Living Artfully

Although I haven't taken a ballet class in 18 years, those eight years of training as a child is still paying off. By complete happenstance, my parents selected a local ballet company led by a woman -- Marilia Walsh -- who was a former Brazilian prima ballerina trained in Russian classical ballet. She was strict and unyielding. She pushed, and pushed, and pushed, demanding that our bodies move in ways I didn't think it could.

At the time, I dreaded going to ballet classes. I didn't have the "right" figure and was plagued by weak ankles and knees -- both not ideal for ballerinas. When given the choice to pursue tap dancing or ballet in my teens, I jumped at the opportunity to continue taking tap and leave Mrs. Walsh, and the pain, mirrors and merciless barre behind. Little did I know how I would carry those eight years of ballet lessons with me for the rest of my life.

Like this figure sculpted into a fountain in Philadelphia, I have fabulous posture due to Mrs. Walsh's routines and exercises. When I begin to slouch, my body automatically corrects itself as if it remembers Mrs. Walsh's cane banging on the wood floor when our shoulders rolled forward during barre warm-ups. I'm always aware of my balance and body's movement when walking, unless I'm sleep deprived and clumsiness rules the day

My love for dance and classical music, especially George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" can all be traced back to Mrs. Walsh. I was a Sugar Plum Fairy in "The Nutcracker" and a swan in "Swan Lake." She brought the sparkling world of the arts into my soul and I've been enjoying the journey through music, dance, plays and art ever since. My eye for photography composition is rooted in what she taught me as a dancer to understand and appreciate the human body's lines and form.

One day when I am a parent and looking for a dance program for my children, I hope there will be a Mrs. Walsh available to teach them not only how to dance, but how to live artfully and beautifully.

Charge!

One of the best benefits of engaging in social media communities, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and now Google+, is that I've expanded my opportunities to learn from others. I'm a lifelong learner, which is why I am constantly reading, watching documentaries and films, visiting museums and historical places and talking to people. Through social media, I can do that 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and my options for information sources are now limitless.

Every day, I'm surprised by something someone has shared on their profile and today is no exception. Peter Shankman, a well-known public relations and new media expert, often shares articles, resources and ideas that make me go "Hmmmm." Today on Facebook, he posted a quote by actor Morgan Freeman that gave me pause:

I always tell my kids if you lay down, people will step over you. But if you keep scrambling, if you keep going, someone will always, always give you a hand. Always. But you gotta keep dancing, you gotta keep your feet moving.

It's the perfect thought to end this busy week. We should always be in motion. This doesn't mean that we need to be busy all the time or fail to enjoy the quieter moments of life. Freeman means that we should always be moving forward and when we do, there will always be people to help and support our forward progress. It's only when we hesitate, pause too long, or start losing ground, that champions are harder to find, even within ourselves.

Like Auguste Rodin's sculpture, "The Call to Arms," we should face each day with our arms spread wide and the shout, "Charge!" on our lips. With that attitude, there is no obstacle that we can't overcome and infinite supporters available to hold us up and help lift us toward success.

Pink Hibiscus

Reviewing my flower photographs, it's clear that I enjoy photographing four specific types of flowers -- orchids, roses, bird of paradise flowers and like today's photo post, hibiscus flowers. These flowers hold sentimental meaning for me, which is why I find it difficult to pass them by with my camera and not photograph them.

• Orchids -- My mother's favorite flower, although she did not have a knack for keeping them alive at our house.
• Roses -- Dorothy, my next door neighbor growing up, grew the most beautiful roses in her backyard. She was like a surrogate grandmother to us Borde kids and roses remind me of her.
• Bird of paradise flowers -- These grew in our front yard of my childhood home. It was the perfect greeting for guests visiting our Trinidadian home, adding a little touch of the Caribbean right by our front door.
• Hibiscus -- In our backyard, hibiscus flowers grew along the fence line and served as another tropical reminder of us island dwellers at family get-togethers at our home.

Now, my sentimental love for these flowers does not mean they are the primary subjects of my flower photography. Moving to the East Coast has introduced new flower species into my life, such as cherry blossoms and tulips, with new memories and associations with them as well.

The Washington Monument at Eakins Oval

Eakins Oval is located in front of the steps leading to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In its center is a fountain and tribute to George Washington, The Washington Monument. It was commissioned and designed by German sculptor Rudolf Siemering and the bronze and granite sculpture features a uniformed George Washington mounted on a horse poised on top of the fountain. However, I was more captivated by the sculpture around the base of the fountain. How often do you see elk and bison depicted in sculpture?

Rodin's The Thinker

It was Grandma Winnie who first introduced me to the work of Auguste Rodin. She loved his sculptures. While she wasn't really an art connoisseur, Grandma did appreciate the arts and literature. There was something about how Rodin captured the human figure that seemed to speak to her, and later to me as well.

When visiting Philadelphia for my 30th birthday, I discovered that there was a Rodin Museum near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Filled with many originals, I loved every minute spent touring the Rodin Museum. His famous "The Thinker" sculpture greeted visitors at the museum's entrance. After taking this photo as we left the museum, I felt a very strong connection with Grandma Winnie even though we were miles apart. As I continue to grieve her loss this year -- she passed away in January at the grand age of 97 -- I know that these shared interests and moments will continue to keep us connected.