Summary: Part A:Half the Sky Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps Chinese orphans overcome the pain of loneliness and abandonment by placing them with caring foster families all over the world. Founder and AARP Purpose Prize winner Jenny Bowen started Half the Sky when she noticed the completed transformation of her adopted daughter from frightened little girl to a happy thriving child. Bowen wanted to provide the opportunity for this same transformation to the many thousands of children in the Chinese orphanage system. She was not only successful, but she also revolutionized the Chinese system of foster care. Bowen tells her story in her book, “Wishing You Happy Forever.”Part B:Ballet may be one of the most demanding physical and mental arts, requiring completely control over one’s self. Elite dancers face tremendous pressure to maintain a certain weight and perform injured. Jenifer Ringer, after watching a friend’s dance class as a teen, fell in love with ballet, was accepted into the elite Washington School of Ballet and soon moved on to the School of American Ballet. She was a professional dancer with the New York City Ballet while still a teen. Ringer gives a rare inside look at the highs and lows of an elite dancer’s career and discusses how she met her husband, best floors in the business and her struggles with weight and self-image.
