COLLEGE - JUNIOR & SENIOR YEARS (SEPTEMER '70 TO JUNE '72)

Back at UC, we were now upper classmen. Sue and I still lived in Memorial but we had graduated to a large, corner room. John and I were exclusive and totally devoted to each other. Sue was still going out with Mike, and Linda and Mark were still joined at the hip. Some members of our class had quit and some had gone on to bigger and better things. We were good friends with Marcy, Janine, and Leslie, who were lower classmen and “not favored” like us. Other dancers joined the Department –one girl I remember wore her leotard hiked up like a thong. While in New York City years later, I saw pictures of her in a porno film as I happened to be standing under a marquee to get out of the rain. She was standing on her hands, doing the splits—naked. Another dancer, Rusty Riegelman, stood out because of her bright red hair and the fact that she had boobs and a baby.

Nancy Gregory, who was relatively new to the Department, became a thorn in our side because; although we didn’t think she deserved it, she was asked to join the Company. I didn’t think she was any better than me and she was snotty to boot. She always seemed to be looking down her nose at us. It got pretty ugly—I really despised that girl.

There was much back-biting and petty jealousy among the dancers. We had put our whole lives into developing our bodies which were our art; and when someone criticized them, it was especially painful. Mary Lee Vecchio once told Sue her body looked like two peas (her boobs) on a surfboard with a watermelon stuck on the back, and I retorted with, “I’d rather be flat than fat.” Sue and I stuck together, which definitely helped us survive.

Speaking of being flat-chested, Sue and I were determined to remedy that. We saw an ad in a magazine for an apparatus that was advertised to be the cure we were looking for. Alongside the ad were pictures of once skinny and pathetic-looking girls turned into voluptuous, curvaceous women. We pooled our resources and bought a bust developer. When our package arrived, we were disappointed to discover a cheap-looking, pink, shell-shaped contraption with two sides and a spring in the middle. Along with the “developer”, came precise exercise instructions which consisted of holding the shell-shaped contraption in different positions with both hands pressing the shell together. We exercised faithfully for weeks, with virtually no results. At the end of our endeavors, we still couldn’t pass the pencil test.

By junior year, most of our core classes were completed so we could explore other options. Because I had enjoyed being exposed to computers over the summer, I signed up for a programming class that taught the language PL1 and COBOL. I am sure these languages are totally obsolete today but the class did give me insights into how computers systems operate. My teacher, Bill M., was young, attractive and married. I enjoyed the class tremendously and felt I had found another niche. My other classes were the usual—Ballet, Modern Dance, Ballet Ensemble, Ballet History—plus Intro to Music.

We had new and exciting Modern Dance teachers from New York City—Thelma Hill and James Truitte. They rotated quarters during our junior year with Jimmy teaching alone our senior year. Thelma taught first and introduced us to the Lester Horton method of modern dance—very painful, but very strength-building. Thelma was African-American, chubby, squat and thoroughly filled with energy. We all loved her and strived to please. Honestly, walking and climbing stairs during our first week of classes was a real challenge—and that goes for after every break and extended holiday too. For the next two years, I learned to appreciate modern dance. It was becoming clear to me that I probably didn’t have what it took to be a professional ballet dancer. I have always had fairly flat feet and very little turnout—something that doesn’t matter nearly as much in modern dance. Sadly, I found out a few years after I graduated, Thelma died in an apartment fire in 1977.

Jimmy, also African-American, was a wonderful, creative and funny man who later became a dear friend. When I was much older, I enjoyed reading about his professional success in a book titled “Alvin Ailey: A Life in Dance” by Jennifer Dunning. I also worked with him when he set a piece on the Dallas Ballet. James Truitte was truly a remarkable teacher and a remarkable man. The students at the University of Cincinnati were extremely lucky to have him as a teacher.

My love affair with Oleg Sabline was swiftly brought to an end when he married his young accompanist, Linda. I was heart-broken and shocked. Linda had been recruited by Oleg to play for him at a ballet camp where he frequently taught during the summer months. When she began accompanying him at UC, she couldn’t do anything right. He berated her mercilessly about her lack of skill and ability. I usually felt exceedingly sorry for her and imagined they hated each other. Apparently over the summer, love blossomed. He was still agitated and short with her when she made a mistake either in tempo or piece selection, but things had definitely changed between them. I think what shocked me most was that she was no older than we were. It also surprised me when the marriage survived many years and produced a son, Alex.

My junior year, Mr. Sabline no longer seemed interested in me as a dancer. I hadn’t lived up to his high expectations and I was no longer teacher’s pet. He spent a good portion of one whole class, making me cry and then yelling at me because I was crying. I distinctly remember him telling me to go play with my dolls although I do not know what I did to provoke him. After I graduated, I was determined to prove to my teachers at UC that they missed a “diamond in the rough.” I was determined to “make it”.

Acting was without-a-doubt our favorite subject junior year. Our teacher, David Lyman, had just married Peggy, one of the dancers in our class—I should say the best dancer in our class. She was absolutely gorgeous and went on to a long career as a modern dancer with Martha Graham’s company. She performed many of Martha’s solos and became famous for her interpretation. We loved David’s class and we loved him.

One of our assignments was to perform scenes with other members of the class. Sue performed a scene from “The Importance of Being Ernest”, by Oscar Wilde, with a guy in the class who was a real hunk. They spent a lot of time “practicing” their scene which, I believe, involved some kissing. Sue was going out with Mike at the time and her acting partner had a steady girlfriend. I kept wondering what would happen after the performance was over and there were no more excuses of getting together. There was an obvious attraction between them even though it was somewhat of an odd match—him being a hunk and Sue being so prim and proper. But after the performance, they went their separate ways. At one point in David’s class, I remember performing the Professor Harold Hill monologue from the “Music Man” that Dad used to make me do for everyone he knew.

In the spring of junior year, David roped me into performing in his two-person, one-act play with a guy named Rob who was Sherry Londe’s boyfriend. Sherry was a modern dance major who had humongous boobs and was cute as a button. The play was about a half-hour long and I agonized over learning my lines. I had never memorized anything of that magnitude before, and was extremely nervous that I was going to forget something. At one point in the play, Rob was supposed to kiss me on the lips; but John, who had become quite possessive by then, gave me all kinds of grief. David even changed the kiss from the lips to the forehead but nothing seemed to help. Before the performance, Sue, Mike, John and I, were invited to the Lyman’s for dinner. It was a lovely evening that was spoiled later by John’s reaction to the play. He was enraged because of the numerous sexual innuendos in the script. It took all night to calm him down. I had a difficult time understanding John’s reaction as Rob obviously had no interest in me.

John and I were spending most of our free time together. He had moved out of the house with his three buddies and into a high-rise with his roommate, Eddie. They lived in a two-bedroom at The Forum, a classy place about two miles from campus. That was the year John started showing his jealous side, and most of the time I was completely baffled by it. I remember one particular night while we were watching TV at his apartment. He started quizzing me about past relationships and what had gone on with other boyfriends. As he was my first lover, nothing much had gone on; but he was jealous that I had even kissed anyone else. He started suspecting me of sneaking around behind his back and accused me of it constantly. There wasn’t anyone else, but his irrational behavior was putting a wedge in our relationship.

There actually was one other guy I was mildly interested in named Kim. We used to flirt with each other at meal times and Sue called him my “Cafeteria Cutie”. Whereas John was totally macho, Kim was rather effeminate. He sang and played guitar. His major was Art and he lived close to Eden Park in Mount Adams where all the hippies hung out. Absolutely nothing was going on with Kim but flirting; but I was tempted, particularly after John was being especially difficult.

I never had a car at school but John would often loan me his. It was nice to be able to drive wherever I wanted to go instead of walk and it made me feel very grown up. With his car, I could drive myself back and forth from his apartment so that made it easier for him too.

During our junior year, Sue bought two gerbils to liven up our room. We named them Herby and Gerby, and they were fun if a little stinky. Because of the stress of school and the sound of the gerbils, one of us would inevitably have difficulty falling asleep. Sue had a great collection of records to help—and many a night we would fall asleep listening to the soothing sounds of Rod McKuen or the Moody Blues.

My computer programming class took up much of my free time. After we were given our homework assignment, we would write our program, go to a lab on campus to type up our data cards, and then submit the cards to the computer department to run the program on their giant-sized computer. Oftentimes, when we would pick up the paperwork from the computer run, we would discover a mistake in programming and have to go back and rewrite the program, retype the cards, and resubmit the results. This could go on-and-on until the program would run correctly. It was fun though and I was learning something new. But on another note, by the end of my junior year, I knew I would never get into the Cincinnati Ballet Company. That was depressing; I felt I had failed.

At some point during our college years, Sue and I and some of the other female members of the Dance and Musical Theatre Department became members of the Phi Beta Fraternity. According to its website, “Phi Beta Fraternity is a national professional fraternal organization dedicated to promoting the best in the creative and performing arts.” Sue and I were very active in the Chapter at one point holding offices. I remember it being a lot of hard work but I don’t remember much of what we did. I do remember that a single yellow rose was given to members at initiations and functions and I remember scouring flower shops for them. Sue and I both attended the National Convention held in Cincinnati the summer after we graduated.

The summer before my senior year, I went back to my job at Owens Illinois. It was hard to believe my college years were almost over. I was looking forward to graduating so I could make money and pursue my dream of dancing. During that summer and also some of the previous summers I took classes at Bud Kerwin’s studio in Toledo. Bud had danced the male lead in Les Sylphides when I was at Gail Grant’s school and had since opened a studio of his own. A young boy who studied with Bud by the name of Wally Bissell went on to become the infamous American Ballet Theatre dancer, Patrick Bissell, who made headlines along with Gelsey Kirkland for substance abuse problems. Tragically, Wally/Patrick died of a drug overdose when he was only 30-years old.

Before the end of our junior year, Sue and I decided to live off campus our final year. We had a friend in Phi Beta who was moving out of her apartment two blocks from CCM. We found out a few weeks before school started that she had changed her mind about moving. Carla and I took a quick trip down to Cincinnati to remedy the situation. I don’t know how it happened, but we ran into Rusty Riegelman, the dancer with the baby. She had gotten married a few years back but it hadn’t worked out. She lived in a 3-bedroom apartment and was looking for roomies—perfect! We sealed the deal on the spot. It couldn’t have worked out better.

I got back to Cincinnati a few days before John—just enough time to get into trouble. The summer hadn’t gone well—we were fighting constantly mostly about his jealousy issues. I knew it was only a matter of time before we broke up. I also think after two years we were beginning to see how different we were, and we were getting bored with each other. I called Kim and invited him over. It took only one evening for me to realize Kim would never work. I wasn’t attracted to him; I only thought I was because he was cute and different. When John got to Cincinnati, for some dumb reason I told him that Kim had been over. Of course, John was furious and never did get over it. We saw each other a few times over the next couple months, but our relationship eventually petered out and it was just as well.

Sue and I were enjoying our new apartment. We shopped for groceries and cooked many evenings. The apartment was about a mile from CCM, so we would hitch a ride with Rusty, take the bus, or walk to school. There was a grocery store, Laundromat, and restaurants only a few blocks away.

I started dating an older guy I had met the year before who worked in the computer lab. His name was Bill, also the name of my computer programming teacher. In order to differentiate between the two, Sue gave the new Bill the nickname, Squeaky Bill or just Squeak, although I have no idea why. I would run into the other Bill, my former teacher, while I was in the computer lab talking to Squeak. Bill offered me a job typing my notes from his class the year before. He would pay me so-much-an- hour until I was done. As I was one of his best students, he thought the notes would help him when he taught the class again. I guess that was the reason. But looking back, I wonder?

I was very attracted to him despite the fact that he was married. It seemed like he was openly flirting with me but how could that be? While I was typing out my notes, sharing the office with him, we talked, laughed, joked and flirted. He told me about his wife and kids—two little boys. He had only been married a short time but he already realized it was a mistake. According to him, his wife was materialistic and cold. He vowed to hang in there for the kids, but he wasn’t opposed to messing around on the side. He told me she knew and didn’t seem to care. I got the message loud and clear.

I am not making any excuses for my behavior, but I was young and inexperienced. I was also flattered by his attention and extremely attracted to him. One thing led to another and we saw each other frequently until near the end of my senior year. Once Sue and I attended a bridal show in which Bill’s wife modeled a wedding gown—I was very curious about her. Many weekends he brought the kids when he came to visit. He didn’t seem worried that someone would find out about us—often I stopped by his office at school and he would conspicuously close the door. Our relationship must have been obvious. After Christmas, Bill bought a restaurant/bar named Shipley’s close to campus. We often hung out there, eating and drinking beer. Looking back, it seems very surreal.

After I graduated, Bill and some friends rented our apartment and kept it for many years. He came to see a summer stock show I was doing the summer after graduation. We kept in touch and he visited me more than once in Dallas. The last time I saw him, I was pregnant with my daughter. He never did leave his wife although he told me the kids knew all along what was going on and were affected by it. I think he felt he had done the wrong thing staying with his wife—but it was too late by that time.

During our senior year, Dame Alicia Markova, famous star of the Ballet Russes and later founder with Anton Dolin of the London Festival Ballet, began a residency at UC. She taught Pointe Variations which seniors were required to take. Try as I might I couldn’t please that woman. I literally hated that class as it made me feel totally inadequate. I remember skipping it a number of times in order to meet Bill, play bridge or drink beer at Shipley’s or the Student Union. Senioritis had gotten hold of me.

During my senior year, I joined Contemporary Dance Theatre. CDT was a fledgling modern dance company founded by Jefferson James to promote modern dance in and around the Cincinnati area. Many of the dancers were from the UC Dance Department either currently or formerly. No one was paid but it gave the dancers an opportunity to perform at a number of venues, including an end-of-the-year performance at Wilson Auditorium on the UC campus. Mom and Dad came to see me and, although they were impressed with the quality of the dancing, they didn’t appear to appreciate modern dance in general. That might have had something to do with why I didn’t continue along those lines.

In the performance at Wilson Auditorium, I performed in a number choreographed by Jefferson James on me and Sherry Londe. Sherry was small and round and I was tall and angular. The dance was a competition of sorts between us and ended with us stomping off in opposite directions. We got a big hand from the audience.

The Jeoffrey Ballet came to UC our senior year. In addition to master classes, the company used dance students to supplement its cast for its performances of Petrushka at the Music Hall. I was chosen to participate and it was an eye-opening experience. I performed the role of the Flower Seller and was onstage most of the ballet. It was awesome to see professional dancers perform in such close proximity. Dance majors also participated in some of the Dallas Opera productions. It was all good experience for what I would be doing a few years down the road.

During junior and senior year, Linda C. and some of the other ballet majors performed in many Musical Theatre productions. Sue and I always saw the shows and, although I never auditioned, I enjoyed that type of dancing. Even at that young age, I valued my free time and was careful not to get stressed out by taking on too much. Sue was one of the only dancers who didn’t perform. She decided to continue at UC after graduation to get her Masters. She was given a work/study scholarship and started teaching in the U.C. Preparatory Department the following year. One of her famous students was the actress, Sarah Jessica Parker.

Bridge was something I played off and on during my college years. When I was a freshman, I joined the Bridge Club. We met once a week for evenings of bridge at the Student Union and had occasional all-night sessions on weekends. There was a dark-haired guy named Charlie in the Club whom I admired from afar. He was, of course, one of the better players and it would make me extremely nervous when I was partnered with him. After he married one of the girls in the Club, I stopped going. I couldn’t bear to see them happy together.

When I was a senior, I started playing bridge again. There would always be a game going at the Student Union, and I met a guy named Marvin who would drag me into it. Marvin liked me and I liked him but there was Bill, and besides I was leaving and almost finished with school. I met another guy at the Laundromat who I saw briefly but stopped seeing for the same reason. I knew I would be leaving Cincinnati, I just didn’t know yet what I would be doing.

And I can’t forget Frank who was 4’11”. Frank was a street artist who could stand still for hours—not moving a muscle. I met him when I, with a group of modern dancers, performed improvisational dance movements to Beatles Music with him as the focal point. The performance was at the Student Union with students stopping by to watch on their way to class. Frank and I went out a few times and were fine if we were sitting down, but kissing a guy a head shorter than you is just too weird!

The last guy I met at college was Larry. I had known him since freshman year because he dated one of Sue’s roommates. I had always thought he was cool but didn’t think he would ever be interested in me. He hit on me at the very last party I went to at UC. Even though I was interested, I knew I would be leaving. I have always been glad I told him “no”.

Shortly before school let out for the summer, many job opportunities were posted on the Dancer’s bulletin board. One that caught my eye was for dancers, singers and actors at the Pioneer Playhouse in Danville, Kentucky, about two hours from Cincinnati. I had two prior commitments that summer—to be a bridesmaid in Sue’s wedding to Mike in Pittsburg, and in Nancy’s wedding to Rudy in Toledo—but I was hoping whoever hired me could work around that. I also had to make time for graduation. The ceremony was about two weeks after school was over.

One weekend that changed many lives forever (including mine); I auditioned for the Pioneer Playhouse with Carla, Marcy and Rusty. Following the dance audition, we each had to sing a solo—something I had never done before. I guess I did fine because we were all hired on the spot. It definitely wasn’t big bucks but we didn’t have any expenses either. Food and accommodations were provided at the theatre. The Director and Choreographer, Connie Phelps, offered me the job of Dance Captain, even though she knew I would be gone two weekends of the run. My graduation date was during rehearsal weeks so there was no problem there. As Dance Captain, I would dance the lead in all three musicals—Can Can, New Moon and Teahouse of the August Moon and I was paid $25 extra per week. Rusty was my understudy and would dance my roles when I was out. Carla and Marcy were hired as chorus dancers and singers. The difficult part was going back to college and finishing the year. I was so excited to start working. The contract was only for a couple of months so after that, I would have to look for something else.

To wrap up my college experience, I attended graduation on a warm, summer day. My parents drove down from Toledo and I drove up from Danville in the turquoise Gremlin my parents gave me as a graduation present. I loved the car except for the fact that it had a stick shift. I have never been good at driving a stick, and the hills in Cincinnati made it even more difficult. As we lined up to march into the football stadium, it was difficult to comprehend that I most-likely would never see most of these people again. Sue, Linda C. and I marched in together although many students chose not to come. It was not mandatory that we attend but I have always been glad that I did. Because of the enormous size of our class, we weren’t handed our diplomas one-by-one. After the mandatory speeches, we all moved our tassels together. I was the proud recipient of a Bachelors in Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati!