You asked for it!

I had three people e-mail me asking why I didn't include a picture of me dancing with my daughter. So, if you really want to see what I look like dancing ballet, I decided to go pull out a photo from just over ten years ago.

Yes, this really is me. A head full of hair, thin face, and athletic build. A lot can happen in ten years!

People ask if my ballet experience as the lead danseur with The Woodlands Civic Ballet has any relevance to my current role as a school show presenter and motivational children's performer.

On the surface, no. I mean, I don't dance in my library reading programs. I don't even script much movement into my educational assembly programs, even my Sport of Champions program which is about mental and physical training as well as some fun math concepts.

But it is relevant. I was never schooled in dance as a child and didn't get into ballet until I was out of college. But I went in with a hungry quest for knowledge and within just a few years was the lead danseur and stayed the lead until I left a few years later.

An example of how we can do almost anything we decide to do as long as we are willing to pay the price necessary to get there.

--Julian Franklin