snapshot #4

Swan Lake was Blackwood’s Ballet Academy’s pride and joy. With it’s magnificent costumes, beautiful dance choreographies, wonderfully rewritten compositions and a special twist to the entire storyline. Julliard scouts had dropped by each time the recital was held around spring. And each time a ballerina would be chosen to enter their school for the gifted. The competition between dancers grew each year.

There was no problem getting onto the props team or any part of the backstage crew. The problem was getting on the cast itself. Becoming one of the woodland animals was known to be harder than disarming a bomb. Never mind landing a lead role. So as she spun across the room gracefully, arms poised in the perfect oval, she wondered if Madame would ever let her dance on stage. The other ballerinas in her grade were watching her dance the major solo of the entire recital with envy.

The pride that came with finishing the solo in the signature curtsey was cut short when a student huffed in disapproval. There went her chance of being the lead for the entire recital. Her rival, with gorgeous black hair and skin as pale as snow, was a beauty to beat. She stepped up to the center of the studio, ready to leap into action at the first hum of the violin, her height making Madame love her even more. Disappointment, jealousy and hurt coursed through her like a tsunami.

“There we have it – our beautiful White Swan has arrived!”

Eyes trailing down every single exposed limb of the newly dubbed star, she felt as though she could puke right there and then. No wonder she was held on such a high pedestal – she was beautiful and slim.

No matter, soon, with the proper diet, she’d be slim too.