The red velvet curtain rose along with the sound of a slow song. This dance had to be flawless. The routine starts with me parading around in a display of grace. Each foot landing one after other in the direct spot where they should be.

During a prep for an axel jump I was able to sneak a peek at the judges. Their faces were stone, not one moved. Were they really that unimpressed? I was so bewildered I didn’t even notice the tempo change in the music. Turn after barrel roll after leap they did not move. The 2nd barrel role lasted an hour during which I scanned the audience. The band may have been playing allegro but me and the world were in adagio. There was a minute between each clap. Each hair on my head moved individually. I had to land that jump but I half way through my jump I realized that i was going too far I had to improvise. It was the 144th measure I had to thrust my legs down out of the jump into a back hand spring. By the final measure I was back on cue for my final turn and a final bow.