Moment To Overcome

My sister's music can be heard from the room next door, muffled and indistinct. I roll over, stifling a yawn as I reach for my phone to check the time. It's six in the morning, still dark out and chilly. We're both meant to be ready to leave the house by eight. The team is dancing today for the annual Latin Festival! We had all gone the year before and been reinvited. With energy beginning to bubble from excited nerves I sit up, stand and grabbing my makeup bag. Brushing my teeth and lathering my face with a gentle cleanser I finish in the bathroom, going to knock on her door. Entering, I find her already sitting on a pillow on the floor, her mirror at her side and her own makeup spread around her. For the next hour and a half we sit chatting comfortably, singing along when a shared favourite song comes on. With our makeup done and both our hair pulled up and back into high slick buns, we help each other attach the flowery headpiece just above the left ear. It's tricky because having used an unseemly amount of hairspray to lay our hair smooth and neat, it's troublesome to get the pins to stay, not to mention needing to make sure the flowers are secure enough to dance. Our hair and accessories must stay in place for the duration of the set. Having said that, I carefully pull several strings of colorful beads over my head and adjust them at my neck, setting them straight along one another. Breakfast consists of oatmeal for me and toast with butter for my sister, my dad joins us in the kitchen with his cereal and we talk about the day before us. As the clock flashes seven forty five, we rinse our dishes and hurry back to our rooms, packing our dresses in black garment bags. We each were lent three dresses when we joined the team. They are made of bright blues, yellows, reds, purples, and greens. They had all been brought from El Salvador by the leader of the group and were very special. Gently and efficiently I zip close the bags and recheck what else I've packed; a water bottle, a couple of snack bars, a small container of dress pins and hair clips, deodorant, a perfume bottle, two bottles of hairspray, my phone charger, headphones, my wallet, sandals for onstage, and lastly a change of comfy clothes for after the show!

A car honks out front and amidst well wishes from my parents my sister and I head out the door. I greet two other members already seated in the back seats, sliding into one of the middle seats, my sister settling down beside me. The drive flies by, time running swiftly alongside us. Finding parking and grabbing our bags, we enter the city square. Two large flat screen monitors placed on each side of the large stage flash magnified images of a crew preparing microphones, a drum set, stands and various speakers. We make our way to the changerooms, which we were told is situated in a building across from the square. The high afternoon sun blazes down on the top of my head and I feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead. Walking past a beautiful tall concrete fountain that stands in line with the stage, the mist from the various gushing water streams glides over my face and minuscule droplets settle on my face and arms. I see other dance groups, a handful are lined up beside the stage and others are sitting at tables nearby waiting for the show to kick off. Finally reaching the building, the automatic glass doors slide open and a wall of icy air blasts past, dispelling the heat from outside. Agreeing to meet at the stage for the sound check and a quick rehearsal we each head to change into the dress for the first song. Slipping on the tan sandals and tying up the blue sash in a tight bow at the base of my back, I reach for a compact mirror to check my appearance one last time. Ready to go, I walk back outside. My relief in having changed is paramount, the cool light fabric flutters near my ankles in a seemingly invisible breeze. The dress consists of a top with a soft square neckline and large ruffled sleeves with a skirt of several layers of blue and white hanging low. We would change into the other ones for the last two songs. I cautiously lift the dress returning outside.

With the rehearsal complete, we sit drinking cold water at tables with umbrellas. Being on next I mentally go over the steps of our solo being danced by my sister and I as we wait to be announced. The excitement is breathtaking as I take my commencing place on the floor among my team. I am amazingly happy, twirling to lift the skirt with the music and gliding through the choreography of the first three songs. Our solo is up next. A little tired and out of breath, I hug my sister reassuringly; not only to comfort her but to also ease my nerves. The audience gathers, cheering as we take our starting places and the starting notes of our song resounds around the area. The first stanza and chorus we pull off with hardly a hiccup, smiling as we make eye contact across the wide space. The third verse plays and the moves become trickier, I am enveloped in the music and the crowd's enthusiasm. Suddenly, I feel my right earring unclip presumably from all of my motions. The thought though disappears from my mind as I choose to once again focus on the performance.

That night, having returned home after enjoying the rest of the festival, my phone dings with a notification. It’s videos of the day's effort. My sister and I hurry to sit and watch the dances. A couple of minutes later, without warning she bursts out laughing and almost falls off the dining room chair. Confused, I replay our solo now moving on the small bright screen and spot what’s making her laugh hysterically. The earring that I had felt loosen had actually flown completely off, thrown off stage as I performed a final spin. I bow, waving to the crowd and walk off having noticed nothing. Needless to say at that moment I felt my eyes quickly fill with hot tears, embarrassment crushing my heart as I also saw a number of little kids pointing to the discarded accessory now lying in the grass, and laughing. Thinking back on it now, it truly was a marvelous and enjoyable day despite this occurrence. Perspective wise it is far less than a blip in the universe, and for this reason I am able to laugh at this silly occurrence today and truly reflect on the day as a precious memory.

The End.