PROSE - 2006

Grades 7 - 9

First Place - Annie Fishman

Second Place - Elana Orbuch

Third Place - Kyla Siedband

Grades 10 - 12

First Place - Ian Aizman

Second Place - Mendel Silver

Third Place - Ari Orenstein

Third Place - Maddy Shaw

Prose, Grades 7 - 9: Third Place

Three Vignettes - Kyla Siedband

    
           

It wasn’t a graceful day

The piano music starts with all the girls in place.  I wait my turn to go next.  They dance beautifully all across the room, flowing, prancing, leaping.  They look like perfectly synchronized birds flying through the sky.  The song ends and I tiptoe on to give it a try.  It looked so easy but I am not a beautiful bird; I am a penguin.  I thought I knew all the steps but suddenly it’s all a jumble in my mind.  I waddle around the room tripping; on the wrong feet.  “STOP!” Liraina yells in her thick Russian accent.  “Zere eez no excuse!  Zee show eez een one week!”  She grunts and stomps out of the studio.

 

Curtain

I walk out onto the giant stage and look out into the hundreds of empty seats. The beautiful ceiling is filled with murals. Looking out into the vast space before me I can’t help but feel small.  I am shrinking and a flood of nervous feelings comes over me.  What if I make a mistake?  What if I slip on the fake snow and fall? \
“It’s only a dress rehearsal, relax!  Wow,” Sarah exclaims, as she looks out.  She smiles, obviously not feeing the same nervousness I feel.  She bounds and leaps around the stage joyfully, happy to be the center of attention.  As I watch her, my nervousness starts to disappear.  I do a couple jetés and join her.  Liraina yells at us to get into position as she motions to close the curtain.  All the dancers come on stage and freeze into position.  The lights go down and we hear a woman’s voice saying, “Curtain.”  The music starts with a faint xylophone and slowly the orchestra joins; one instrument after another in a loud crescendo.  I have practiced so much but the nervousness is creeping towards me yet again.  I try to dismiss it and begin our dance.  We bound around the stage.  I trip in my solo.  I do not fall.  I trip again and mangle my pirouette.  Although the music is loud I feel as though I can hear Liraina sighing in her seat. I shenné back towards the group and we finish our dance without any more trips.  The music comes to an end as we waltz off the stage.

 

The Rush

It is time for our second dance of the night. I strongly enter the stage, just as Liraina commanded.  We waltz towards the center and begin our dance filled with little jumps and turns.  I feel the rush; that “in-the-moment” feeling of excitement.  It’s over in a moment and we run off stage all smiles. These moments are so magical.  The seemingly endless practices now pay off.  The pattern is so heavily imbedded in my brain I could dance with my eyes closed. 

 

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