Anna stood tall, unaware of the growing smile on her face. Her aunt taught her so much! Now she was at home and could practice in her own room. The room itself was dimly lit. Two small lamps, both were old with stained shades, gave an even stranger look to the light red walls. Anna’s prized possessions lined the small room, each a treasure in its own right. Tables were scarce, with a few of her clothes and toys stored on the floor. She moved them all into a pile, she needed all of the room she could get.
The center of the largest dresser held her greatest treasure: a record player. She did not dream of a television; like her friends. She wanted the music box. A record player gives you complete control over what you listen to! A music box from the future. She would now dance into hers.
Her clothes were improvised and amazing. The nine-year-old, light blonde freckled girl needed to look the part of a ballerina. Wearing long stockings on both her legs and arms. A pair of her brother’s old gym shorts fit her figure surprisingly well. She had cut the bottom of the legs off so that no excess material hung down. The rest of the outfit was just an old undershirt, also way too tight to wear outside. Her feet were cold, she was barefoot. Anna needed a pair of gorgeous black or pink ballerina slippers. Her aunt told her maybe for Christmas. She envisioned herself leaping around the room in pink ballerina slippers.
Anna walked over to the biggest dresser. She flipped a clasp upward to open the glass top. It swung up, there was no record inside. She had only three, Mozart, Beethoven, and a jazz album that had been given to her. She loved all three. The record player had only three buttons: play, return, and volume. She hit play, almost hard enough to pop the button off. Grabbing the needle she swung it halfway into the third track of the Mozart album. The needle contacted the 3rd track on the record she struck a pose.
Her aunt taught her the concept of the five basic positions of ballet. She did the first few enough to remember them perfectly. There are structure and calligraphy in ballet; so it is very important to learn properly.
First, she moved her toes apart from each other keeping her heals together. You follow the natural turnout line of your feet. She kept her back straight and brought her arms out in front of her. This motion looks like she was holding a beach ball.
She continued to second position, it has a completely different stance than first! She stood with her arms and legs out to the sides properly distanced from her body. Her arms rounded out to the sides.
She turned into the third position. Her heel centered, and one foot above the other. She had one hand high above her head and one out to the right. Her urge to spin from this position overpowered her desire to do things properly. She would practice all of the basics later. Her aunt’s greatest advice was simple. “Make your own steps, have fun.”
Anna just wanted to spin. To lose herself, to find herself again. At that moment she was in control, every move was right. She never doubted herself about dancing: it was a burning desire. What she dreamed of doing became what she did. The record stopped. Without music, she started the five positions over. Time was lost as she found a new part of herself. She did not find it in the music, rather the dance.
Never give up on life. Never give up on love.
That’s it. That’s all:
-Nathan Hall