Whatever happened to ... Norfolk ballerina who toured with Dance Theater of Harlem?

Famed ballerina Lorraine Graves lost her ability to dance to lupus and the steroids she uses to treat the chronic and painful autoimmune disease.

But the Lake Taylor High graduate, who performed around the world in a 17-year career with the Dance Theater of Harlem, has never abandoned her love for the art form.

That's why she continues to teach "all over the place," produce an occasional dance program and volunteer as chair of the Norfolk Commission on Arts and Humanities.

About 12 years ago, after it became too difficult to continue her dance career, Graves returned to Norfolk to live with her parents and work for the family business, Graves Funeral Home.

She had been suffering from what appeared to be a continuous sinus infection with a low-grade fever, episodes of pain of the joints and extreme fatigue.

Graves knew it wasn't the kind of pain caused by ballet and sought medical help. One doctor diagnosed her as anemic, while another found only a "fever of unknown origin."

Graves tried to keep dancing, and even went with the company to perform in Turkey. It was in Istanbul that doctors first diagnosed the problem as something rheumatoid.

"I was back home from Turkey in two days," she recalled. "Within a couple days I saw a rheumatologist, and the test came back positive for lupus."

Graves briefly rejoined the company, then decided, "That's enough. I can't do it anymore."

For the first couple years at home, she was able to dance between lupus flare-ups, working with the Virginia Ballet Theatre, among others.

The treatment for lupus involves steroids to keep the body from attacking itself. The side effects have been dramatic. "I've had cataracts removed from both eyes," Graves said, "and I had a total knee replacement on my left knee four years ago."

Graves settled in as secretary/treasurer of the family funeral business on Church Street, and one day realized that she was done dancing.

"My mind has told me I might could," she joked about dancing. "My body has told me otherwise. I don't do it anymore."

Now 50, Graves teaches at the Governor's School for the Arts in Virginia, and is on the permanent guest faculty at the Virginia School of the Arts in Lynchburg and the Dance Theatre of Harlem/Kennedy Center's pre-professional residency program. S he also sits on the board of Norfolk's Todd Rosenlieb Dance Company.

Because of her knee replacement, Graves can no longer demonstrate jumps, she said. She mainly teaches advanced students who know enough dance terminology to understand what she wants.

She also periodically pulls together what she calls Lorraine Graves and Friends, programs featuring outstanding dancers.

Graves' most recent production played the Attucks Theatre in October. She is glad for the opportunity to do things in her hometown, she said.

"Through my dance experience," she said, "I'm giving back to the community."

Tony Germanotta, (757) 222-5113, tony.germanotta@pilotonline.com