Give It My All

Big Day

I woke up. I walked over to my closet. I looked through it, finding a simple black camisole bodysuit and new, non-tarred ballet tights.  I put on my pointe shoes, and my Bloch booties, which are like air walk boots, for dance. I looked through my warm-up section and pulled out some violet leg warmers and a black warmup sweater with crocheted sleeves.

I grabbed my bag with my extra shoes and clothes in it. I walked out of my room and locked the door. I headed off to the cafeteria. I had berry oatmeal and a smoothie to go. I walked through campus towards to the studios. I first had pointe in studio D.

I got there fifteen minutes before the class started. I took off my Bloch booties and put them in the dressing room with my bag. I walked over to the bar and decided to do a warm-up. That was my mistake. The dancer teacher walked in a yelled at me to get out and don't come in till class started. I ran out, mortified. I went to the bathroom and sat in the stall for five minutes. I went back to the dressing room and waited with the other girls. They said nothing to me, but chatted vigorously with each other.

I walked silently into the class. We went to the bars and did tendus and stretched our legs on the bar. After we stretched the teacher asked us to sit down in front of her. She told us that there was a special program for the best students. Every year she picked one student from each class for the program.

If you didn't get picked, you had to wait four years to audition. She told us to audition now. I stood up, terrified, thinking of my Giselle variation, rehearsing it in my head. She asked lots of other girls, finally calling me last. I stood up and danced. I did devlopas and arebesques. I danced with grace and beauty and let the rest of the world disappear.