What? Is he kidding me?
"I'll sponsor you; I just need you to participate, please Ire."
"Uh, thank you sir, but, I do not know my way about a competition; this would be the first competition I'll be participating in in all my life."
"Fascinating," he marveled, "I'll help you out with that, just participate."
"Thank you."
"Here's a flyer, my contact is below, message me and we'll talk better, I should leave you to go home now. Just keep practicing."
"Okay sir, goodbye."
"What's your name?" wait, he didn't ask that? Oh well.
"I'm Ireolamide."
"What a beautiful name." I blushed at his comment and waved him bye as I walked to a shuttle, I'm literally floating in the wind right now.
I got into my room and laid down on the bed, I have no energy to scream, today was an overwhelming day; I lashed out at my lecturer, spoke about my past, I even danced for so many people to see, and I got a sponsor for a competition I had no idea about, good people still exist after all. Someone I've never met before will sponsor me for a competition I've never even heard of before…the Lord lives! It's really getting to my time to shine…if I win the competition.
Sigh…if.
I went on my knees and prayed to God "Lord, I thank you for this golden opportunity. I thank you lord, for this one-time grace to show myself to the world. I promise you I won't let you down and that I'll direct all the glory back to you Lord."
I jumped on my feet and prepared a meal for Britany and me. I am in such a good mood today, all thanks to Mr. Joseph. I looked at the flyer and smiled broadly…the competition is in two weeks and it's going to be held at Ikeja, with a large audience in attendance and so many stars as the judges, our entertainment industry is really buoyant to be honest.
I can't wait to get started on my training…I'll need some help too.
"it's Ireolamide," I messaged him, and immediately regretted sending such message, well you can't blame me, formality is absolutely not my thing and this is going to be the first time I'll be messaging someone in a professional way…first time!
"Hey, Ire, here is your trainer's contact, you'll meet with her tomorrow, she'll help you out with your registration and she will train you to meet the competition's requirements…I want to see you win that trophy and dance deal…good luck." Wow, that was quite fast.
"Thank you, sir." I responded.
"Reach out to me if you have any more questions for clarification." Oh yes, I will!
So, tomorrow will be a big day, and I can't wait to face it with all the courage in the world, and God's grace too.
My trainer's name is Miss Fiona, and apparently she has trained most of the star kid-dancers in Nigeria and most of the dancers in music videos get their placement through her, (this man has connection though) I'll meet her at a dance studio not too far from my hostel, which is good news because it is low cost of transportation for me, I can even decide to trek the distance too), but I have a tight training schedule, so I can't trek it, I have to be at the studio in time to show her my willingness, dedication, and to show her I really want this. I mean, why won't I want it? I don't know if the prizes are cash but…I can't give up right?
I have to train daily (weekends included), from 7pm to 10pm…I'm in trouble. But the trouble comes before the bliss, right? I have no idea why I keep asking questions…something is wrong with me today.
Oh right…it's joy.
I sprawled out on the bed and squealed; free entry to a competition, plus a classic trainer…mad o!
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.
.
I walked into the dance studio and looked at the beautiful walls with graphic illustrations of various dance forms and each technique of ballet; this suddenly feels like home…well it will literally be my home for the next two weeks, so I guess, it is really home now.
I got to the room my trainer was waiting in, I walked in and was met by the expectant personality of my brown-skinned trainer, she has the kind of skin that would make me wish I was dark or brown skinned, because her skin glowed and her slim figure was absolutely perfect to be honest; she beamed as she looked at my approaching figure "Ireolamide!" she screamed, God, my ears, "I'm so happy to finally meet you; Joseph sent me the video he took of you dancing and you are absolutely fantastique." What is it with ballet trainers and French please? Can't they even switch to Italian or something every once a while? Oh well, French is just as "beau" anyway.
"Mademoiselle Fiona, enchanted to meet you," I greeted while taking a bow. Gosh, she's a screamer alight.
"Okay, let's get to work; the five positions in ballet." She ordered, and I got to work immediately after dropping my bag, I went to the barre and started what I learnt over the years, painfully trying to perfect it, oh God, those years were nothing but pain, it's not like these are any better, but, at least I am better.
I heard the piano and I danced to the beautiful symphony. I love dancing so much; it is one thing I don't find difficulty in doing because I love it, I guess. It's not so difficult to flow in perfect harmony to the music. My childhood was dark, bloody and painful, but music made it a bit colorful and conducive for a broken 10-year-old to live in…it made it beautiful.
The music stopped and I ended it with a beautiful arabesque.
"When did you start dancing?" she asked me.
"Since I was 6," I replied almost breathless.
"Seeing you dance in person makes me see just how good you are. You're really good" seriously ma'am? Seriously?
"Thank you," I faced the toughest demon of a dance trainer daily back then.
"Okay, back into position" she ordered and I did as I was told, awaiting her order on what technique, and it came;
"Pirouette…Fouetté…arabesque…port de bras…pile…repeat."
And that was how my evening went…I kept on practicing those techniques over and over, seems like she knew I was going to suggest training ballet for the competition, she didn't even ask me.
"Are you the top of your set?" she asked, and I chuckled before answering
"Nope…" on a sad note.
"Then who is?"
"Kathrine Merion,"
"That slut?!" she guffawed
"Slut? Wait, what do you mean?"
"She's a slut, and her name is Ajanaku, not Merion, she's a fake bitch who goes into beds as a hobby." I couldn't hold my laughter as she perfectly described Kathrine, oh no, oh no, oh no, ohhh noooo!! This is epic!
"But, why did you say that?"
"mMy ex-boyfriend is a musician, don't ask for his name," ow, "I walked in on them in his room, when he was making plans for his next big concert, and we all know what happens with highly hormonal opposite genders in a standing and kneeling position."
"Oh…that,"
"Yeah, and I could tell he enjoyed it with the way he moaned, I mean, he has never moaned that way any time he was with me before" Before? Wait, wait, wait…she has already? Oh kay, I'm just going to let that slide. "Anyway, I ended things at the moment…and I later discovered that's majorly how she gets to feature in videos."
"Well, she's a hoe then."
"Big one!"
"Hoe, hoe, hoe."
We both laughed and we departed, I'll be registering tomorrow, so she gave me my number, I'll just have to get my tag.
I walked with her to a booth in the second wing of the building, we met an early twenties lady there, and boy does she look tired, I don't blame her, she is on night shift. This competition must be quite a hot shot if an attendant is hired for night shift…a very hot shot.
"She's Ireolamide," Miss Fiona stated, "Joseph must have told you about her right?" while they conversed, I looked around where we stood and loved the different dance moves on display in photographs on the wall. There were some of famous professional dancers…I mean, these are the people that their world revolves around the dance floor, people that post tutorials and get over 50 million views in an hour, people that their names have literally been written on the dance floor of fame (don't judge me, I'm just saying my own).
"Ire…do you play an instrument?" I was asked, snapping me out of the world of marvel.
"Yes…"
"Good, would you like to present it with your dance too?"
"Yes, it'd be lovely."
"Which instrument?"
"The cello,"
"Nice," she turned back to the lady and I remembered how everything was when I started learning the cello, it felt so complex…it was meant to be that way anyway, later on, I got used to it.
I was trained on the cello after every dance class I had; I was mandated to learn an instrument if not two for the sake of learning, I guess it with all be paying off now. One skill won't go to waste.
I literally didn't have time for anyone when I was younger, I always wanted to perfect my moves…I've always aspired to be one of the best, not to be the exact best…just one of them, sadly, that dream never became a reality…I never woke up from the embarrassment of dream. I've always remained on the average side of the whole school of life.
"Fill this," I heard and bent over the tale to fill the registration form, I guess I'll complete my registration tonight after all. "That's all, you are number 7. Competition is in two weeks Ire, make sure you're always early for training"
"Can I also come in for extra hours practice?"
"As long as you're coming to practice, you can. You have your instrument, right?"
"Yes, it's back at home."
"Come with it daily, a music trainer will join us tomorrow, so after dance practice, you'll go to him to help you with the cello. You just don't be late."
"I won't be late."
Despite the poverty and all that…mom still got me a cello, all I had to do was avoid breaking it. And she still kept me in the training school; I really have to repay her when I make it in life.
I bid her goodbye and hastily made my way home, holding my competitor's tag in hand and heart in the other. Things are changing in my life, positively I hope….
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"And why are you so late Queen-mother?" Brittany asked in a horrible British accent as I entered our lit room and locked the door.
"I'm sorry your highness, I got held up at the studio that's all." I replied with a perfect British accent and a childish look; pretty much like a child whose hand was caught in the pot of sew, not cookie jar, this is Nigeria. She narrowed her eyes at me and burst into laughter with me joining in.
"You have no idea how you look like right now, so funny. Anyway, how was training or rehearsal or whatever you call it?"
"Practice I guess," I responded unsure, "it was cool though, I'm done with my registration, I'm so happy it went smoothly, I thank God.'
"Yeah, now hit the showers, you are probably moist with sweat." Yeah, I am. I dropped my bag on the floor and went to fetch water to bath recalling I have to pick which songs I want to dance to; she asked me to get three songs; so, I have to pick the cool ones and I have to pick beautiful song. Gospel or just cool music, nothing of rock or something like that.
Not even MARLIANS music.
"So, I won't be seeing much of you?" Brit asked as I finished explaining my new schedule while eating some food.
"Yeah, it's just only two weeks, and we can manage it."
"Alright, the two weeks should just clear off in time."
"It should wait o. I'm not ready for anything."
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.
.
I'll be dancing to a new song by a gospel artist, "Mirrored life". For the record, no one knows why he chose such name. It gets fast at a point, I'll be getting married to allegro then, so I'll have to muster all the precision in the world.
Ballet is beautifully complicated and that's exactly why I love it.