The foundation was started to honor her sister, Peggy Willis-Aarnio's legacy and life work for pedagogical ballet training of teachers.
[3][4] The family returned to the United States in 1958 and settled in Panama City Beach, Florida after her father, Walter Dozier had completed an accompanied tour with the USN 6th Fleet.
[6] In 1968, she was second runner-up and won first place in talent in the Miss Panama City, Florida contest where she danced Espana - an original ballet choreographed by her sister Peggy.
For three summers, while on vacation from her studies at Texas Christian University, Sheila, and her sister Peggy Willis-Aarnio were hired as performers at Mr. Koplin's Tombstone Territory on Panama City Beach, where at age 21, Kleiman choreographed her first dances.
[8] Both companies were directed at the time by Fernando Schaffenburg, who was the head of the ballet program at Texas Christian University.