Exam Performance Piece

Dancing the Dream 

It all began at the age of 3

My big sister Mia taught me

She would come over my house with all of her friends.

We would sit in the living room

Smiling, living, laughing

Then I would hear music playing; music was always playing

Music would tell you how to groove

the words would tell you which way to move

and Mia, Mia would tell me which dances to do

She taught me how to be sassy

How to have an attitude and represent for the gang of sisters in the room 

They would make a soul train line and I would dance down the aisle 

Over and over and over again 

I was a dancer in training

I trained myself too

I would watch music videos

mimicking the the footwork, the break-dancing, the attitude

you see good attitude is when you appear to be rude because 

You don't apologize for being that damn good 

Dancing was my everything

My heart, my lungs, my God

Dancing helped socialize and express myself

Dancing was my emotional tour guide

Showing me the very places that made me cry

The very places that excited me and made me feel alive

Dancing uplifted me 

So whenever I had low self esteem

I could dance and feel comforted

Dancing was my escape

Dancing was identity 

My way of being recognized as me Tee Tee

And the applause that praised me

Made me understand

That my abilities make me who I am 

And that my determination defines my destiny 

 

But had my sister not implanted the art form into my mind 

My passion would be confined to the perimeters of a unfertilized dream

and then what?

who would I be?

Just another kid lost and without a dream. 

So if there is a child who looks up to you

Take advantage of their admiration

Motivate them to learn and be unique

teach them more than MTV and BET

Point out the golden tickets beneath their feet

The apples on the trees

Train them to believe in their abilities so

They can inspire other children to dream dream dream

For me

Dancing was that apple on the tree

I reached and reached for the ripest one to eat

I tasted its sweet flesh

I planted its seeds

And now dancing belongs to me