Encore
By Emily Raquepaw
One, Two, Three, Four! It was the day of our dance competition. “Hey Faith” I say “Are you
excited?” she says
“I’m very excited and nervous” she replies
“That’s alright because I am too”
SLAM! The heavy wooden door slammed shut as Mrs. Stephanie walked out our dressing room and into
the hallway. We were sitting on the cold floor with our short legs together and doing hurtful stretches.
When we got to ten Mrs. Katie told us to stand up and practice our dance. Mrs. Katie started to sing the
song. I always get nervous when I am doing this dance because Faith and I have to do a handstand and
sometimes we fall. After we practice our dance we get our costumes on and get our make-up done.
When we are done we practice more and wait for somebody to come and tell us it is our turn. I start to
jump up and down as we wait.
A few minutes later Miss. Andrea walks to us when she sees us waiting. I stated “When is it
going to be our turn?” Mrs. Katie asked Miss. Andrea
“Are they going to come and get us?”
“I don’t know”
Miss. Andrea stated. After at least ten minutes had passed we finally recognize they are not going to
come and get us. After we identified that we ask the other people in our dressing room if they know
how to get to the stage. They say
“We don’t have a clue”
We say “Thank you anyway”
And go on a quest to find the stage. Finally we found the stage it had red velvet curtains, powerful
bright lights and most of all a huge audience watching it. I peek through the curtains. I start jumping up
and down. Mrs. Katie tells Faith and I to do our best. I start playing with my costume as I’m gazing at the
other dancers dance with perfection. As they walk off stage the judges say
“Number
Five
like
Whoa come out”
We walk on stage telling ourselves we will do great.
As we stroll on stage with our heads held high time seems to stand still as we wait for the loud
music to commence. As the music begins a sudden shock goes through my body as fast as lightning
telling me to start. As I dance my heart out on stage I tell myself to keep going. I felt like I had one-billion
eyes staring at me and encouraging me to do my best. As I rotate around I seek Mrs. Katie on the side of
the stage she mouths “You two are doing great!” I tilt my head down just enough to see pink and silver
sequins shimmering as bright as the sun in the light. The audience oohs and ahhs as we dance on. The
stage lights were yellow and bright as could be. Faith and I were inching closer to the end of the dance
every second. The end of the dance isn’t very far away so I prepare myself for it. The last few steps of
the dance are approaching as fast as lightning. All of a sudden I’m doing a pivot turn. After that I feel
shock go through my body. “Oh No” I thought. THUMP! I hear a tiny voice in my head say “Oh No!” “I
Just Fell!’
The judges didn’t notice that I stumbled even though it was very noticeable. After we strolled off
stage all I could hear was people screaming, clapping and letting us know we did great. I thought “Wow
it’s nice to know that all of those people liked our dance” It was unbelievable! As we are strolling back to
our dressing room I whisper something into Faith’s ear “You did great” she whispered back
“You did too”
My heart was thumping like a rabbit it was forcing me to grin as big as an elephant’s ear. I was strolling
at a slow past when Faith and I seek Mrs. Stephanie (Faith’s mom) Kaitlynne (my older sister) and Mrs.
Katie (our dance teacher). They spot us too. We sprit to them as fast as a bolt of lightning. Once we get
to them we jump up and give them the biggest bear hug ever. Kaitlynne pulls out her shiny phone and
asks if I want to call Mom. I rip the phone out of her hands and start to dial my mom’s long phone
number. The small IPhone vibrates in my sweaty palm. Even though she doesn’t answer I am still filled
with pride. We aren’t allowed to show our costume in the audience so we put on a sweat shirt and
head out there.
As we sit in the noisy audience I am jumping like a kangaroo in my seat while we wait for the
right time to go up on stage for the shiny awards. Finally I think “Why is this taking so long”. Finally it
was time Faith and I sprinted on stage as fast as a bullet to get up there on the ginormous stage. My
heart was beating out of my chest I was grinning from ear to ear. I shout to Faith “Are you nervous?” she
shouts back
“More like very nervous”
As everyone passes out gigantic trophies they finally get to the first place trophies. The first ones they
call are “Number #5” I say “Faith that’s us!” Everyone starts clapping so loud I cannot hear over them.
Faith says “There wasn’t anything to worry about” I say “You’re exactly right!”