What They Didn’t See in This Problem Child
Story #11 of my 5,000-story project
“I believe that every child is born with unique talents and gifts, and it’s up to us to help them find those talents and develop them.” — Gillian Lynne
When Gillian was eight, she struggled with school. Her classmates found her noisy and disturbing. Homework was never on time. The teacher told her parents she had a learning disorder.
The school was concerned. They sent her to a specialist to assess whether she should attend a special school instead.
At the doctor’s office, Gillian grew restless and started to fidget. Twenty minutes into the session, the doctor told Gillian, “I need to speak to your mother privately. Wait here. We’ll be back.”
The doctor turned on the radio on his way out. He whispered to Gillian’s mother, “Just stand and watch her.”
Something unexpected happened the minute they left the room. Gillian was on her feet. She moved to the radio music with natural grace. Her face beamed with joy.
After watching for a few minutes, the doctor turned to her mother and said, “Mrs. Lynne, Gillian isn’t sick. She’s a dancer. Take her to a dance school.”
Her mother hesitated at first but gave it a try.
The dance school in London became Gillian’s new home. She discovered a community: people like her who couldn’t sit still and used movement to think.
She started with classical ballet and then moved on to jazz, tap, and ballroom. The young lady learned it all, practiced every day, and flourished.
At sixteen, she joined one of the foremost ballet companies in Great Britain. Her talent quickly caught the city’s attention. Before she knew it, she was performing Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty all over the world.
After about a decade, her ballerina career slowly came to an end. Part of it was age, but mainly because she discovered a keen interest in choreography.
She started her own dancing company, even though the field was male-dominated. Female ballet choreographers were rare at the time. Despite her accomplishment as a dancer, many did not receive Gillian’s transition with a warm welcome.
It didn’t bother Gillian. She loved the art and was too busy breaking new ground. She innovated, took risks, and pushed boundaries.
The challenging sequences she created departed from traditional balletic movements. Her work delighted the audience and impressed respected composers like Andrew Lloyd Webber. Invitations to collaborate on large projects began to go her way.
Another decade later, she became responsible for some of the most successful musical theater productions in history on Broadway and beyond.
Her name is Gillian Lynne. Heard of Phantom of the Opera and Cats? She was the musical stager and choreographer behind it. She came a long way from being the problem child.
Your heart knows which direction to go. Follow it, give it space, and in time the path will reveal itself.
