At 30

Day 8: Alive And Free

Chapter Eight

The dancers on stage from the music festival yesterday looks really cool. I've always imagined what if I'm a really good dancer and people pay to watch me dance? Today, I'm going to dance my heart out.

Now all I got to decide is the dance genre. Ballet? Nah, too uncivilised for that. Tap dance? Nah, no shoes that I currently have makes a tapping sound. Ballroom dancing? Nah, Bean can't dance and I have no other partner.

Hip-hop. That's it. I'm going to follow through a hip-hop dance tutorial on YouTube and be the next rising K-pop dance star.

I push my couch and table to the side and empty out my living room. I connect my smart television to YouTube and start browsing through the various dance tutorial.

After browsing a few videos and choosing the dance tutorial that I liked, I clicked on it.

"Hey, you watching this! Welcome to a D4NCE's dance tutorial! Before we start, always know that dance is another way for your body to express your true self! Now, let us start with some warm-up and stretches."

I have never been flexible. Dance classes in elementary school for me was a terrible experience. Miss Claire practically gave up on me. I couldn't follow any of the moves. Even if I did, it looks awkward and bad. It's like I lost all control of my own limbs. I'm that bad.

"After you're done warming up, you're ready to begin!"

"Let's go! Woo-hoo baby!"

After replaying the video a few more hundred times, I manage to memorise the steps and moves. I feel confident. I might be able to do this whole dance without the dance tutorial guiding me. I practice one last time and I was ready to challenge myself.

I connect my phone camera to the smart television to record myself with a bigger screen. I play the music and I dance. And dance. And dance. Without making any mistakes. Oh my god. I did it! I can dance! Took me a whole entire day to learn a three minutes dance, but still, I can dance!

"Suck it, Miss Claire!"

I stopped the recording and saved it in my gallery. I arrange my furniture back to where it is and lay down on my couch, proud of myself.

I watch the recording again and again. I smiled and giggled and laughed. It has been a week since I receive the news of my cancer and for the first time this week, I felt alive again. I sit up and look at Bean, smiling.

"I danced really well, didn't I?

"..."

"Goodnight, Bean!"

~