meboeck

She watches from backstage as her partner performs his variation. The stage lights seem to get brighter, and the space in the wings seem to close in. She can feel her heart beating faster. Her partner’s short solo seems to last an eternity. She flexes and points her feet as she waits.  Finally the music stops. She closes her eyes. She can hear thunderous applause, but it sounds distant, like it’s coming from another world. She centers herself, preparing for the most important two minutes of her life: her first solo as prima ballerina. The applause seems to go on forever. She fears that she will always be overshadowed by her talent

Leah stared at the violin case in the corner of the room. She hadn’t practiced in two days, and she had to put more work in if she was going to be a first violin in the orchestra this year. The teacher was holding auditions next Tuesday for anyone who wanted the more challenging parts. If would look nice on her college application too. She was already involved in both string orchestra class and the after school symphony orchestra. If she became a first violin in the symphony orchestra, she might even get named concertmaster next year. That would speak volumes about both her dedication and leadership. It would make her stand out on appli

The girls sitting behind Jared on the bus were on the third verse of “Miss Mary Mack,” clapping and giggling and being altogether too loud. They had been getting progressively louder for the last half hour, and they were only halfway to their destination. It was going to be a long ride for Jared. The boy sitting next to him was turned completely away from him, talking to some other boys about which pokemon in the new game was the best. Jared played pokemon too, but he didn’t talk to those boys. He liked it better when they ignored him because then they weren’t picking on him. Abby was sitting in front of Jared, but sh

I tried to write a love song But I lost the melody It flew into the moonlit sky Like a bird out of its cage I memorized the chorus I'd recite it night and day I was sure that if I sang it My love would become true I searched so long for the right notes But they never came to me And finally I wondered If maybe I should just Give up I tried to write a love song To find the melody And finally I realized Why it had escaped It flew away because it had Been captive for so long Captive to the lyrics I had tried so hard to write So I picked up my eraser And broke away the chains That I had wrapped around my heart And finally d

When I was four years old, I couldn't stop moving. I was always in motion, but music moved me in a special way. Moving to music was something magical, something innate inside me. When I went to see a ballet performance, my parents knew I was a dancer. They knew because at four years old, I was talking about and mimicking the performance for a week. So at the age of four, I started dancing. I was the only boy at the ballet studio, but it didn't matter. I had found what I loved, what I was going to do when I grew up. When my family moved a few years later, one of the first concerns was where I would take dance lessons. I tried sports for two ye