A Ballet Dancer Lost in Harlem
The day after the lights came back on in NY in 1977
Symmer of 1977 I was in New York City studying to be a ballet dancer and preparing for an audition after the blackout in New York City. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_blackout_of_1977
When the blackout hit. I was in the Metropolitan Opera House watching Baryshnikov perform “Le vie en Rose”. The blackout came as a blessing because his performance was way too acrobatic for my taste and the blackout in the middle of his performance was a blessing for me.
I lived in the rundown Opera Hotel on Broadway and 116 on the 9th floor where I would have to kick the elevator door and shout out my floor number to get the elevator man to bring it up. The rent was $135 a week! It was filled with pimps, ladies of the night and drug dealers lurking in the stairways; so going down the stairs was not an option.
I loved walking around New York and Americans would not lose an opportunity to warn me never to go into Harlem. Walking into Harlem was on my list of things to do. My reasoning was that if I had enough courage to go into Harlem alone and unaided, then waking into an audition with over 90 aspiring dancers all more trained than I was would be a cakewalk. This was my way of dealing with my fear.
The day after power was restored, I fell asleep on the subway and missed my stop and ended up in Harlem. I took it as a sign and went for a walk. Here I was, the only white person as far as the eye could see. A policeman stopped me and asked me what I was doing there. I told him I am going for a walk. He told me to get out of there. I kept walking. Soon enough I found myself lost in Harlem. I was not paying much attention as I walked around and since asking for directions was not my style, I just kept walking around looking for the subway stop.
Finally I decided to ask for directions; I saw these three black guys sitting on a brand new couch in the middle of an empty lot drinking out of a large bottle in a paper bag. It was a scene right out of a movie. I looked over as one of them called out to me: “Hey white boy! you lost?” they asked smiling. I looked around to make sure they were talking to me. “Yeah I am lost” I replied, and began walking towards them. “Come on here boy” one of them called out.
There was no room to sit so I stood in front of them. They offered me a drink and I said “no thanks I don’t drink”. “Why not?” he asked.“Where you from?” another asked. “I am from Greece I replied.” “What are you doing in New York?” “I am studying ballet at the American Ballet Theatre” I respond proudly and with a smile. “Ballet, you mean with a pink tutu?” one of them says and they all start laughing. “No! I wear black tights and a cup!” as I take my hand and pull up on my crotch. This was way before Michael Jackson made that move famous. Now we are all laughing.
“Kid, you got balls to come into Harlem” one of them says. I look at him in the eyes and say: “Why? I am not a white, I am Greek!” I respond emphatically. We all break into a hearty laugh. “I am lost in Harlem! They told me never to come here they said I would get killed!” we all laugh even harder. But I know Malcolm X and he would never hurt me.” “How do you know Malcolm X boy?” One of them asks in a more serious tone.
“He saved my life that’s how.” I say proudly. “How did he do that?” they ask almost in perfect harmony. So I tell them my story of when I was shy and afraid to walk into the schoolyard and how Malcolm X helped me get in touch with my Greek soul and stand up to the bullies. “Blond haired blue eyed devils” they repeat it again and again and more laughing ensues. “You are welcome to come to Harlem anytime!” they reply. “It was an accident, I fell asleep on the subway! So I thought I would come and see for myself where Malcolm grew up.” With that we all went silent; I stood there smiling at them like I just saw Malcolm in the flesh. His memory seemed to warm their souls. I felt at peace. They put their drink down and they all stood up and gave me a hug. One of them had tears in his eyes.
I was in New York preparing for the most important audition in my life attempting to achieve the impossible; to be accepted to one of the most prestigious total theatre and dance schools in the world called Mudra in Bruxelles run by Maurice Bejart the artistic director of the Ballet of the 20th Century, the most successful dance company in the world at the time. I was 20 years old at the time and had studied ballet for less than a year in two 6 month intervals with a break in between.
All change happens on the inside first and then it becomes visible by its effects on the environment. Internal change is the power that moves mountains.
First absolute law of the universe — Internal change is always mirrored by your environment. The ancient Hellenes did not build the Acropolis because they could; they built it because it reflected their inner life.
The greater the inner change, the more obvious its effects and more immediate and clear the response from your environment will be.
