Personal Narrative: Maui

Before going to Hawaii, most of my summer and Christmas vacations were spent traveling to visit family. My dad was in the military, so when he was given leave, we were always going back to our hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. Sometimes, if we were lucky, we went to Georgia to visit our relatives in Augusta. So imagine my surprise when, as a present for doing great in school the previous year, my parents decided to take me and my sisters to Hawaii for the summer! Once we packed our suitcases and planned our travel itinerary, we were on a plane and headed from Texas, where we lived, to Hawaii. I’m sure the process was a bit more complicated than that, but I was only 13 years old and didn’t realize that at the time.

I thought I heard it wrong, but I knew the naked truth. Instead of running away or crying, I just danced peacefully like nothing happened, except the fact that I wasn’t the center of the dance anymore. I stood in my dark, little spot, dancing like a robot unconscious of everything.

The show was starting in just a few hours and everyone was rushing around making sure nothing would go wrong. The dancers putting on the last of their makeup going through their check-list. “Pointe shoes hair sprayed? Check. Hair hair sprayed? Check. False eyelashes? Not check!". I found myself wandering away from the others to a place where I can get just a minute alone. A minute alone to collect my thoughts before heading into the chaos. My dance was relatively soon so I decided to head back to get ready early. Standing backstage will most likely be the most nerve-racking experience ever. My white dress sparkled due to diamonds sewed onto the bodice. A crown placed in front of my bun made me feel complete. "Listen, you have to seize the moment and stay in it. Use that adrenaline and make this the best you have ever dance. But most importantly, have fun while you are out there. I'm proud of you". With Olivia's words, I get a sense of courage flow me. "Don't worry," I tell her, "I'm not going to throw away my shot". She smiles at me encouragingly. The audience claps and the music ends. Oh dear god it's my turn next. My body goes on autopilot as the music starts. Grand Jeté after Grand Jeté I leap, twirl, and pose my way off the stage; a smile not leaving my face the whole

Life in Hawai’i is a fascinating journey that has enriched me with knowledge and the audacity to pursue on to greater achievements. All the seventeen years I have been here has sculpted an individual determined and interested about life. Eager to explore the world around me, I seek onward to find a sense of contentment. High hopes and big dreams drive me to push on to a higher education. Family, friends and teachers encourage me to strive for excellence, without them I would not wish to discover the outcomes of one's hard work. Furthermore, I am grateful for my parents, closest friends, and a few of my dearest teachers that formed me into an astonishing person prepared for each obstacle I encounter. Therefore, I am most certain to attend Northern

It was a normal Saturday morning in Eureka. Rachel had just gotten out of bed and was eating breakfast. She ate her doughnuts leisurely, as she had plenty of time until she had to leave. She was very excited because the 50th Anniversary Gala performance was coming up quickly. Many long days and late nights were put in to perfect her dancing. As Rachel got her leotard and tights on, she said to herself (I will put it in properly later), “You will do great in the big show. Just keep working hard.” She did her hair, gathered up the necessary things, and was out the door, confident and ready. The car ride was just like any other car ride to ballet. She switched through radio stations, trying to find a song she liked. After almost thirty minutes of this, she had arrived at ballet. Rachel

Hello everyone the 10 years seemed a very long period, but the time went fast in the plantation. I want to see your guy’s face especially my young brothers. I hope you guys are not making mother sad, and please be aware of injuries and illnesses. Is Sakura and Yuuki crying like a baby what they used to do? Well if you guys are doing fine that is my best thing I can hear. I am getting used to my new job and there are lots of experience that I got during this time.

The second I got to my car, I immediately started sobbing. All the feelings I put on pause in the banquet were now immersing my entire body. I felt utterly heartbroken and worthless. I began to question why I danced, and why I ever tried to put in the effort of trying to stand out and be better if it never meant anything to anyone. Even more, I began to question why I tried my hardest to do anything in life because I felt as though I never got the recognition I thought I deserved.

The date was Tuesday, May 16th, 2017, the day of the audition, I arrived at around 7:31 PM, my father wished me luck as I exited his Silver 2009 Chevrolet Silverado, I waved in efforts to say goodbye. He left, I was on my own and it was my job to do whatever I could to do my best and succeed at this tryout. Entering through the front door towards the sign-up sheet, my hand quivered while writing my name to register as an auditionee. Accordingly, I followed the other dancers to the main ballroom, there I discover my friend stretching at the corner of the room. Stretching alongside her, we sat down and discussed how we thought we were going to do at that day, it was then that I was given helpful advice. “Thank you for telling me this.” At 8:00 PM, the audition piece was being thrown at us, 55 seconds of fast pace, advanced choreography was being taught to us, in the time-frame of 30 minutes to learn the piece, if one didn’t. They were out, the team wasn’t for them and I was fairly scared that I would become one of these people. In the first five minutes, I was struggling. Throughout the brain cells in my head and the neurons traveling through my body, there was no communication whatsoever. Sweat profusely dripped from my forehead and frustration heavily filled my body.

The second I got to my car, I immediately started sobbing. All the feelings I put on pause in the banquet were now immersing my entire body. I felt utterly heartbroken and worthless. I began to question why I danced, and why I ever tried to put in the effort of trying to stand out and be better if it never meant anything to anyone. Even more, I began to question why I tried my hardest to do anything in life because I felt as though I never got the recognition I thought I deserved.

Noise pounded in my ears as I made my way around bags, costumes, shoes, and people. The tiny dressing room was packed to the brim with everyone and everything competing through Encore Dance Academy. My hands were sweating from the humidity of the half-sized room and the bright lights shone down on my friends and me, coughing on the heavy scent of hairspray, mascara and sweat. My waistline itched from the red and black, sequined costume. One of my teammates stopped me and tried to gently pick strands of hair from my high ponytail out of the sequined bow perched on the crown of my head. I tried to focus on something other than the powerful taste of lipstick in my mouth and the wet, sticky feeling of someone heavily hairspraying my flyaways down. I grabbed a handful from the $5 bag of candy from the candy bar at the concessions, checked my friend’s makeup and prepared to perform.

Noise pounded in my ears as I stumbled through a maze of bags, costumes, shoes, and people. The tiny dressing room was packed to the brim with everyone competing through Encore Dance Academy. My hands sweated from the humidity of the half-sized room. The blinding ceiling and vanity lights shone down on my friends and me from all angles, coughing on the heavy scent of Hairspray, mascara, and sweat. My waistline itched from the red and black, sequined, sleeved leotard. One of my teammates stopped me and tried to gently pick stuck strands of hair from my high ponytail out of the sequined bow perched on the crown of my head.

On a chilly Friday night in December at the Dixson center at Lurleen B. Wallace community college it was opening night for the Andalusia Ballet’s Nutcracker and in the wing with a little pink tutu with white and pink stoned embroiders on the top and around the skirt ready to walk onto the stage as every little girl’s dreams the Sugar Plum Fairy. As I was rolling through my pointe shoes to get my feet warmed up. I was so excited and nervous I could barely stand still. This was the moment I have been waiting for since I was three years old. When the music started my partner takes my hand to lead me out onto the stage as the hot lights hit my skin for the first time and I saw the audience and the audience to saw us for the first time. While we are dancing through the pas de deux I couldn’t believe I was the sugar plum fairy. I began to sweat excitement and nervous it was the best feeling. I caught a glance of my mom who was watching from the side of the stage I couldn’t let if she was crying, smiling or both. I think she was proud of me and how far I had come there were some moments that I wanted to throw in the towel and give up but could never do it. As we get through without pas de deux I couldn’t feel anything my body was numb from excitement. I was sweating joy as I was running off the stage for him to do his variation and so I could get ready for mine. I waited in the wings for my partner to run off and the audience to finish clapping. In the silence, I walked out onto

The gleaming stage lights lit up the enthusiastic faces of the actors on stage and their apparel that set the scene for the entire show. The unique ways that their feet, powerfully pranced along the black speckled floor of the stage with every dance move intrigued me and made my entire body engage with a slight swaying to the rhythmic songs. I could do nothing but picture myself up on stage with the fragrance of sweat and hard work from the piece of art that you would be so proud to help create for the entertainment of others. The thought of helping tell a story through such a vigorous, yet rewarding process, sounded like more than fun to me, it sounded like the one thing that had been missing from my young life. Finally the stage lights went dark sending a darkness over the crowd symbolising that the show had come to a close. Abruptly, I came up out of my chair and to my feet and my hands percussed together like loud symbols as I

Months before all the chaos of ordering costumes and preparing for the recital, the dancers all needed to take time and practice. Everyone loved dancing in the quiet little studio each week. The disadvantage was that each time you would step in, the air in the room would feel a lot like getting stabbed in the back with an ice cold knife. The air awoke the dancers and I up as if the air was an alarm that was blaring in our eardrums. As the dancer slipped on their tap shoes, I, of course, was prepared for an exciting adventure filled lesson with some of my closest friends by my side. The rush of adrenaline made my heart beat faster and faster. My stomach began doing somersaults as if I was still in acro class. My recital was only a week away and the

I started with a slow movement into an arabesque which just sent everyone into frenzy. As the lights dimmed and quickly went out, the hall began to tremble with excitement. A smile sketches its way across my face as I realize there is nothing in the world I'd rather be doing. I gaze out into the spectator's watchful eyes as my hip sways to the familiar beat. My body moved devoid of the need for the minds instruction. I flow away from my frustrations that boil under my