Maintaining The Legacy

Cynthia Shipley, a Dance Theater of Harlem alum, found a new passion when she began studying Pilates with Romana Kryzanowska.

- Anne Marie O'Connor

PILATES STYLE Tell us about your childhood.

CYNTHIA SHIPLEY I grew up in Baltimore City. I was the tenth child and the youngest of eight girls and I also had three brothers. We were—and still are—a very close family.

PS I know you were very interested in dance.

CYNTHIA Yes, the arts were an important factor in our lives. My dance journey began with liturgical dance; my initial training was with my mother’s teacher. My mother was evidently a beautiful classical dancer, but at that time, her ethnicity obstructed her from fully pursuing her dream. She encouraged us to live our dreams instead.

From there I studied predominately modern dance and eventually performed professionally with the Baltimore Dance Theatre when I was around 17.

I also took ballet classes at the Peabody Conservatory of Music and the Eubie Blake Cultural Center. While I continued to study and perform after high school, I also attended Villa Julie College in Baltimore as a business major.

At the age of 24, my teachers encouraged me to head to New York to focus on dance. While completing the Dance Theatre of Harlem's four-year accredited program, I performed with the Workshop Ensemble and eventually performed professionally with the Dance Theatre of Harlem company.

I danced professionally for about twelve years. I was fortunate enough to work with such greats as Frederick Franklin, Arthur Mitchell, Aretha Franklin, Louis Johnson, Billy Wilson and so many brilliant dancers.

PS How did you first learn about Pilates?