The Dancing Demigod of Tulsa

by Abby Wendle

06/17/2014

Catherine Margaret “Skilly” Forsman had a beautiful body. She earned it dancing, which she began shortly after popping out of the womb. Skilly, born in Oklahoma City in 1922, traveled around the world learning dances and fitness techniques that she cultivated into a movement practice all her own. She counted Joseph Pilates as a personal teacher and Jane Fonda as a private student. Here in Tulsa, Skilly impacted the lives of thousands of teenagers who flocked to her many dance and movement studios. After teaching for more than seven decades, Forsman passed away on April 26, 2011. In this segment, Larry Lane, Skilly’s protege and friend, offers his beloved mentor a short so long.