By Michelle Barrett, Staff ReporterWHEN OLYMPIAN Kathy Rattray Williams decided to hang up her running shoes and retire from the world of Track and Field she began feeling sick very often. For Williams, being sick was a rare occurrence as she was often in mint condition while training for various athletic meets. Concerned by these flu-like symptoms she visited her doctor who confirmed that she was okay, her body was just not used to the inactive lifestyle she had adopted since she stopped running.
FELL IN LOVE
The professional athlete now turned educator (she has a Master's Degree in Education) started looking around for an ideal way to keep her muscles toned and her joints supple. One day a friend invited her to attend a Tony Wilson Dance class to "just come and see what it was all about". That was six years ago. Today, she has fallen in love with her new hobby and is now a seasoned dancer with the Tony Wilson Dance Ensemble. Her daughter Raecine Williams, 14, also signed up with Tony Wilson and neither has regretted making that move. "I love it and right now I enjoy dancing so much that it has become a part of me. I never knew it was so great," said the 40-year-old mother of two with a childish grin.
Williams noted that her job as Principal of St. Hugh's Prep School keeps her busy but dancing helps to ease away the daily stress in the evenings. It is also a great way for her to maintain the bond between mother and daughter. Even Luke, her nine-year-old son, has also got in on the action although he stays on the sideline and watches mom and his sister at rehearsals.
"Dancing has helped to strengthen the bond between my children and myself. That way I know where they are and it opens up the communication line. It's nice to know that she can help me with make up and costume - sort of like my little assistant," added Williams, while stroking her daughter's forearm.
For Raceine, dancing has become a way of life for her. She started dancing ballet at the tender age of four with Norma Spence but as the years passed, she became bored with this type of dance. At age 11, she joined the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (JMTC) where she was exposed to a variety of dance moves. She adapted to the new moves so well that a couple of years later, she became Miss JMTC. She has also played one of the leading roles in the company's musical production 'Anastasia'. Shortly after her mother signed up for classes at Tony Wilson, Raecine made the switch to that dance group and is now one of the tutors at the school, teaching the junior class.
Most teens her age would often frown that their parents are in their face all the time. Not Raecine. In fact, she feels privileged being in the same dance group with her mother. "I like the fact that my mother dances with me as not many girls my age get the opportunity to spend quality time with their moms. She's there to see what I'm doing, giving me advice, correcting me when I do something wrong. I just couldn't ask for more," said the fourth form Campion College student.
When the dance season is in high gear Raecine puts in more hours at the dance studio but notes that this has not affected her schoolwork. "It's when the pressure is on, I see her perform much better and I think it's because she has a structured day and so she makes better use of her time," interjected mother Williams, who encourages other parents to become involved in their children's chosen activities. "Even if you don't like what they do, once it is wholesome and it allows them to be active and creative, get interested, that way it becomes harder for them to stray from the lessons you taught them," she advised.
Unlike her mother who dances to keep her body fit, Raceine has her sights set on pursuing a career in dancing and journalism, hoping to study at Columbia University in New York, USA. This move, she said will enable her to study both disciplines. "My intention is to perform on Broadway - you just wait and see," she confidently stated.
