Her Moment--Raeanne

Behind the lofty stage curtains, Riley could hear the whispers and cheers of the audience echo throughout the auditorium. The butterflies began to flutter in her stomach and took over her body until it went numb. She could feel her heart beating out of control until, just for a split second, it felt as though it had stopped. In the distance, Riley could make out her teacher informing the stage technicians that she was behind the stage and ready to go. As she endured a few treacherous minutes behind the stage, she began to think about how this was her moment and how she had been waiting all year for this moment where she could finally show her friends and family her progress on pointe. However, her thoughts were cut short when the melody of the music began to fill the auditorium and the lights illuminated the stage. She immediately stepped onto the stage and was welcomed by bright gleaming lights and a thousand eyes set upon her. Nerves suddenly paralyzed her and caused her to fumble the first steps of her choreography. She stood on stage with a blank stare as she looked into the blurred crowd trying to remember what she had practiced every Saturday preceding this day. Panic struck within her until she realized that this was her day to shine and showcase her talents. Instantly all of her panic and nerves washed away and she could feel the sensations in her feet again. She began her choreography and waltzed across the stage. Her tutu and leotard glistened and the many sparkles of her costume danced alongside her. She could see the amazement on the viewers’ faces as she leaped and spun around the stage. She was on top of the world and commanded the stage for the three minutes she was on. As she took her last step on stage, she could hear the music fading into the air and the pure enthusiasm of the crowd as they cheered violently. She could see the lights dimming into darkness when she walked off stage. Relieved that she finished in one piece, she pranced backstage and was welcomed by the cheers of her dance team. She embraced her teammates, one by one, and walked to the dressing room to pick up all of her costumes and props. She was surprised to see her family behind stage awaiting her with a huge bouquet of vibrant flowers. They embraced her and congratulated her on her good work and elegance. At this point, Riley knew her hard work every Saturday at dance paid off and she was finally able to showcase her ability to do pointe in front of the people she cared about most. She knew this was not the end of her journey, and that she was only going to get better.