Maria's first dance portrait from May of 1993
Maria's first dance company was "Deborah's Stage Door" in Rochester Hills, Michigan. She was 2 1/2 years old when she first started dancing there. As I stated earlier, she wasn't crazy about it the first year. She loved to dance, but for the first time in her life, she was being told how to move. Maria was more interested in showing off her own mad skills. At one point, she actually wanted to quit, but I explained to her that she was more than just a dancer now, she was part of a team. Maria was such a smart little girl and grasped the concept quickly. Understanding that she could not let the other dancers down, she decided to finish out the year. Then, as I said, the first time the stage lights hit her... she was hooked.