Ballet teacher Anne Samson, pictured in 2021. Photo / Andrew Warner
“The show had to go on.”
Those were the determined words of a widely loved ballet teacher who found herself in hospital awaiting a pacemaker, not sure if she would make it to her 50th Jubilee.
She spent the time in her hospital room - which smelt strongly of the massive bouquets that adorned it - writing out every detail of tomorrow’s show at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre so it could go on.
Spoiler: the show goes on, and she gets to see it.
On March 23, Anne Samson, of the Anne Samson School of Ballet, went for a check-up with her anaesthetist ahead of her knee replacement - a symptom of a lifetime of dancing.
Samson said he was “quite concerned” and ordered her to see a cardiologist immediately, as he noticed her heart was pumping “really slowly”.
But she went to teach dance instead, then went home for a bath. She got an urgent call from the doctor at 10.30pm.
She admitted herself to Rotorua Hospital at 11pm, where she spent the next six days waiting to be transferred to Waikato Hospital to have a pacemaker put in.
She said her only symptom was a tightness in her chest, the same feeling as a tight bra, and urged everyone to not ignore this symptom.
She was “really upset for the students” when she was told they wouldn’t be able to get her to Waikato Hospital, but she made her students her number-one priority while in the hospital bed.
“I was just adamant, whether I was there or not, the show had to go on,” she said.
Samson said the dancers had worked so hard and deserved to perform, have a lovely time and get the experience.
The Jubilee has already been cancelled twice. In 2021, it was cancelled because of Covid, and last year it was cancelled because the Sir Howard Morrison Centre was not ready.
“With the show, I do everything myself, so it was all in my head.
“So, for the next week, with my laptop and papers everywhere on the bed, I was trying to get what was in my brain on to paper” so others would be able to run the show in her absence.
She spent “hours” and “didn’t stop” until the lights were out.
She went through every class’ dances, totalling 150 dancers from five to 85 years old, covering every detail - from what dancers had on their heads and feet to where the flowers went.
In the meantime, she said it was “quite worrying” watching the numbers on her heart monitor jump and drop radically.
On Wednesday, she was taken to Waikato Hospital, but was told they did not think they would be able to put her pacemaker in until Saturday - the same day as the Jubilee.
On Thursday, a spot freed up and within 45 minutes, she was in the operating theatre.
“I’ve got a new dicky ticker,” she laughed.
The operation to put in the pacemaker was the same day as her mum’s birthday, and Samson believed she was watching over her. She died six years ago and would have turned 100.
Samson said it was “a godsend” that she was getting a new knee - otherwise, she would never have got her heart checked.
Through tears, she said she felt “so appreciative” of all the support she had around her, and was “eternally grateful” to everyone who helped along the way,
She would “most definitely” be at the show, sitting in the wings with her students.
“It’s an absolute blessing that I’ve got this opportunity to see my students perform.”
She was discharged this afternoon.
The Anne Samson School of Ballet 50th Jubilee is on Saturday at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre at 1pm and 6.30pm.
Samson reached the milestone of having taught ballet for 50 years at the end of 2021.
She was introduced to ballet at a young age, and started helping the class teachers at the age of 10.
She taught ballet in Auckland for 15 years, and moved to Rotorua in 1986 to bring up her children here. She has now been teaching ballet in Rotorua for 37 years.
Bridget Anderson, Samson’s close friend, said through tears it had been “overwhelming” and really difficult to see her friend like this.
She said friends, family, colleagues and former students rallied together to make sure Samson’s show went ahead, whether she could make it or not, though they were constantly praying for her speedy recovery.