I am writing about my life and you are invited on my journey.
When I was 13, I was a model and the modeling agency I worked had a dance division. They were getting ready to hire the dancers for the new year and so I was getting ready to audition. I am in the back room stretching when the door opens up and I was asked if I could audition the group of models because the Chorographer that was supposed to do it could not be there. Without hesitating, I say yes and get right to work choreographing a little routine for them to follow.
Did I mention I only had 15 minutes to do this?
Remember I am only 13 and everyone that came in for the audition was an Adult.
What made me think I could do this job?
Years of dancing to my choreography gave me the confidence to do that job that day. The agency was happy with the results of the day and I landed a job being a Dance Choreographer for a modeling agency.
No more boring runway.
I loved it.
When I was 14 the last show I choreographed was to the song Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd. We had the whole classroom setup, the Teachers, good student, mischievous Students, desk, books, and paper balls.
It was so much fun. This was at the Astrodome in Houston Texas in 1985.
It was a Rock Fest and there were thousands of people there that day.
Was I scared?
No Hell No I loved It. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Doing what I love and sharing it with the world is amazing.
Now doing what I love and teaching others to do it and sharing it with the world even better.
That was the last time I modeled. But not the last time to be on stage or to teach others.
So what was it like to be in the dressing room of such a giant event?
Crazy!!!
People everywhere, mostly naked because they were changing from one outfit to the next. Different acts were in there, there were several modeling agencies, and a lip-syncing group who were doing the Rolling Stone, that is how I met a very special man that helped me through a really hard time. One of the greatest things about the show I choreographed was I was doing it with my best friend Audra.
We grew up together.
More like I lived at her house from the age of 9-14, my mom was the secretary for her dad’s construction company and then my mom became best friend with her mom.
I remember one time when I was teaching choro to a male stripper, I found him at that audition I did for the modeling agency, and my mom and Juanita would sneak in and drool all the while I am getting on to him because he messed up the counts. He already knew how to take his clothes off, he just needs to be taught how to get from point a to point b in a way that was sexy and entertaining. He would try being Sexy for me and I would just laugh and tell him to start over. I loved building his confidence up as a dancer instead of a stripper, much sexier.
Audra and I did beauty pageants she was actually the one who got me into pageants before that I just modeled. I hated pageant. first I had to go around to business to sponsor me in a pageant, then I had to walk in a way that made me look like everyone else and to be judged on my “Looks” set me up for a lifetime of body shame.
I am Not Everyone else I am ME!
At least modeling lets you be you more or less.
I still hated the cattle calls.
Why call it a cattle call?
More body shaming.
I was a stick and was still told I was fat???
Are you crazy?
Hurrican Alecia hit Texas 1983 I was 14 at the time.
My mom left my stepfather with me and my brother after I got pregnant and had an abortion. (yes had to have)
My stepfather blamed me for their marriage problems so I guess me being pregnant was the last straw. I don’t know and now I am to the point of I don’t care.
We moved to a new school and I lied to get a job at Sonic.
From dance choreographer to carhop.
