marjorie began dancing at an early age as her sister had done. she began dancing as a child under the instruction of her father, ernest belcher, a noted hollywood ballet coach who trained shirley temple, cyd charisse, and gwen verdon. she studied exclusively with her father from age five until she left for new york. she credits her good health and long career to her father's teaching principles: careful, strict progression of activity, emphasis on correct alignment, precise placement of body, attention to detail and to the totality of dynamics and phrasing. her first dance partner was louis hightower. in 1930, she made her debut in the hollywood bowl at age 11 in the ballet "carnival in venice". by age twelve, she became a ballet instructor at her father's studio. she was hired by the walt disney studio as a dance model for their animated film "snow white and the seven dwarfs" (1937). her movements were copied to enhance the realism of the animated snow white figure.