I fell in love with ballet at ten, first watching my best friend then dancing at Ingaborg Heuser’s studio in El Paso. But no one looked like me—pink tights, pink shoes, it was awkward. At 16, I met Arthur Mitchell and earned a scholarship to Dance Theatre of Harlem. In NYC, someone asked why my tights were pink if I was brown, so the next day, I dyed everything. That moment changed everything. I went from pink to brown, and I never looked back. It was a wonderful revelation.
I began teaching with Kids Excel in El Paso, where I discovered my passion for working with students with special needs. I earned a master’s in special education, led free after-school dance programs, and taught at the El Paso Center for the Deaf, incorporating sign language into my classes. Later, in New Mexico, I continued with Kids Excel, inspired by mentor Gemtria St. Clair, teaching children of all abilities to dance.
Chronic pain and multiple surgeries had me down for a while, but art pulled me back into motion. While healing, I began painting and decorating pointe shoes from bed—bringing beauty into difficult moments. Now I’ve launched a website for dancers, selling phone cases, kimonos, duffel bags, and more—all created from my artwork or the shoes themselves. It gives me purpose. It’s my reason to get up in the morning. www.johvielle.com
When you put your heart into what you love, it becomes a gift to others. Every plié, every port de bras, is part of fine-tuning that offering. I’m a woman of faith, and I believe God chose me for this gift—with brown skin, small feet, and all my obstacles. I overcame them, pushed through boundaries, and danced. It was amazing. And for however long I could, I shared that gift with so many.
Patricia is still warming up...