A Unique Crossover

Chapter33: Another sort of Catfish

'Aloha au iā 'oe Grandma' I mouthed back to her and the second the music started playing, my body started moving. An Innocent Warrior by Vai Mahina filled the room as my limbs moved on their own, letting the memory in my muscle sway to the music like a pirate following a map to find her treasure.
My treasure being my heritage and culture which I'm slowing to this room of people a treasure that gets seen very few times.

Being the slow started of dish that many hasn't tasted yet, but after a few bites, their taste buds enjoying the first course. Before the main and most important course started softly, the song is probably my favourite song from all of the Disney movies that I've grown up with.

I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors) by Rachel House, Auli'i Cravalho is truly a work of art and always reminds us all that whatever we fall to pick ourselves up after before every failure.

When we are sitting on the ground having a good cry that always needed before trying again until you succeeded, in some way this song got me through this week to be honest. When Stephanie stole my choreography, I truly thought that the dream of being Sapphire's female soloist for Spotlight it was the end.

I believe that the dream that I had since I've learnt that my Mom won best soloist in this competition was gone, that I've lost it and will never get it back.

Even while I was creating this dance that is the most intimate and personal dance, it would always challenge me and passes me to give in my all. As I was performing my solo, I could have sworn that Mom and Carter were following my every movement.
They both were two golden glowing figures who danced beside me until the end when I raised my left arm up, my psalm flat as if I was on Moana's canoe, measuring the star.

Breathing heavy with my heart beating wildly in my chest with pride, joy and don't want to stop smiling. Even when everyone applauding louder than they had before I've started dancing, most of the first and second row were standing up along with my family.
Cheering louder than anyone else which caused my smile widen while I gave small bow to the crowd then left the stage before the early thirty aged man asked for another row of applause for me.

When I walked off the stage and nearly was knocked over by Daytona and Janelle before most of Sapphire's dancers came to tell me that I have done great. Walking away from them after thanking them and put my soaks and uggs back on to warm my feet, grabbing my water bottle to refresh my dried throat as well as calm my overexcited body when Mrs Robertson walked up to me.

She wasn't keen on my solo, thinking that it might not be good enough, although never have Mrs Robertson forced me to come up with another choreography.

Either because, there wasn't enough time to come up with anything else or maybe she saw the passion and a side of myself that not many get to see. "Not many people in Sapphire has ever done anything that's so raw, intimate and has such pure passion as you have represented. Which is not only a risky card to play, but a very bold one that many of previous and present dancers are too afraid to play or many of times overlook the card to play safe."

Placing a gentle and encouraging hand on top of my shoulder with a smile that match, "You and your solo have made me and Julia proud to have you representing for our group and campus today."

I may not have been part of Sapphire for a long time or a student at KAU, but I haven't heard Mrs Robertson speak to anyone about any of their performances like this before.
Maybe she only does it privately, because it's more personal and meaningful than doing it in front of the dance group to keep her dancers grounded. Something that Stephanie needs to learn to be, more grounded and humble instead of pride and arrogant.

Having the head of our dance group who I always see as a black panther who once danced gracefully and elegantly on stages like Spotlight's, maybe stage that were greater for high respected dance competitions compliment like that is the most rare and special thing that could ever happen to me.