Ballerina on Skates — Zoa Sherburne

It's Very Bumpy Riding On the Road to Success

Norwegian-born Karen Kearny, twice orphaned, felt that she had only two assets: her new high school diploma and her skating ability. So, when the popular lcetravaganzas reached her home town of Seattle, Karen took her five feet eleven inches of Norwegian blondness down to try out for the show.

The next thing she knew, she was whirling around the country, one of the chorus of Ice Belles. Then Karen caught the eye of Lance Preston, the show's brilliant choreographer -- realizing until too late that attention was a mixed blessing to an aspiring BALLERINA ON SKATES!

When the music stopped Karen made a final sweeping turn and stood on tiptoe, both arms upraised. Her tryout for the ice show was oveer. Skating was what she loved, and she wanted this job desperately.

Karen won a place in the chorus line, and the whirl began. First stop for the show was San Francisco, and then it would travel across the country. As the tour progressed, Karen showed a knack for comic routines, and the show's choreographer, Lance Preston, took an interest in her. Together they worked out a clown number that was an immediate hit and gave Karen a featured spot in the show. Perhaps inevitably, Karen fell in love with Lance, despite the warnings that he was equally attentive to each new star. Then another unusually talented girl joined the show, and Karen was forced to face reality.