Life is Like a Dance
By: Vika

    Life is like a dance because just like life there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. To both life and dance, any outcome is possible as long as the dancer is in control of the choreography. To each life and dance phase, there is falling and getting back up, getting lost in the moment, and crashing back down into reality. Just because one's life is in order does not mean it will all be smooth sailings, obstacles will pop up but resilience is the key to pull through.

When in a dance all thoughts clear away leaving room for only the feeling of joy and accomplishment. However, to get to that feeling of serenity one must go through hours of training and practice. First, the dancer needs to want it, if only for fun or time away from the real world. The training will crush all thoughts into a pulp so it consists of just sweat, tears, and hard work. The same thing every day, point those toes, keep those legs straight, tighten those turns! Getting broken down and built back up. How dance is an analogy to life is; one will put their mind to something but no matter how much they enjoy it, it can be the most painful experience of one's life. As it slowly rips them down, ripping apart every fiber and every strand of knowledge, one can pull through victorious and feeling more accomplished than one might have ever imagined. 

Once the skills are set, the choreography of the dance begins. The choreography can represent anything, all it needs is a start. One step forward, two steps back, a twirl before leaping back on track. An aerial into a backward roll, followed by a delicate sissone and scale. One step forward, two steps back. On and on the dance goes, the whole time the dancer has the power to change the steps. How dance is an analogy to life is; everyone takes steps forward and backward, no one judges for needing some extra time and experience. There are ups and downs of life represented by the soaring forward flips and the falling back rolls. The best part about the dancer choreographing her steps is; it is her dance, she decides when she is ready, or when she is down and she needs to fall to regain her strength. With that power, she can incorporate it into the dance, as one would to life to take hold of the reins. They are the ones who decide when they are ready, they are the ones that decide when they need help, they are the ones who decide when they are ready to move on from the practice and are ready to showcase their dance.

    However, while practicing the routine a cloud emerges in the dancer's mind, doubt creeps through the cracks and festers on the all too obvious fear set in her eyes. Before the final leap in her routine, the doubt pulls in her gut making her miscount her steps. She crumples to the ground ankle blazing with aching nerves, her eyes sting with unshed tears, they will not see our weaknesses. How dance is an analogy to life is; people do not want to show their weakness. Everyone messes up but that does not make it ok to show it, is wrong. People should see the weakness and the vulnerability, one should tie it into the dance so that everyone can see how one pieced themselves back together. When things pop out of nowhere one must fight back, one must not be defeated by such a slip-up. When life hits, hit back harder. Put some ice on the wound then get back out there. 

Only when the dance is soon to begin the dancer grows nervous again, she stumbles her steps, slips on her turns, falls in her flips, her ankle still pulsing. The pressure has set in her mind and the fear is too strong and all-consuming. There seems to be no way to make her go out there and dance her heart out, but, then she remembers. The steps replay in her mind, her finger flowing along with a silent tune, memories of the ups and down replay showing how resilient she has been. She replays her struggles and remembers her gumption and the fear starts to dissipate, the fire in her ankle soon a dull throb. Hope flares in her chest in remembrance of her life's journey, not only through dance but also in her real life. How dance is an analogy to life is; when things start to seem to crumble, one will remember the fight they had, remember all the hard work they put into this life, they will remember the steps from baby steps to long powerful leaps. One will remember the dance they started and will finish it the right way. The dancer will step under the spotlight and once the music starts she flows through it, telling her life story with every step, twirl, and flip. Once in the zone she forgets all her fear and all her regrets, she remembers why she is there and only the happy memories. When she is in her dance she escapes life altogether into her alternate world, lulling her softly into a warm cocoon. Not that the pain is any less important, she learned to embrace her fears and let them lead her into a better life embracing all her faults, the pain in her ankle reminding her to pay attention. Together, one and she end as one, with hope, their faults, and spirit all accepted as one, therefore, that is what saves them at the end.

Dance and life go hand in hand, they both start with joys and struggles, both have their ups and downs, and both shatter before they come to their full potential. One would think to just go with the flow, but part of the dance of life is making decisions for oneself and choreographing an ending that they want. Falling is inevitable, just make sure when one breaks, they build themselves back up. Make soaring across the stage into a smattering of applause one's dream so that one will reach for that dream with hope forever. Life isn't always perfect, but just like a dance, embracing every moment is key.

There she is, ciao