7 Chapter 6 On the Road

Chapter 6 On the Road When Maria graduated from high school in 1942, her father told her it was time that she began earning a living. Maria's first paid job was dancing in a movie. It was a musical called Presenting Lily Mars. The star of the movie was a young actress named Judy Garland. While Maria was intrigued by the movie star, the dancing job was not very challenging. Maria's heart simply wasn't in Hollywood. She wanted to become a ballerina.

Earlier in the year, Maria had seen the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo perform. This was a dance company that traveled across the country. Some of the lead dancers had even joined one of Madame's classes to work with her best pupils. Maria was among them. Once again, Maria's mother came up with a plan. She arranged for Maria to travel with a friend to New York City. Once there, Maria could audition for the Ballet Russe.

Maria was seventeen years old that summer of 1942. America was at war with Japan and Germany. The train terminal was crowded with soldiers hugging their wives and kissing their children goodbye. Maria had never traveled alone anywhere. She could not remember a time when Marjorie was not at her side. But her sister was still in high school and had to stay behind. "All aboard!" the train conductor called. Maria hugged her family, then she stepped onto the train. Once she arrived in New York City a few days later, Maria faced a great disappointment. The secretary of the Ballet Russe turned her away. "We don't need any more dancers," the woman said coldly. The words tore at Maria's heart. She had traveled all the way across the country with the hope of joining the Ballet Russe. She swallowed

back her tears long enough to write her name and the address of her hotel in New York City. She gave it to the secretary. Once outside, Maria began to cry. She was alone and lonely in the city, and she didn't have a job. Three days later, something wonderful happened. Mr. Denham, who was the head of the Ballet Russe, remembered Maria. He had seen her dance when the Ballet Russe had visited Madame Nijinska's studio a year earlier. Now the company was about to go on tour. At the last minute, one of

his dancers had decided to leave the company. Mr. Denham hired Maria. A few days later, Maria once again arrived at the train station dragging her heavy suitcase behind her. A crowd of dancers and musicians was already on the platform. Maria knew no one. She took a seat in the train car. All night, she sat upright in the darkened car, because she didn't know—as the other more-experienced travelers did—how to make her seat recline. And she was too timid to ask for help. In the morning, her back and legs were stiff. What did it matter? She was going to dance with the Ballet Russe!

In each city, the troupe unloaded its costumes and musical instruments. The dancers went first to the theater where they would perform that evening. Because of the long hours cramped on a train or sometimes a bus, they carefully stretched their legs and arms and back. After warming up, they took a class. Then they went to their hotel rooms. Often, the rooms were shabby, small, and dark. The girls paid for their rooms out of their weekly earnings. To save money, three girls shared a room. Sometimes, Maria slept on a mattress. Other nights, she slept on the floor. The dancers took turns washing their hair in the bathroom sink down the hall. Refreshed, they returned to the theater to rehearse again before the evening's performance.