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:
“He wanted to do everything. He was a skater, a swimmer, involved in all the Little League sports, baseball, football, studied dancing every day, he played the violin, sang in the school choir, did the leads in the school plays from junior high up,”
“I guess you could call him hyper, but he just has to be busy all the time.”
Despite his talent, school life was difficult. His love for dance and performance made him a target, with other boys labeling his interests as “girly.” The bullying often escalated into physical confrontations, leaving him bruised on more than one occasion.
