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Day 25: A Song That Makes You Laugh

Day 25: A Song That Makes You Laugh

"Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift

But I keep cruising
Can't stop, won't stop moving
It's like I got this music
In my mind
Saying, "It's gonna be alright."

“Last performance of the night, are you guys ready?” Miss Raven, our dance instructor asks us.  Backstage, we must look like we belong to three different dances.  However, we just picked our favorite style of dance.

Sabrina is wearing a yellow tank top with the word “DANCE” embossed on it, along with ripped tights underneath black shorts.  Her feet are clad in hip-hop shoes and a black snapback with a neon blue bill rests on her head, her hair hanging down like a curtain.

Destiny wears a mint green dress with a high-low skirt.  Her hair’s twisted into a bun atop her head, in proper ballerina fashion and white Pointe shoes

Lastly, I’m wearing a simple grey set of shorts and crop top bra with a red wrap.  The wrap is tied around my waist, then it drapes over my right shoulder before being secured in a knot at my hip.  Lyrical slippers that stop half-way to my heel are the only things on my feet.

“I am,” I pipe up.

“Same here” and “Yup” are Sabrina and Destiny’s replies.

“Wonderful!  My three senior girls are all grown up now… so go out and kill it.”  Miss Raven winks at us before going off to introduce our dance to the audience.  I scurry to the other side of the stage, readying myself to go on stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us tonight,” Miss Raven begins.  “With the school year coming to a close, we have some seniors this year who want to perform a special number for you tonight.  Now, without further ado… let’s Shake It Off!”  Miss Raven hurries off the stage and the lights dim, the audience quieting.

Destiny walks on stage and turns her back to the audience, putting her arms in fifth position.  The music starts and Destiny moves her arms from fifth position to second position before turning around and beginning her portion of the dance.  She does pirouettes, jetés, and other ballet moves across the floor.

When the second verse of the song starts, Destiny freezes in a simple but elegant pose as Sabrina comes out, popping and locking and whatever else hip-hop dancers do.  Sabrina does a quick breakdancing move and then freezes for me to come on.

Lyrical is a style that, yes, there are moves, but you can incorporate your own little flare to it as well.  Really it’s just about reacting to the music and conveying your emotions to the audience in a physical form.

When the chorus begins plays Destiny and Sabrina join me, but instead of doing our traditional dances, we basically freestyle.  And that’s how it goes for the rest of the song.  The audience laughs at us good naturally.  At the end of our dance, we pose with our arms around each other’s shoulders and grins plastered on our faces from ear to ear.  Al three of us are slightly breathless and giggles escape us.

We’re met with applause from the audience and a standing ovation.  We untangle ourselves from one another and bow before waving and walking off stage.  Other dancers and instructors congratulate us from backstage.  Miss Raven comes up to us.

“Wonderful job, girls!  Wonderful job!  Now that’s a way to end a show!”  She engulfs us in a hug, always the touchy-feely type of person.  After pulling away, she beams at us before grabbing a cordless mic from one of the backstage assistants and walks back on stage to conclude the show.  “Thank you, everyone for coming.  We hope that you had a wonderful time watching our dances perform.  I know they had a blast and it’s certainly fun to see how much they’ve learned over the course of the year.  I’d like to take a special moment to reward our three seniors.  They’ve had a blast this past year and we’re said to see them go.”

I look at Destiny and Sabrina.  “Did you guys know about this?”

They shake their heads in response.

Another dance instructor of ours, David, walks on stage with bouquets of roses.

“Without a further ado, I’d like to call out Lana Carton, Sabrina Walker, and Destiny Oswald.”  Miss Raven motions for us to come to the stage.

All three of us trade glances before walking out and standing beside her.

“I have known these girls since they were all in my first ballet class.  All of them have been dancing at my studio for fifteen years now.  Lana,” Miss Raven nods to me, “has been accepted into The Art Institution in Cincinnati and will be studying the culinary arts.”  Miss Raven looks at David and he hands me a bouquet of roses.

I smile at him and tell him “thank you”.

“Next, Sabrina will be studying abroad in Paris for a fashion degree.”

Sabrina receives her roses with a smile.

“Last, but not least, Destiny has been accepted into Julliard and will be training to become a professional ballerina.”

The audience applauds and Destiny accepts her roses with a blush on her face, waving to the crowd shyly and then looking at me and Sabrina with a smile on her face.

“We will miss you, Destiny, Sabrina, Lana.  But we wish you the best of luck in the next steps of the upcoming chapters of your life,” Miss Raven tells us.  Turning to the audience, she concludes the recital.  “Thank you everybody for coming.  Hope you have a wonderful day!”  Miss Raven makes a hand motion to the sound booth and they begin playing one of the new hits I keep hearing over the radio.

Destiny, Sabrina, and I walk off stage and head towards the special changing room set aside for seniors.  Turning to Destiny and Sabrina after the door closes behind us, I give them a hug.  “I’m going to miss you guys,” I tell them.

They hug me back.

“I’m going to miss you too,” Sabrina says after we pull away.  “Make sure you send us some of those yummy foods you’re going to make.

I laugh.  “I don’t know about that.  Make sure you send us pictures of your fashion creations.”  I turn to Destiny.  “And you better Skype us sometime and show us all you’ve learned.”

“I will, don’t worry,” Destiny says. 

I walk over to my rack of dance outfits and begin changing out of the last costume I’d ever wear.