Courtesy of Denise Bellog, Sarah Stier/Getty Images
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Denise Bellog. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Performing arts has been a part of my life since childhood in Newark, New Jersey. In middle school, I won an award for reciting poetry, and I was lucky enough to experience some really great dance training.
Growing up, my mom stumbled upon two established dancers who came out of the vaudeville era in the 50's and enrolled me in dance lessons with them. In their classes, I had the opportunity to learn all kinds of world dances. We didn't just learn ballet, tap, or modern jazz. Because of those classes, I can do Tinikling dancing with bamboo poles from the Philippines, play the castanets, do the hula, and do Irish step dancing.
As a kid, I thought everyone learned dance styles from around the world while in dance school, but that's often not the case. It was a very eye-opening experience.
My performing arts journey did not end in childhood. As an adult, I auditioned for several Broadway shows but didn't get cast. Instead, I wound up doing a lot of work in community theater, and I've been teaching theater for 50 years. I've taught at the middle school, high school, and university levels. I always say I'm a woman of many gigs, and in 2001 specifically, I was teaching at two places. All week, I would teach public middle school and high school courses, and then on Saturday, I would teach two three-credit courses back to back at William Paterson University.
Everybody used to question why I would teach all week and then get up early at 8 o'clock to teach on the weekends, but I told them I loved it. And I loved that my students wanted to be there. Many of my university-level students at that time had full lives, whether they were married or had kids, but they were interested in hearing me share my passion. I consider sharing my passion a mission and something I want to pay forward. I still teach at William Paterson University, now teaching public speaking.
About 16 years ago, my daughter considered pursuing a dancing career on cruise ships. As a theater person, I would go into the city and buy trade papers, where you could find casting notices. I knew that Disney was casting for their cruise ship, so I was looking through a trade paper to get information for my daughter when I saw an advertisement that the Timeless Torches dance team was looking for 16 dancers over 50.
My daughter didn't end up going to the Disney audition, but I decided to audition for the Timeless Torches.
When I was 46, I started to lose my hearing. Everybody kept saying to me you have the hearing of an 80-year-old, and when you're 46, that's not good. It was hard for me as a person who loves theater and dance.
By the time I auditioned for the Timeless Torches, I had been wearing hearing aids for about 10 years. But I decided to give the audition a try despite my hearing aids not being great. I didn't want any sympathy from anyone. I just wanted to audition like everyone else.
During the audition, we had numbers pinned to our chest with safety pins. I wasn't sure I'd be able to know when they called my number, so I was looking around, trying to figure out another system to know when it was my turn. Unfortunately, I realized the numbers were not consecutive. When they finally called my number, a guy next to me said, "I think that's you," and also let me know I had my number upside down. I did the best that I could.
I gave the coach my daughter's number to let me know if I made it. It was unbelievable finding out I made it on the team. I could have never imagined what it would turn out to be.
Once I was cast, I told the team about my hearing loss, and I now have cochlear implants. I read lips, and I'm not always able to pick all the words to the music, but I can still feel the beat. Whenever I don't understand the instructions in rehearsal, I'll just turn to somebody and say, "What did she say again?" My teammates have been really helpful to me.
The oldest dancer on our team is 87, and we also have dancers in their 40s. My daughter is 42, so I love that I am challenged by kids I could have birthed. They bring a whole new energy to our team, and it's fabulous.
Who'd ever think I'd be doing hip-hop? But I'm hipping and hopping.
On our team, we have every occupation, every gender, and every size. It's been the best opportunity ever to meet all these people.
I'm thankful to my parents for allowing me to grow up taking dance lessons. It's finally paid off.
