When I’m not selling places for record prices, you might find me on stage with The National Ballet of Canada!

I honestly pinch myself every time I get the opportunity! The ballet world is not too different from the world of figure skating that I grew up in, so I was always a fan, and very often a spectator.

Then in the summer of 2013, I was helping my friend, a Principal dancer with the NBOC, with her condo purchase. I asked her who these people were that sometimes appear with her on stage, always in the background, never really dancing.

They call us “Supernumeraries” or “Supers” for short. I had to be patient, but on March 18th, 2014, I took to the stage and played the role of a servant in Onegin. The role was the simplest of all “Super” roles. Stand at the side by the wing for about 20 minutes, then turn and exit on cue. The costumes are exquisite.

It was fun wearing the Beethoven wig too! We supers — as you can imagine — are not on stage the whole time, but we have the pleasure of being able to watch the rest of the ballet from the wings, which is absolutely incredible!

In June of 2014, they called me back to be one of The Duke’s Guards in Romeo and Juliet. This role was much more involved than just standing at the side, and we even had a few hours of practice with the dancers!

I can remember that first practice with the Company vividly. We were in the side studio of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. For our entry, we six Guards run on to the stage with spears in our hands and stop on our mark. We stand for a while until our next cue. In the dance world, as in the skating world, prior Champions train the current dancers (who are already Champions themselves, honestly). “Look dead ahead” was our instruction, and dead ahead of me sitting in one of the four chairs at the front was none other than the legendary Karen Kain! I’m looking at her, and she’s looking right back at me!

“What is going on here?!” I thought to myself. How am I even in this situation? See, my sister took ballet for easily 15 years in Oakville. Me, not one lesson, yet here I am standing with my spear amidst The National Ballet of Canada dancers with Karen Kain watching my every move!

“Am I right here? I think I’m right… oooh, we’re moving now… okay follow the leader… here we go!” That’s how it all started.

Manon was next (November 2014) followed by Sleeping Beauty (June 2015), a ballet in which we Supers have a very quick costume change and a ton of stage time! A bit ‘rock star’ like, we have our own dressers helping us with the quick change! Can you believe that?!

They only need us in the big Classic ballets though, so our opportunity comes up only a couple times in a calendar year. In the fall of 2015, we did Romeo and Juliet again, as well as during the March break of 2016.

The inspiration I receive from being in this environment with these incredible athletes is immeasurable. Except it is measurable, in fact. When I took to the stage once again in Romeo and Juliet on March 11th, 2020, I did so a full fifty pounds lighter than my debut in that role four years prior. In the dance world, you’d say I had successfully lengthened! And rewarded I was, because this time around I was chosen as the ‘lead’ guard with the added responsibility of bringing Lord Capulet his sword. Our run got cut short by the NBOC having to close the theatre due to COVID-19, but the shows we did were my 85th, 86th, and 87th ballets with the Company!

Earlier this year, I was on stage with the Company as they toured in Washington D. C., reprising my role as The King’s Courtier in Sleeping Beauty. With 27 local Supers needed for that one, they liked having me on board as I know the King’s Courtier role quite well by now. Here I am pictured with the King!

I actually am an advisor to the King in real life, too! That’s my good friend Jon Renna who has recently joined our great Brokerage and is killing it as a new REALTOR®.

Beyond The National Ballet of Canada, I’ve been a Super for American Ballet Theatre in their Romeo and Juliet (a completely different version) at The Met in NYC, and in April of 2019, I once again joined ABT while they were on tour in Chicago. I’ve been on stage in Boston (where my sister lives) with the Boston Ballet as well. There’s nothing better than wrapping a little travel in with a little ballet! When time permits, I hope to continue what I call my highly improbable “World Tour!” Ha!

Forever thankful I will be to the dancers, and honestly, everyone involved in the process of creating such beauty, for allowing me to ‘drop-in’ on their world from time to time. Doing so changed me, even beyond my 50-pound weight loss. The ‘work ethic’ of a dancer is off the charts!

After each one of these extraordinarily unique experiences, I always return to my real estate business with renewed passion and even stronger work ethic, and this formula has recently landed me in the Top 25 in all of Keller Williams agents in the country (out of 3,711).

I was #17 on this list to start 2020, and what makes me the proudest about that is the fact that I haven’t changed the way in which I do business. You get my absolute best! Whether we are selling, buying or finding your investment, I’ve got your best interests at heart. I always view real estate as your most important asset, with your home being your castle. I am literally guarding your castle!

In the past 12 months, I have sold places as high as 114% over asking, 120% over asking, and perhaps the greatest success of them all, 128% over asking on 16 Howick Avenue, which was tenanted at the time (see full success story here).

Just think about it, if I can launch an international ballet career at the age of 42, then I can probably sell your house, right? Right!