"The Ballerinas" by Rachel Kapelke-Dale // Kazuha for ELLE August 2022 // "The death of an artist" by The Michigan Daily // "Tiny Pretty Things" by Sona Charaipotra // “Suspiria” (2018) // "Tiny Pretty Things" by Sona Charaipotra // “Black Swan” (2010) // quote by Edgar Degas // "Ballet Rehearsal", 1873, by Edgar Degas // "Ballet and pain: Reflections on a risk-dance culture", 2011, by Krista McEwan and Kevin Young // "The Toll of Perfectionism" by Claire Angyal // “Pink" on Flickr // "Black Swan" by BTS (2020) // “To A Dancer” by Arthur Symons // “Swan song” definition via Wikipedia
Plot: Two performing art schools are combined upon underlying reason bringing together an unlikely duo Moose and Alice who help each other grow beyond fluttering hearts and the genre of music.
Overview ep. 2 [repeated patterns]: Alice’s day of work has a change in repeated pattern.
Treasure by Bruno mars plays as I hum along cleaning up the aisle “gimme your attention baby” I sing out doing a little turn and step.
Spin, turn, kick, spin again “wooh” point this way, point that way, and this way again. “ I didn’t know you did freestyle too” I turn so fast dropping the cereal in my hand to meet eyes with the boy from school smile and all.
“Sorry about that” I let out groaning “don’t be it looked nice like your were having fun” he says smiling like I haven’t made a ass of myself and the ballerina name.
“I always dance during my shift too” he says handing me the cereal I dropped “thank you” he works here too I guess that’s nice, you know if your into that “when’s your shift end?” He asks “I get off in a few minutes” I reply looking at the shelve.
He mimickes me looking them over “well…would you like to go to the park with me we could get a burger too maybe?”.
The thought of burgers making me uneasy I twist my face “okay not burgers, sandwiches, or salami and crackers?” I haven’t had that in a long time rice crackers yes but just crackers seems forbidden.
The thought of it making me giggle “okay I’ll get that …and pick up some fruit for you too” he says speed walking making me laugh.
Clocking out i change into my clothes “ready ?” he asks lending his arm hesitantly connecting mines i shy away, matter fact do I even know his name ?.
“Don’t take this wrong but what’s your name?” I ask low causing him to laugh “moose” “moose, ..like hair gel” I reply he nods turning to me “..Alice” I respond “Alice like wonderland” “yes, exactly”.
“Soo” he elongates plopping down on the blanket taking everything out “how’d you decide on doing ballet?” Moose asks grabbing a cracker “well my mother was a ballerina she loved it” a great one infact one I have to live up to.
“You love it too?” wasn’t expecting that question ....i don't know honestly "well I like dancing I know that, I like moving it makes me feel nice" I smile ending my sentence to pick up a cracker.
"I totally understand the feeling's freeing, freeing from restraint, barriers, stress everything really" moose adds very genuinely. And for a minute it felt like he knew so much and so little, so much about what I felt and so little about who they wanted me to be.
The feeling of being understood made me squirm.....it wasn't something I was use to it almost made my waterline tickle with the threats of tears.
"How's the fruit?" Mooses asks "I .. really like it, alot actually thank you" I respond back to the question of fruit but also his company, it made me light headed to think he understood that too. "I'm glad" he replies picking up a piece of mango gently, mangos always been my favorite but not even Alicia remembers that I wonder how he knew or had it been that obvious.