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MARIA

The day of the Grand Performance had finally come.

All of the dedication and hard work for the evening of the year had finally come through; it was all down to that night. It had to go well. We had to succeed.

It was that morning when it was my final practice with Madame Sylvie.

"Wow..." Madame slowly said, her hands finding their way to each other and clapping gently as her eyes grew wide in awe. I let out a breath, finally resting my feet onto the ground as I panted, looking at her in slight confusion as she continued to make the applause, gazing so intently at me in shock.

"You really are our principal ballerina." Madame appreciated me with a warm smile on her face. I blinked in surprise at her unexpected sentimental gesture, still trying to catch my breath. She looked so touched that I didn't know what to say. I had never seen Madame so astounded by my performance. For once, she didn't have anything to correct me on.

I brought my hands together and clasped them, feeling my cheeks grow warmer and warmer at her unfamiliar kindness. She nodded slowly and gently smiled, her eyes filled with joy.

"You finally let go of whatever used to hold you back whenever you danced. This is the first time I've seen you look truly happy dancing." I blinked at her again, surprised that she could tell a difference. I felt different; the emotions that ran through me when I danced had changed since meeting Leonardo again. I no longer thought of my mother anymore but myself. I danced for me.

I bowed my head in respect before her for what would be our last solo class together for a while. My eyes shut as I held in the tears, feeling emotionally grateful and thankful that she was my Madame Sylvie, someone who always encouraged me and pushed me to my best, never giving up on me.

"Don't ever stop, Maria. You are made for this." Her sincere eyes met mine. I could feel her happiness for me. Madame was truly proud of me. My heart warmed inside.

I inhaled before softly responding, "Thank you, Madame."

Dancing was all I had ever known.

I didn't feel stressed. The last couple of days before practice, all I could feel was anxiety. I hadn't eaten well, and when I did, I would binge eat and throw it all back into the toilet not too long after. I stayed up all night trying to figure out where Rosa could be. I couldn't go a day without crying. But the moment I had pushed myself to start dancing, I was suddenly free from all the burdens and pain weighing down on me.

I didn't want to stop ballet.

All of that time I was pushing away ballet was for nothing. Madame was right; I was made for the stage. I kept telling myself it was what my mother wanted, but that wasn't true; I wanted to do ballet; I just didn't know how to separate the art of dancing from the traumatic past I lived in. I asked my mother to let me dance first. Of course, I never expected she'd become obsessed with duplicating herself through me.

Despite it all, still, I didn't want to stop ballet.

I told myself that I would free myself from my past. I used to share the same advice for Leonardo and yet never took it for myself. I needed to become free from the restraints and stress my mother had placed upon me since I was a child—ballet was my life and not hers.

The Grand Performance had come, and it had to be about me, my feelings, and my emotions. I wouldn't let her continue to torment me after all that time. I wanted to be free.

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That evening was the night of the year.
I was sat before my large vanity mirror, finally ready for the stage. A dignified woman stared back at me through the mirror. She looked refined and exquisite, a woman covered in makeup, jewels, and courage.

"You look gorgeous," they gushed over me after they had finished, sorting out my hair and applying extra blush. An imminent sense of anxiety was eating at me. I didn't feel gorgeous. Beneath the glamour and sheer beauty lay uneasiness and pain. My feet were absolutely killing me, my back felt like I had been hit by a ton of bricks, and my corset was so tight that I could hardly breathe. But it didn't matter; I could still execute the dance perfectly. My back was always straight for posture, and my waist would look like I didn't have any organs inside me, practically non-existent. I would be praised for looking like an idealistic doll which I didn't want.

My eyes closed, and I exhaled, calming my beating heart. I just needed to relax. I gulped down the rest of the third bottle of water I had finished that night. My hands clasped together and squeezed tightly, my nails digging deep into my skin.

"Little Miss Worry." My head snapped up to meet Iris' warm eyes. I instantly let out a breath of relief.

"Iris," I gently said, my shoulders finally lowering. She smiled. Iris looked beautiful in her black jumpsuit. She wore some higher heels for a change and had her usually wild hair tied into a neat bun.

Her arms threw themselves around me, and I relaxed against Iris, who intentionally avoided touching my face. With a soft laugh, she teased, "Still worrying, aren't you?"

"I am," I honestly told her, unable to stop the small smile forming on my face. Iris pulled away and gazed into my eyes with a look of complete understanding. Iris was my rock. I wouldn't have been able to perform without her.

Iris gently said, "What's going to happen tonight will happen tonight whether you worry or not." I nodded, silently exhaling as I tried to let my mind ponder more positive things. Iris shrugged a little, cracking a grin. "So why don't we focus on happy thoughts? Happy thoughts, so that we can remember enjoying something good, right?" I nodded again in agreement, shaking my arms and relaxing my rigid body.

"You're right," I replied, convincing myself too. "Tonight is going to be amazing. I know it will be." I looked back at myself in the mirror, deeply inhaling and forcing down all of my anxious thoughts. Whatever happened that night was out of my control. It was my responsibility to make myself feel better for it. With all the practice I had done, there was no way the night would go wrong. I trusted Iris' words of wisdom. I wanted to remember the night positively, not being wracked with worry.

"When you get on that stage," Iris said as I met her determined eyes. "I want you to remember one thing." I looked up at her expectantly.

"You've. Got. This."

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The curtains were pulled and without a moment to ponder, the music began playing.

Iris' words ran through my ears.


'You've. Got. This.'


I closed my eyes and let the soft, pleasant music take over my body.

My feet delicately glided across the floor, my arms raising in suit. I twirled across the ground, letting my mind drift away into the fictional world of Sleeping Beauty. I always did find it easier to start a performance with my eyes closed.

My whole body relaxed, a natural, uncontrollable smile rested on my face as I moved like a feather, dancing freely to the music, light on my tiptoes. I was unrestrained on that stage, completely losing control of body to the sweet, hypnotising music that directed my movements. I was elegant, I was poised, I was effortless; a sudden wave of strength coursed through me as my arms stretched and my legs spun me around, the cool air energising me to go further, to push myself over the limits.

I was courageous, I was strong, and I was more than confident in my capability to ace that performance. Every single detail of the routine had been taken into my dance. Not a single dip or turn or even simple tilt of the head was wrong. I didn't forget any of my learning points from practice: being easy on certain bourrées, remembering to remain centre stage, and maintaining my balance when being lifted. I wouldn't let myself slip a single detail in my performance. It had to be, and it certainly was, perfect.

I ignored everything—all of my troubles, all of my worries. Even Jorge wasn't a cause for alarm within me. It didn't matter—nothing mattered, other than creating a masterpiece of a performance for years and years to come, for people to reminisce about and share the grand beauty and artistic performance held by Dream that year.

The music was pushing me, running through my body, my mind. It was all I could feel; it was all I could express. The grand stage was mine to soar across; each turn, each leap, each step was filled with passion and dedication. I owned that stage; my expressive movements and dance captured each and every single person in that room. I felt like Aurora; no, I was Aurora the moment I had even touched the ground in front of the audience. Maria was hidden away while I was performing in front of all those people.

The fear and anxiety that used to consume me prior to performances had backed away. I was fierce and strong; there was absolutely no sign of stress within me. I let go of all my plights and problems in my life and focused on one thing only: executing the role of Aurora perfectly for all to see and appreciate. All of my hard work, all of my efforts, was poured out onto that stage for the whole world to see. There was a reason why I was the principal ballerina, a reason why I had been loved and praised for my rise in ranks so quickly, and it was evident through my dance. I had once again shown the world my power, reminding all that it had never and would never leave.

My body felt different during that time on stage. My heart was fighting in my chest, racing and warming my entire body with desire and determination to fulfil my standards of the performance. I was energised, enthusiastic, and motivated. My confidence radiated through my moves and never disappeared the entire time I was on that stage. My face gave all my assurance away; my lips stretched across my face in self-awareness of my capability, graceful and eloquent, mesmerising and completely eye-catching. Not a single person would be able to pry their eyes off me when I was in full control of that stage. It was mine, and I rightfully showed the strength of Dream.


I did it. I finished The Grand Performance.

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~ Author's Note ~

The Grand Performance has finally happened!

Maria's thoughts on ballet have also changed. She wants to keep dancing!

I'm proud of her, and I'm sure she is too. Next chapter brings a little more chaos after a successful performance.

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