"To dance, above all, is to enter into the motions of life."
Sherman Paul
"Justin, do you have a minute?" Justin looked up at Kevin's face and nodded, following the director to the offices, dipping his head when he passed the one with JC's name on it. Christmas had come and gone and rehearsals had picked up even more heavily since then. The workshop was just a few more weeks away and Justin knew he wasn't dancing his best but the close of the year was fast approaching and he didn't know what he wanted to do anymore. Once they were seated in the comfortable office, Kevin sighed and stared at Justin for a minute. "Justin, I know a lot about what goes on within these walls, especially when it comes to my students."
"Sir?"
"There's been talk lately, Justin, that you might not want to continue a dancing career when this year is over," Kevin said bluntly. "Is it true?"
Justin was speechless for a moment, then said truthfully, "I was thinking about it. I don't know now." He watched as Kevin stood from his chair and walked to the front of his desk, crouching in front of Justin.
"Why did you first start dancing, Justin?" Surprised by the question, Justin thought. "I'm asking about the first time you ever asked your parents to attend a dance class. What brought on that question to them?"
"I," Justin started then smiled softly. "I was at a wedding. My mom's friend was getting married and I was five and was the ring bearer. At the reception, I remember being the only bearer that wanted to dance with the girls because it felt so cool and I guess, free, to just let loose. I asked my mom the next day to take a dance class, any dance class. I haven't stopped dancing since."
"What other types of dance have you done?"
"Since then?" Kevin nodded. "Wow. Jazz, modern, hip-hop, Latin, I don't even remember; I've taken so many."
"But you stuck with ballet. Why?"
"Because," Justin paused and crinkled his brow in thought. "Because I love it," he said simply.
"You love it?"
Justin nodded. "Ballet is, it's something structured and precise at the core but each person gives it its own flair, makes it their own, liberates the precision. It's everything a dancer could ask for."
"Then why are you willing to give it up?" Dipping his head, Justin took a deep breath. "Justin?"
"Because I found something else I love more," he said quietly, barely breathing the words out. "And I don't want ballet unless I have him too."
*