The pianist lays his hands on the piano. Tranquil notes soon fill the theatre. Among the audience is a girl, her eyes glow with ambition, her lips curve to form a blissful smile.

The delicate ballerinas, with their poised structures float onto the raked stage. She lets out a tiny gasp and brings her fingers to her trembling lips.

The grand music and the lean, graceful dancers were all she had dreamt about since she was a child, she had dreamt to join them one day. The nimble practiced ballet royalties glide with the utmost grace across the stage.

As the general wash of warm light cross-fades to a cool spot on the prima ballerina, she can’t help but let out a squeal. It is time for her favourite part.

The prima ballerina spreads out her thin arms like a bird, the theatre is silent now. Her fingers

twirl with the premier danseur. Her eyes follow the prima ballerina upstage then downstage. The rest of the dancers follow her lead in rhythm.

The pianist ends with a dramatic stroke on the final keys. He rises and takes a well-deserved bow. The girl bursts into applause before the rest of the crowd. The red and gold curtains fall. She takes a deep contented breath.

Her eyes have seen this magnificent show countless times before but are not yet weary. She lays her hands on her paralysed legs, imagines a pair of ballerina pumps instead of those old sneakers. She wipes a tear and rolls the wheelchair out of the theatre.

Years later…

“Your state just doesn’t allow it.”

“My dear, you must forget the ballerinas and move on.”

“Accept the fact that there is no way to join them…”

“You can’t do it, honey.”

All the people who doubted her dreams flash in front of her eyes. Their words echo and bang against her eardrums.

Just then, ballerina music fills the air. It’s time. She secures her golden locks behind her ear and rolls the wheelchair onto the stage.

The blinding light hits her as the curtains are drawn aside. Amongst the loud applause, she takes her place at the piano.

She lays her hands onto the piano. Her rich exuberant notes soon fill the theatre. Her eyes are radiant with passion as she watches the ballerinas from this new angle. Her fingers firmly stroke the keys producing serene lyrical music to accompany the ballerinas’ steps.

The hues of light become concentrated on the prima ballerina. Her favourite part at last … joy and bliss add to the radiance of her face. She plays and the ballerinas dance.

Marking the end of the show is the well-deserved bow taken by the pianist, her. She has joined them at last. As the theatre roars with applause and the spotlight moves onto the ballerinas, she breathes, “Dreams are valid!”

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 23rd, 2016