Ava's POV
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I'm backstage running through my set in my head. This round really has to be perfect... My teachers said my heavies were "Just okay, Not world champion like." and I slipped in my lights but didn't fall... But my set is always what I'm good at. I learned it a week after last years worlds, same set, same music. We've been constantly tweaking parts of it to make it just right. It always gets the judges attention too. It's King of The Fairies at speed 85. Obviously I'm doing king. It's literally been my lifesaver since I had it as a trad set. I do a lot of tricky toe work, it's kinda my signature thing now, and cool Rhythms. Everyone is sounding A-Mazing!
"Ava...Chill out... You just gotta dance your best... If you don't win its fine..." I think to myself.
"No it's not fine if you don't win... You'll disappoint everyone...." A little voice in the back of my head says.
"No... It's fine... I've had my chance... It's fine if somebody else wins..."
"Well you're a 2 time world champion so obviously everyone is trying to beat you... Everyone would rather have anyone beat you..."
"Ugh just shut up!" I say. But then I realize I said it out loud and the girls side stage all turn to look at me. "Sorry... I didn't mean that to any of you..." And they all go back to what they were doing.
"Great going Ava..." I think again. "Making a fool out of yourself... again... as usual..."
The line of girls gets shorter while the stream of negative thoughts keep going through my head. I see the live comm corner and I remember I told one of the little girls, Kenzie, that I would say hi to her on the live comm.
I go over and whisper "Hi Kenzie! I love you!" and I blow a kiss at the live comm.
I then focus back onto the stage and all the girls dancing. I really need to bring it in this round if I want to win this...
I gotta Get my, get my head in the game. You gotta Get you, get you, get you, get you head in the game...
"Omg now is not the time to be mentally singing high school musical Ava..." I think to myself.
"Now onstage is competitor 192 dancing Downfall of Paris at speed 107."
Honestly this is like the 7th time I've heard this set... it's not as bad as it will be next year when everyone has vanishing lake...
This is it... Go time... In about 2 minutes I'll be onstage... And it'll be the fastest 2 minutes in my life...
"Now onstage is competitor 193 dancing king of the Fairies at speed 85."
I walk onstage and the entire ballroom silences. All the judges sit up a little taller and all the girls backstage pay a bit more attention to the stage. Yikes I'm feeling the pressure...
The slow tune starts up and I just let my mind take over. I've drilled this all enough that I don't need to think about it. I bet 20 years from now if the music came on I would still remember it.
Toe hop hop and upppp and down tip 2345 up and down click and click down treble and a trebletreble treble dum
The hall is silent. I can hear my beats echoing off the back walls as I go into my set.
Give this all you've got Ava!
I hear Tammie say in the back of my head from one of my late night privates. I know I have to nail this all. I'm coming up into a tricky toe part that I've been having a bit of trouble with the past week.
One two and one two down treble up and hop hop down up and click down on toes...
I feel myself wobble on this part but I can't fall!
One two three down one two three down tip treble and twist...
Okay I got through it... Now just the last bit and that's easy sailing...
Treble bang up treble one two treble and a toe back one two three bang.
I finish and the hall erupts with cheers. I bow and walk back knowing that it was the best I could have done it.
A judge rings the bell and I bow to them and the judges again and I walk off stage feeling so relieved! The dancing is done, and it's up to the judges now. There's nothing left for me to do. I'm gonna try not to stress between now and results. There's no stopping stress during results but at least I can try to stay come until then!
I walk back to our spot and I pass by my teachers. Tammie grabs my hands.
"Ava that was absolutely fabulous. No matter how results go and if you don't win back your title we'll still be proud of you. You've worked so hard this year leading up to this and we're all so proud."
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Happy last day of NANS! Although I'm sad it's done it's inspired me to get back onto writing this. But I have to always look ahead so comment below if you would want to see any of these girls get their own book in the future (and who you want to see) ❤️
