20 Bionic Ballerina

Meredith Martin diagnosed at age 10 w 19 degrees & the let’s wait & see attitude. In 6 months her curve “shot up to 68 degrees” Never letting go of her career as a dancer. Her parents allowed her to make the decision of surgery to have it or not. She continued dancing, while wearing the spine core brace. At 21, she was cast in the musical Oklahoma which would require a 14 minute ballet sequence. The pain required a routine of decompressing using a heating pad & stretching. It was at this point where she started to look into having surgery. During surgery, it was found that her curve had increased to 73 degrees with 3 vertebra that had fused themselves together. Currently her back is still not completely flat with 2 rods & 24 screws. She has a curve of about 30 degrees. After being cleared, she started to feel what her body could do & what it felt like. She would relearn where her center was. Being told, don’t dance or you won’t be able to dance. Dancing will make your curves worse. but at the end of the day, “dance is what saved my body.” One of her biggest problems with this surgery is the lack of therapy post surgery. “Your body has habits. Having hardware fused to your spine, doesn’t make the habits disappear.” How has life changed from surgery at 21 to the present. She attributes her journey in NYC to her surgery. The physical demand that is required from living in a 5th fl walk up carrying groceries, to the subway stairs to walking the streets. Seeing a massage therapist, chiropractor are some tings that are in her routine. “My success as a performer is directly related to surgery.” One of the jobs she had living in NY was walking on Stilts. Since this she’s gotten certified in Ballroom dancing, which is also presents its challenges of positioning the body. What she would say the younger Meredith. How she dealt with & deals with the emotional space of being fused & having scoliosis. “Scoliosis is a part of who I am. It’s a BEAUTIFUL part of who I am.”

Where can you Merideth:

Instagram: bionic_ballerina

email: meremartin9@gmail.com

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