This 78-Year-Old Ballerina is Keeping Us All on Our Toes

While the typical ballerina’s career may end by age 30, that certainly doesn’t apply to . The London-born dancer, who now lives in Texas, is still performing at age 78—and en pointe!

Inspired at an early age by the renowned English ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn, Suzelle is a former soloist with the Houston Ballet. During her career, she has been on stage throughout Europe and in South Africa, among other locations.

She now teaches at Tuzer Dance School, six days a week, where her students respectfully refer to her as Madame Poole. She also twirls across the stage as a special guest with various companies and with her company, Poole Ballet, which teaches residents of assisted-living and retirement homes how to move to the music. “People in care centers can relate to me because I’m about the same age,” she has commented. “I hope to get them interested in exercise. Plus, I enjoy showing them that it’s never too late to do something you love.”