayo Clinic runs various drug trials. Through the years-I have tried many different drugs to slow down the progression of MS. So I started teaching many different ages and levels of Ballet to men and woman at various studios in the Twin Cities. I also teach Total Stretch Classes, Fitness Barre but with the focus still on the Ballet Principles and I started a Class for People with MS & Parkinson’s = once again using the foundation of Ballet. Once again a NEW challenge COVID-19- so I began teaching online because studios and gyms closedown. Remember Everything starts with ballet— Hope to dance with you soon- Thank you-L- Miss Maria