Ann Etgen-Atkinson with husband, Bill Atkinson, New York City Ballet, 1948
poem submitted to "2026-04-02 Write a Beautiful Terza Rima" poetry contest, Constance La France, sponsor, 4/3/2026
“Ballet is a psalm, a form of worship and a sacred dance between the ballerina and God.” quote by prima ballerina, Ann Etgen-Atkinson. She enters where the soft light waits and feels its hush draw near her soul as silence opens her inner gates. Her *turnout forms a gentle whole, a yielding shaped by quiet trust that steadies her in sacred role. Her center holds a tender must, a call to rest in God’s soft breath letting her striving turn to dust. Her lines extend beyond the death of fear or haste or earthly claim leaning toward Love under’eth. She moves within His whispered Name~ her steps a psalm of lifted flame. *Turnout in ballet refers to the outward rotation of the legs from the hips, which allows dancers to achieve greater extension and maintain balance during movements. It is a fundamental aspect of ballet technique that enhances the aesthetic quality of the dance. (Source Wikipedia.com)
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