A Dancer's Trance : The Original Story

A Dancer's Trance : The Original Story

       It poured that morning. The rain came down as hard as her feet hit the pavement. She flew through the streets, crowded with slow moving people.Shoving people out of the way, she crossed the last street and slowed to a stop. Heart pounding, breathless and soaked, she stared at the decrepit building. As the sweat dried off her skin, tiny little bumps started to form all over her body, with such an intensity. She felt cold, terrified. She could hear her heart pounding again as she walked towards the red door. How fitting, she thought. Red was her favorite color. It made her feel confident, relaxed her and made her feel safe. Reaching for the handle, she pulled the door open and walked into the darkness. It was an old theater, very old indeed. At least 10 years had gone by since its last renovation. But, it had this feel to it. The feel a dancer gets before they perform. Excitement.
         As she walked through the dark halls, she was taken back. This old theater. reminded her of the first day she ever danced. She smiled and continued down the hall. She started to hear sounds, voices. Through all her rushing and worrying, she completely forgot she wasn’t the only one auditioning today. Everyone was running around, getting dressed and ready. She could hear the director clapping for some. Then there were others who ran back in tears. She sat down and started to get dressed as well.
        As she laced up the last pointe shoe, she heard it, “Julia.” Her name was being called from beyond the curtains. She was next. “This is it,” she said to herself. She took one more deep breath and headed out onto the stage. “Well?,” the director asked. Startled, she got into position. The music started and she began to dance. Legs kicking out everywhere, arms flailing. This wasn’t how she normally danced. She was horrible, and the director knew it. She spun and spun and spun. She could feel his eyes on her. His cold stare shook her off balance. She tripped, and fell to the floor.
        He looked her up and down and just shook his head. Tears started to well up in her eyes. She got up and started to walk away. She wasn’t even half way off the stage before he called the next person, “Next.” Anger struck her and she stopped, the tears stopped. She turned around and walked back to center stage. He gave her a puzzling look, but, didn’t stop her.
       Again, she took her position, but this time it felt different. She stood with confidence, and looked him straight in the eyes. The music started again, and without hesitation, so did she.
       She closed her eyes and let the music take control. She felt transformed as the music whisked her into her dreams.
       As she danced, she could feel everything around her change. Her plain black leotard had dissolved into the most stunning red, ballet dress. Her old ragged point shoes now looked brand new as the red ribbons climbed and wrapped themselves around her legs. The dimmed lights now shined. They followed her every move as the dust her feet once kicked up disintegrated into the air, leaving behind the gleaming wooden stage it once was.
        She spun and spun and spun, still dreaming. Still flying. When she opened her eyes, the old, rundown theater now held a full audience. Every seat taken, all watching her. The old theater was full of life once more, and she was the star of the evening.
        She kept spinning, soaring over the stage. So caught up in the moment, she barely heard the director yell, “STOP!.” Startled, she stopped, and almost fell again. With all the excitement, she hadn’t realized the music had stopped. “Oh, sorry about that,” she said as she gathered herself together. Everything was back to normal, her fantasy world back inside her mind, but, she couldn’t help feel the excitement that still ran through her.
        He stared at her. She stared back, the tiny bumps coming back to torment her body as she tried to read this man. He seemed so done with the day. Then, he smiled, and the whole world seemed to fade into nothing else but this pair of lips, turned up. She knew she’d done it. She danced. Her feet had glided across the old wooden stage. Her arms swayed through the air. She was as graceful as any dancer could be. She was beautiful. And the director knew it.