Days Like This

Liz Gabbitas

It was the first of April and at 8am we were all squashed in Lara's kitchen. We had been rehearsing for an hour already and had got nowhere; panic was setting in. We began to realise how unprepared we were. Still we kept on going, getting more and more sweaty and nervous. Our time was almost up, the bus was arriving soon and the dance had to be finished for its premiere appearance later that afternoon. The weight of this deadline hung over us as our usually free bodies felt attached to the ground. They say that in a long distance race you get to a certain point and you hit a metaphorical wall I felt as though we had hit this wall. Luckily the others didn't and pushed me on. Tension was in the air once we finished the dance and were on our hour long bus ride to the venue. We practised as best we could on the moving bus which resulted in some comical mishaps. In the end we arrived at the venue feeling better, prepared just to make the best of the situation and enjoy ourselves.

Once we got into the warm up-room we began to see how seriously other people were taking this competition. Groups of girls were there in matching spangled outfits looking very professional. Our old black joggers and faded t-shirts looked so out of place. Together we looked like the only kids in the school who had forgotten it was "Own Clothes Day" and turned up in uniform. Anxious pushy mums were pruning their daughters. This made me really worried. I could feel my heart beating like a drum and, despite the harsh air conditioning, beads of sweat crawled down my neck. There was only one player in that room, and about 30 groups of girls eager to use it. When the technician came in with the required extension cable girls swarmed like flies over a mound of rotting vegetation. Each group took it in turns to use the CD player. As we were one of the last groups to perform we were able to wait until the stereo was available. The music came on and I began to dance. It was going really well until I misplaced a step and fell to the floor. I felt as if I was in a circus show and everyone was looking at me as if I was a freak. Despite this, I regained my composure and got up in time to finish the ending sequence.

There was not time to practise again so we just had to go. Bolting down the stairs to the stage I could not believe I had fallen; it really shook me. Once down, we were led to the side of the stage to await a call on-stage. This was always the worst bit, our group stood in awkward silence. The strong light from the stage was seeping through the gaps in the wings. It made our bodies feel overheated, highlighting our rising fear. In a wait that seemed to stretch on to hours a lady eventually introduced us on stage. Confidently, we strode on as if we owned it and for the next four minutes we did. Running through my head was the best piece of advice I had ever been given about dancing: "If you forget the steps just make them up and act confident. The audience have never seen the dance before. No one will know." With this in mind when the music came on I took a deep breath and immersed myself in the dance. I felt truly alive like as if electric currents were running through my body. For those four minutes All I was aware of was me and the music- the rest did not matter. Once the music was over and the final position hit it was all over. Exhaustedly we took a bow and eagerly ran off-stage. For us' the hard part of the day was over. We could sit back and watch the end of the performances. There did not seem to be any point in us staying till the end to get the results and we were about to get the bus home when a friend offered a lift if we were staying the extra half hour. We stayed and while the judges deliberated over the winners the tension in the warm-up room was unbearable. In the end we were all called on-stage and everyone struggled to fit in.

The harsh stage lights were taunting the nervous girls as their excitement mounted. When the winners were announced I stood and graciously clapped until I realised the name that had been called. It was our group. My heart was pounding again but this time not from fear and nerves but from jubilant rejoicing.

That day to me was very special. It showed me that by not giving up when you least expect it your hard work can be rewarded.