The woman who helped train Natalie Portman for her role in The Black Swan got a special Christmas delivery and welcomed her first child, daughter Lumina Belle on 6am December 26, 2013.
| Mary Helen Bowers and daughter Lumina Belle at 9 days old. She danced up until giving birth to her. – Instagram |
Mary Helen Bowers caught many people’s attention with the beautiful photos of herself she shared on her Instagram account of her in graceful ballet poses while 9 months pregnant.
Bowers, who owns Ballet Beautiful ballet instructions company, got permission from her doctor to dance up until the week before she was scheduled to deliver.
“I just love knowing that when I’m dancing, the baby is dancing,” Bowers, 33, told TODAY Moms. “It’s just been awesome to know there’s this little life that’s sharing in everything you do every day.”
The Columbia University English literature grad danced for 10 years with the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center after getting a full scholarship at age 15 to study at the School of American Ballet in Manhattan. Bowers was invited to join New York City Ballet a year later at age 16.
“I feel like that’s really helped me with my balance and helped prevent back pain and a lot of other aches and pains that are really common with pregnancy,” she said of being able to dance all pregnancy long. “It’s a beautiful time. You feel connected to your body on a level like never before.”
Photos: Instagram.com/BalletBeautiful