Meeting Ginger Rogers

My mom had sent my sister and I to the Lachine Ballet Studio in Los Angeles, twice a week, and I must say I loved it and kept at it for about 4 years. Loved the feeling.

One day we are coming to class and my teacher, who by this time was a great friend, called me and said, “Everyone is screaming here, Ginger Rogers is rehearsing…..”. Terry knew I was a huge fan of hers.

Happily it would be around the time I would be there, so it occurred that at the top of the long stairs to enter the studio inside, La Rogers looked like spun silver at the top of the stairs, or the woman in the old Columbia Pictures opening stills with the torch.

I nodded to her, and she nodded back and I resolved to wait and respect her privacy.

For a little while.

Then we all got to peek at her rehearsal for what would be her return to London. The big studio with all the dancers and she singing away. They took a break and I made a dash.

“Miss Rogers?” the inflection straight out of a 1920’s movie. “I say, Miss Rogers….”

Well, I must have been perfect as she whipped around and said, “Yes….”

None of this forget your fans, and silly nonsense of today, she came right over.

I launched into my mini tribute to her, quickly but old fashioned praise, and finished with, you positively look lit from within…..and some such thing.

She looked happy at the praise but a little surprised. “How old are you? I know I shouldn’t ask….”
with a wink.

I was all of 17, 18. “My goodness, you speak like someone from the MGM publicity department back in my day, the way they used to write……thank you so much….. wanna see me rehearse?” and there I sat watching and clapping for someone I adored in movies and as a dancer and actress.

She would be forever my “Lucky Lady” for over the years she would always seem to appear when something great was going to happen to me. “Some people are that for some people” she laughed once when I told her that.

Either way, being close up in her face after a warm hello, and so aware without the “fans we wouldn’t be anyone….” she glowed. The face looked like it sizzled. No other word.

Positively electric. The color of her eyes, so pure blue, full of personality and hail fellow well met, and her hair at the time was a true blondish silver. She was radiant.

This picture came my way today, from my “Lucky Lady”, still appearing after all these years.

I’ll let you know what happens.