By Samantha Graff Benmor | The Graff Group Toronto
Sometimes you attend a performance expecting to be entertained, and you leave having experienced something so much more.
That was exactly what happened to me when I recently attended Dancer: A Musical in Ten Furlongs, the extraordinary Canadian musical inspired by the story of Northern Dancer, the little horse who defied the odds and made history.
First, I have to say, what an absolutely outstanding production!
The talent, the music, the storytelling and, most remarkably, the movement were exceptional.
The lead performer, Keanu Uchida, who portrays Northern Dancer, was simply extraordinary. Without relying on words, he managed to communicate personality, determination, vulnerability, strength and emotion through his body and facial expressions.
And the entire cast deserves tremendous recognition.
The way these performers transformed themselves into horses through their posture, movement, facial expressions and physical interactions was remarkable. You genuinely began to see horses rather than people. Their movements captured everything from the elegance and power of a thoroughbred to the tenderness and connection between animals.
It was creative, intelligent, emotional and beautifully executed.
But for me, there was another layer to this experience that I hadn’t anticipated.
It took me right back to my childhood.
As the story unfolded and E.P. Taylor, his wife Winnie Taylor and the history of Windfields came to life on stage, I felt an immediate personal connection.
You see, I grew up in Windfields Estates in North York.
My parents purchased our family home on Pinnacle Road directly from the builder’s plans. It was the home where I grew up, where so many of my memories were created, and where my parents remained for 42 years before eventually making the emotional transition to condominium living.
My childhood was spent in that neighbourhood.
I attended Dunlace Public School, Windfields Junior High School and York Mills Collegiate Institute.
Those streets weren’t simply addresses to me. They were my community, my friendships, my childhood and my foundation.
And as life would have it, they also became an important part of my professional journey.
When I began my real estate career in 1995, Windfields Estates was one of the neighbourhoods where I started building my business alongside my mother, Cheryl Graff.
Over the years, we have sold so many homes on Pinnacle Road, Mossgrove Trail and Elkpath Avenue that I couldn’t begin to count them all.
Some homes we have sold twice. A few, even three times.
And perhaps what I find most meaningful is that we have gone on to help the children of our original clients buy and sell their own homes.
That is what more than three decades in real estate can look like.
It’s not just about properties changing hands. It’s about generations, relationships, trust and being invited back into people’s lives as their stories evolve.
Watching Dancer, I couldn’t help but think about how fascinating it is that a neighbourhood connected to such an important chapter of Canadian history also played such an important role in shaping my own life.
There was another part of the story that particularly resonated with me, and that was Winnie Taylor.
What struck me about her portrayal was her willingness to trust her own judgment, even when it meant disagreeing with her husband, E.P. Taylor.
She saw something in Northern Dancer that others didn’t necessarily see, and she wasn’t prepared to abandon her belief simply because someone else had a different opinion.
I loved that.
Perhaps because I saw a little of my mother and myself in her.
Cheryl and I have always been fiercely independent women. We’ve worked hard, supported ourselves, made our own decisions and taken responsibility for the paths we’ve chosen.
That doesn’t mean we haven’t valued the advice, support or opinions of the people in our lives. Quite the opposite.
But we’ve never believed that being a woman means you should surrender your voice, your instincts or your ability to make your own decisions.
And I think there’s an important distinction between being independent and being unwilling to listen.
You can respect someone else’s opinion, love them deeply and still disagree.
You can be part of a partnership and remain your own person.
You can listen to the experts and still trust that sometimes your instincts are telling you something worth exploring.
As the principals of The Graff Group Toronto, my mother and I have built our careers on that kind of independent thinking, sound judgment and willingness to stand behind our decisions.
Not every decision has been easy, and certainly not every decision has been popular.
But having the courage to stand by what you believe is right, while remaining open to learning, is something I deeply admire.
Watching Winnie’s character reminded me that independence isn’t about proving someone else wrong.
Sometimes it’s simply about having the courage to believe in yourself, even when others don’t see what you see.
And look what happened when someone believed in that little Canadian horse.
For those unfamiliar with the story, Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred thoroughbred who, despite being considered too small and unlikely to succeed, went on to win the Kentucky Derby in 1964.
He became the first Canadian-bred horse to accomplish that remarkable feat.
And he didn’t stop there. His influence on thoroughbred racing continued long after his racing career ended, becoming one of the most significant breeding stallions in the history of the sport.
But beyond the racing accomplishments, I loved the underlying message.
Here was a little Canadian horse that many underestimated, yet he went on to compete against the best and leave an extraordinary legacy.
There’s something wonderfully Canadian about that story.
There was also something particularly timely about watching this Canadian story unfold against the backdrop of today’s relationship between Canada and the United States.
Northern Dancer wasn’t simply a horse who won an American race.
He was a Canadian underdog who travelled south, competed against the best and showed the world what he was capable of.
And Canadians celebrated!
At a time when conversations about Canadian identity, economic independence, trade and our relationship with our American neighbours seem to be everywhere, I found this story particularly meaningful.
There is so much that connects our two countries, and I believe there is tremendous value in that relationship.
But I also believe there is something incredibly important about celebrating our own accomplishments, our own talent and our own history.
We don’t need to be the biggest country or the loudest voice to make an impact.
Sometimes the smallest competitor can leave the greatest legacy.
And Northern Dancer certainly proved that.
Canadian pride doesn’t have to be about being against anyone else. It can simply be about recognizing and celebrating what makes us extraordinary.
The musical also brought back another wonderful memory.
One year, my mother and I spent my birthday at the Queen’s Plate.
For those who know us, Cheryl and I have shared so much more than a real estate career.
We’ve shared adventures, celebrations, challenges, countless conversations and an incredible number of experiences together.
That birthday at the races was one of them.
I remember the excitement, the atmosphere and, most importantly, the pleasure of spending that time together.
Watching Dancer brought that memory right back.
Isn’t it amazing how music, theatre and storytelling can transport us to moments we haven’t thought about in years?
As I sat there watching the story of Northern Dancer, I realized how many different emotions one performance could bring together.
Admiration for the extraordinary performers.
Pride in a Canadian success story.
Nostalgia for the neighbourhood where I grew up.
Gratitude for the career my mother and I have built together.
Appreciation for the many families who have trusted us through different chapters of their lives.
And respect for a woman who, at least as portrayed on stage, had the confidence to stand behind what she believed.
It reminded me that places have histories, homes have stories and our personal connections to both often run far deeper than we realize.
As I reflect on the experience, what stays with me most is how a single performance managed to connect so many chapters of my life.
My childhood in Windfields Estates. My parents’ home on Pinnacle Road. The families Cheryl and I have worked with for generations. A birthday spent together at the Queen’s Plate. The pride of watching a Canadian success story. And the reminder that independent thinking and believing in yourself can make all the difference.
I went to see a musical about a horse.
I left thinking about my childhood, my mother, my career, my country and the extraordinary ways our lives connect to history.
That, to me, is the magic of great theatre.
If you have the opportunity to see Dancer, I wholeheartedly recommend it. Not only is it a beautifully produced Canadian musical with an exceptionally talented cast, but it’s also a reminder of what determination, belief and heart can accomplish.
And perhaps my favourite takeaway?
Never underestimate the little guy. And never underestimate the woman who believes in him.
Happy Sunday!
Samantha Graff Benmor | The Graff Group Toronto | Icons of Real Estate Experience. Empathy. Results.
