His mother never believed in babysitters, which meant he spent much of his childhood tagging along to her workplace. As he grew older, that closeness to his interests came with a cost—he was often mocked by classmates who didn’t understand his passions.
But by the 1980s, the same bullies who once targeted him had fallen silent, likely stunned by what the young boy they teased had become—one of the brightest stars in the world.
Born on August 18, 1952, in Houston, he quickly showed signs of remarkable talent. He stood out early, displaying abilities far beyond those of his peers.His father worked as a draftsman at a chemical plant, while his mother, Patsy, was a choreographer and founder of the Houston Jazz Ballet Company. Growing up in such an environment naturally shaped his future, blending discipline with artistic expression.
Dance became central to his life. He poured himself into it, training relentlessly and even earning money from his performances. But his interests were wide-ranging. As his mother once explained:
