the therapist

Ivan Nagy was one of the most popular male principals of American Ballet Theatre in the 1970’s. He was a brilliant, dynamic and very elegant dancer and I must admit to having had an enormous crush on him in my teens. Much to my surprise and overwhelming joy, I even found at that time a shiatsu book using him as photographic model for the meridians. Scantily clad, no less. This was my introduction to alternative medicine. I loved that book. To my deepest regret, after hauling it around for years from country to country, it mysteriously disappeared on my move between Germany and Switzerland. When nearing the end of my dance career and searching for a new direction to my life, I turned as many dancers do, to a profession using my acquired knowledge of decades of experience. And of course for me that meant the body in all it’s functions and mobilities, weaknesses and strengths. The subject of health had long been a focus for me. I researched different possibilities and educations with shiatsu and lingering nostalgia on top of the list. In the end, I opted for a chinese medicine education which encompassed greater holistic options for treatment; acupuncture, acupressure, herbal medicine and dietary strategies. But, thank you Ivan, for the inspiration!