A Candle to Light the Way....

I’ve always had a thing for the ballet.

My Mother Connie “Pryde”, who was a wonderful artist in her own right, instilled this early love of different music genres and movement in our family from a young age.
I will always remember the sheer magic and edge seated exuberance of seeing The Nutcracker for the first time and the eye opening New York reality of A Chorus Line as a teenager.

It wasn’t until I had two daughter dancers in the span of twenty years that I truly could appreciate their drive and work ethic for even the most minute correction striving for perfection. We are all driven whatever our profession in that same sense of our everyday aspirations... aren’t we? Constantly adjusting and re-adjusting to the melody and dance of life.

I was never afforded dance class, but I know my profession as a shopkeeper (old fashioned I know), and I feel it to the core.

Did you know that Pryde’s was built for the Helen Thomes School of Dance in 1922?  I fully researched this three story treasure in 2001 and “oh the stories” these bricks could tell!

Helen Thomes was a bold and colorful proprietress with a driven character. She lived upstairs with her sister and had a torrid affair with a New York choreographer. All of the hand lettered details readily available at the Downtown Library. I found dozens of beautiful dancers in various poses with personal notes to Miss Thomes thanking her for their formative training.

I had them replicated by the late photographer Jack Denzer (what a peach) framed and had plaques engraved with their names in gold below.  They grace my store and I always say “Hello Ladies” when I open the front lock. Stop by and visit them someday.

I thought of an idea in the middle of the night a few weeks ago....a candle to light the way so to speak. My friend Patrick from Pickwick indulged this reality.

I know we are all re-adjusting to the massive cloud of Coronavirus that has affected every industry and walk of life. The Arts that have given us so much inspiration have not been left unscathed. May we appreciate our loves and rituals with an even greater sweetness and the admiration for family and work co-exist with respect of our human frailty.

$5.00 from every Swan Candle will be donated to the Kansas City Ballet  R.O.A.D. Scholarship program.

The Swan Candle is a fresh blend of mandarin, passionfruit, marigold, crushed leaves, water hyacinth, tuberose absolute, precious woods and patchouli. The perfect gift for anyone who inspires you.

Peace & Happy Cooking,

Louise