After WWII there were no cars on the street called Osterdeich in Bremen (Germany) and we roller skated the whole stretch.
In winter, the polders outside Bremen flooded and froze and we ice skated on Hollanders, which were ice skates made of a piece of wood with a blade embedded in it. You were so close to the ground with your shoe that you could not twist your ankle. Ice as far as you could see. We warmed up in farmhouse restaurants situated on the dikes with rum and tea, called Grog.

Then my sister and I joined the roller skating club and began training (see photo at right: Luise in a rollerskating competition).

Today’s classes in Ballroom and Latin, and the ensuing exams remind me vividly of our competitions as children.
n the beginning of my stone and wood carving studies at Berlin Academy, I took classes with famous Mary Wigman (Karoline Sofie Marie Wiegmann- see her photo below), expressionist Dancer.

It was so hard and clashed with the heavy stonework I was doing, reluctantly I gave it up, but have always visited every Ballet and modern Dance performance wherever I was.

In the fifties came Rock and Roll, then the Twist in the sixties, and Soul dancing in NY in the seventies. When I was Professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, I started taking Ballet and Jazz classes. And when I passed in front of the Ballroom Schools, I looked longingly to see if they were open. But Sculpture came first and I worked late into the nights. Now, finally, I have the time. Old, yes, but ready.
In December 2003 I passed my Bronze 1 and 2 exams (December 2003), took classes with wonderful Ken Wilson, who guided me through the exams and partnered me. In October 2004 I passed the IDT exam (International Ballroom Exam) Grade Silver I and Grade Silver II "Highly Recommended."

In July 2003, I was in “Dance Heaven” in Puerto Rico‘s Congresso Mundial de la Salsa. I will continue to take dance classes in Santiago de Cuba. So, for all you dance lovers, I will give you a list of classes you can go to, whenever you are in Trinidad or Tobago.

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