Between The Three

Chapter 4 - Hot and Cold

Brrrr!

It’s getting chillier outside. I scramble to zip up my windbreaker as a cool, gust of wind hits my face.

It’s been about a week since the festival, and it seems as though that was exactly when it truly started to feel like fall. Perfect timing!

I was never really a city girl, but it hasn’t taken me long to get used to this buzzing place. It’s a little uncharted territory walking downtown all by myself, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the peace and solitude in the midst of such a lively city.

I get to the studio and swing open the heavy glass door in hopes of being hit with warmer air after having walked in the cold. Ok, it’s only 65 degrees, but that’s cold to me!

I enter the studio and the temperature didn’t change much, but then I remembered that I’m going to be sweating soon. There is no reason for it to be any warmer in here, I guess. I laugh to myself.

I hurry to my cubby to place my things and join my fellow peers on the floor to stretch before we start our choreography.

Dancing has always been my way of expressing myself. Modern/street dancing to be exact. Growing up, everyone either wanted to be a veterinarian, a doctor, or even an architect. And though I’ve fantasized about helping animals for a living, for a bit…my true, true love was moving my body to captivating music. As a little girl, I’d join my parents in watching their favorite artists perform on TV, but I was never watching the artist themselves. My attention always fell on the background dancers. Their skill was indisputable. Their talent was unmatched. And their passion…their passion was unlike anything I’d ever seen. My parents caught on quickly and, before long, would encourage my dancing by recording me on the camcorder and showing it to our family and friends. They never had the money to put me in any dance classes to help fuel my dream, but I’ve never faulted them for that.

Today, I’m just grateful that I can put myself through these classes. Fuel my passions…

I really have come a long way.

I lose myself for the next hour: throwing my arms, flipping my hair, shuffling my feet, twisting, and popping my body. I’m fully in the moment. There’s nothing in the world that engages me this way.

The hour flies by and I sit and chat with a few people in the group. We do this to debrief, catch up. The down time also helps us cool down and dry off before we all depart back into our own lives.

The studio has changing rooms, so I change into a t-shirt and sweats, only temporarily, so that I’m not walking around in the cold with wet clothes.

I throw my hair into a messy ponytail and head for the door to leave when I hear someone call out to me.

“Hey! Y/N!”

It’s Kenta. One of the choreographers from the studio. He’s a nice, friendly guy, and the only one who warmed up to me first when I initially registered here. He’s been dancing his whole life; he practically came out the womb in a leotard.

“DON’T forget! We have the Elite Academy dance performance in a few weeks! The biggest competition for our studio yet! We would love your support!”, he hands me the fancy flier.

“Oh, right!”, I said surprised. I actually did forget, but luckily, I work that morning so I will be able to attend later that evening. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there!”, I reply cheerfully.

“Haha, awesome! And hey! You keep dancing the way you have been, and you’ll be in one of our performances in no time”, He pats my arm twice and skips away, looking for another peer to hand a flier to.