Lipstick. Compact. Blush Brush. Don’t Touch.
There was a line of girls filing out of the men’s bathroom. The buzz from the growing audience mirrored the anticipation pulsing through our bodies. With one last cat eye, and one last cloud of hairspray, we gathered together in a circle, joining hands.
“You’ve been busting our ass for months. Dancing four days a week, grueling rehearsals without breaks or water, running the same three 8-counts over and over again, the short tempers… You have been the ideal first troupe that I could ask for. I know I drive you guys really hard, and expect so much from you. All I can say is go out there, do your best, and show them how Street Side works it out!”
I squeezed Heather and Crystal’s hand encouragingly. Crystal looked up at me, flashed a white smile at me, and gave me a huge hug. We all glanced around at each other, nodded, pulled up our graffiti- covered hoodies, and as the lights dimmed to blackout, we took our positions, and waited for our show to begin.
The lights blazed yellow and white. You could feel the audience’s eyes fix on you, as the music started, and you made your entrance. Tech N9NE blasted through the speakers. I ripped off my hood, and I showed them what I did best.
The air was cool, as I threw myself into the air, twisting my body, every moment that passed, my back more parallel to the ground. Silence. Minute beads of sweat trickled down my face, and across my jaw line before delicately dripping off. My sneakers hit the ground with a neat, soft, thud. The crowd roared. In an instant the music hit me. My hand touched my face. My hips dropped down and I slid my legs under me. I whipped my hair around, and suddenly I’m not Matty dance enthusiast, who spends four hours a day at the studio. I’m Matty B. professional dance addict.
The rest of the show went off without a hitch. Smooth transitions, no lighting or music malfunctions, and thankfully no injuries. After we completed our final piece, and took a bow, there was a moment of dead silence. The crowd stood up and cheered. Screams and whistles filled the auditorium. I couldn’t help but to smile. All those long hard nights, working us to the bone at the studio, if for only those minutes, made it worth our while.
The showcase received rave reviews. I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of people that came up to me after the show, congratulating me. While I was standing outside smoking a post-show cigarette, a large group of guys walked up to me. Naturally, I thought that I was going to have the shit beaten out of me, considering I had my fierce face on, and was in the middle of suburbia. After one of them asked me for a cigarette, they came close, and told me how impressed they were. They told me I really represented out there. I politely thanked them, and invited them to our next show in June.
At risk of sounding like an after school special, what I love about dancing is that it brings people together. Whether it’s in the studio or in the club, when you step on that dance floor, it’s one language; one world. Moving to your favorite music, blood rushing, endorphins pumping… it’s a beautiful thing, and I love that I can share something I’m so passionate about, with everyone.
I just want to thank everybody again who came out last night. Tickets were sold out, everyone in the company has such a great time dancing, and we’re stoked to bring a bigger and better show, this June!
Matty B.
