Double Dance Narrative

Before a performance, my friends and I would be very superstitious. Often, we'd each have a small procedure we'd go through to calm our restlessness. I still remember the aroma of oranges and lemons that my friend, Mya, scented her pointe shoes with. She would put these miniature cushions in her shoes for every recital because the fragrance would always calm her nerves, and she "abhors the stench of smelly feet" so that's another reason there. Mine, while it wasn't as lavishing, it did its justice. Before each dance in the recital, I would stretch my hands and wrists. And, when I finish, it gives a sense of readiness, and I'm ready to perform.

However, when I'm in position, and I'm waiting for the music, that preparation doesn't seem enough. Because it isn't a rehearsal anymore, it's the performance. And, on stage, nothing will be perfect. I'll be overzealous when I've completed a piece with only double pirouettes; however, I'll feel slightly irritated when I knew my turns could've been better: cleaner, tighter, and sharper. When I was in sync with my group, but my angles weren't the same. When my hands look swan-like, but they leave the slight impression of vulture talons. Every minor mistake that I've done behind the closed-door of the dance studio, they come to life on stage in front of a hundred. And, that's the inevitable. Ugly thoughts that whisper in my heads throughout the entire piece, but will still be there, even after the last curtsey. …show more content…
Because these thoughts have pushed me to do things that I've always thought would've been impossible. Being able to land a solid triple pirouette on pointe after a few weeks, when a double pirouette took a month. Being able to get into a summer ballet intensive, when I didn't get into one the previous year. I've faced many challenges with ballet, but I've always been able to overcome them because I've never given up on ballet, and on