Stage Right

Yumi Yamaguchi was a delightful dancer who graced the Rialto stage before her grand entrance onto New York ballet venues. Her parents would drop her and her brother off at the Rotaru Ballet studios for their many hours of classes and would return to pick them up still attired in their dark business suits, pleasantly bowing to any who might greet them.
Though she carried her weight in musculature, all one hundred and five pounds of lithe and grace with the tell-tale walk and stance of a dancer. I call it the turn-out walk; feet purposely implanting each step, yet not quite slew-footed, hips even and steady. The sign of muscle memory and training.

As ballet studios go, it was much the same as others with mother's and father's waiting in the long halls or in lobby. Little brothers would find others of their age to wander about with-
We chatted, made friends and talked about the beauty of dance through Pavel Rotaru and wife, Elwyn. There is no other technical school, with so much demanded in detail of it's trainees than the Russian school of dance. And so it was here at the Rotaru International Children's Ballet School in Atlanta, Georgia.

When I showed this photo to Yumi, she was thrilled at first. You see the colorful original Russian costumery and set design (Dragan) and this tiny little Japanese girl dancing the part of Clara- "I've been working on my turnout...that's great" she says pointing to her left boxed foot. Then sighs as she looks at her right. "But I will get it...Pavel would be happy".

The last time I spoke to her was a few years ago. She was off at school in New York, Joffrey, I think- Her linage serves her well. Pleasant and happy to know that I wanted to use her photos- Of course, I had her permission.