“Temperance”…part two…by Maryann Scheufele

…continued from prevoious blog entry…

As you might have imagined, the next time Annie saw her Grandfather, she was excited to tell him about how she played the listening game to music.

“That’s exactly what I expected you to do!” Grandfather responded happily.

Then Grandfather explained a wonderful secret to Annie.  He tapped his foot and clapped his hands and then he sang a song:

“When a dancer dances she simply dances along.

Tap tap tap

She listens to a special part of a song.

It might not be what anybody else can hear.

Tap tap tap

But to her it’s a special sound so dear.

Remember when you’re dancing all around,

Clap tap clap tap

To pick a special part of a pretty little song.

Clap tap clap tap

When the sound becomes your own,

Clap tap tap

You don’t need to feel alone,

Clap tap tap

Because together with your feet,

Clap tap clap tap

Your movement makes the sound complete.”

Annie smiled wide and her eyes sparkled as she saw her Grandfather show her what it was to dance.  She didn’t get up and start dancing, but she sure was happy thinking about the next time she would dance.  As a matter of fact, this moment with her Grandfather was the very first time since the kids at school had laughed at her that Annie did not feel sad when she thought about dancing again.  Annie now felt like she had a secret inside which would unlock the way to find the footsteps of a sure footed yet light footed dancer.  The secret could show Annie a way to dance that she could enjoy with confidence.

Many weeks passed as Annie continued to learn to listen to music and move to the sounds as she chose to listen.  She never spoke about her dancing with anyone and she especially never let anyone see her practicing.  She danced in the privacy of her room with the door shut tight.  She wanted to make sure she could dance right – listen long throughout a whole song – before anyone saw her.  Annie practiced alone in her room after she came home from school every day.

Finally, the day of the big dance contest arrived.  Nobody knew that Annie was planning on entering to win their school dance contest!  Annie brought her own music to school to play but she kept it hidden in her bookbag and waited  for the moment when she would take it out to play her much practiced to beloved familiar to all of her friends orchestra music.

The cafeteria was filled with an enthusiastic audience.  One at a time the dance contestants took their turns on the dance floor.  Billy Bee Bop went first.  He always thought he was so great.  Annie hoped she would have as much confidence as hi did.  Billy Bee Bop danced his heart out to a popular song with a dance style that everyone thought was cool.  All the girls squeeled as he moved across the floor smiling, as usual.  The music got real loud just before Billy Bee Bop lowered down to thrash around on the floor.  He actually fell to the ground and proceeded to roll around.  Then he jumped up and threw his hands up over his head.  He rocked his head back and forth a lot until he stopped and flopped himself back down onto the ground in exaggerated exhaustion.

Annie thought Billy Bee Bop was just dancing like a big show off and couldn’t have been listening to the music if he tried.

The following contestants danced similar in style to Billy Bee Bop’s routine.  As Annie watched, she gained confidence that she could dance better than all of the other contestants.

Then the judges asked,”Will there be any more contestants?”

Annie stood up.  “I’d like my turn, “she spoke loudly as she walked over to the dance floor.

The audience was very surprised to see Annie about to participate.  Some of the spectators were even starting to giggle and whisper before they saw what her dance would be like.  But Annie did not care what the spectators thought.  Annie had prepared to dance before the judges – and she knew that she could do a good job.

…to be continued…Annie took her ipod out of her book bag and let the sound be heard. The music played slowly at first and then it sounded louder and more clear. Annie stood still as if she were frozen in place. When the sound of a loud trumpet blasted forth, Annie became alive with movement. She danced around and around without ever noticing that the crowd had hushed. They were staring at her with amazement. Annie just danced. She moved her feet in rapid forward motion and then back again. She clapped her hands. She bent her knees and kicked her feet. She was moving in perfect time to the music and she kept her mind perfectly on what she was doing. As her confidence soared, Annie danced further around. She did a terrific job dancing. And then she was done. She walked off of the dance floor, ipod in hand, all the while smiling.
Everyone applauded Annie, but it was more in a polite sort of way than an encouraging way. Annie could tell that noone quite knew what to think of her dance. She was surprised. She thought she was great. “Why doesn’t anybody tell me I did good?” she wondered.
“O.K. Attention Everybody. It looks like that’s it for the dance contestants. The judges have a winner.”
Annie’s thoughts were interrupted.
“The winner iiissss, Billy Bee Bop. The second place award goes to Sally Streamer. Congratulations.” Nothing more was said as the ribbon prizes were awarded.
Annie could hardly believe her ears. Could she listen any lower? Why did those judges not choose her as the winner? She knew she danced well. She had listened to her favorite piano play all the way through the song. She never fell down. She had perfect concentration. She danced as if she could have been dancing across the keyboard to play the music with her toes. How was it possible that Annie did not receive first prize or any prize at all and not even a mention from the judges?

That afternoon as Annnie walked home from school with her brother, Annie was sad.
“You danced real good,” Timmy said hoping to cheer her up.
“Do you think so? I thought so.” Annie replied with her head down.
“So cheer up,” he said. “Isn’t that what matters – you knowing that you danced well.”
“Not when somebody else takes the prize,” said Annie.
They walked along in silence for awhile until Timmy said, “You know, Annie, you can’t really expect those judges to know a good dancer when they see one. They couldn’t even tell a good sound when they heard one.”
“Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Timmy, but I just don’t want to talk about it. I’ll probably never dance again. Let’s just forget about it.”
“But Annie,” you shouldn’t forget about dancing, “Timmy insisted. “I mean it. You were really good. I liked the way you danced. You could really move.”
Annie continued walking home in silence. Her brothers words were ringing in her ears. She knew he was right. She knew she danced well. Although she had wanted to show everybody how well she could dance before the contest, she now didn’t feel like dancing in front of anybody ever again…anybody, except for Grandfather. Annie knew that if she could show her Grandfather how she danced, he would know why she did not come home with the prize.
So that night, Annie asked her parents if she could visit Grandfather on the weekend. They said, “O.K!”
…to be continued…
Timmy went along with Annie to Grandfather’s house. Together, the three of them figured out the answer to the question of why Annie did not win a prize at the school’s dance contest. Annie’s dance was certainly terrific – and Grandfather even said so himself – after Annie danced for him.
“The music was beautiful,” declared Grandfather. “However, both the music and the dance were different than the style of all of the other dance contestants. While everyone else had molded their dance routine after Billy Bee Bop’s, that is, winding up and getting out of control, Annie chose a unique and refined style of dance.” Was as good an explanation as anyone could come up with. While most of the other music sounded as loud as screeching street cars and horns blaring, Annie’s music sounded with elements like a soft summer breeze through the oak tree leaves and had only hints of sounds that could be classified as loudness.
“Just because your dance was different does not mean that you did not do a great job of dancing,” Grandfather told Annie. “You danced great and you can be proud of yourself for learning to do what you did. That dance must have taken a lot of practice to learn!”
“Gee, thanks, Grandpa.” Annie said in a happier tone of voice.”I did learn how to dance, didn’t I?”
“You sure did, honey,” said Grandfather.
“You sure did,” agreed Timmy.
“But I still wish I won the prize,” whispered Annie even though she did not feel like crying one bit anymore.
Timmy encouraged Annie, “wether anyone else knows it or not, You know it. You can dance.”

Time passed and the summer season rolled around. Annie continued listening to nice sounds and taking dance steps with her feet. Two of her girlfriends learned to dance along with Annie. The three friends had a lot of fun dancing in the yard that summer. The most amazing thing occurred at the end of the summer when the teachers were all back in school planning for the upcoming school year. A new teacher was starting to work at the school because the school found a need for a new course of study. The new teacher was a special teacher who was hired to teach music appreciation and dance to the students. As a result, the students would be able to learn exactly about what Annie had done when she learned to listen and dance to music.
The judges had liked Annie’s dance routine after all. The judges were the ones who convinced the school committee to hire the new teacher!
Later, Annie discovered that the dance award had been given to the sort of dancing that was most popular with the students – just as Grandfather had suspected. The new music appreciation teacher told Annie about what the judges had told her about the dance contest last year. Now students would be required to listen to Annie’s favorite type of music as they learned to listen to the different sounds of a variety of musical instruments. Annie’s favorite music would probably become more popular.
Annie and her friends earned to listen and to dance. When they laughed, they did not laugh at each other – they laughed with each other instead. They laughed together in fun.
As more and more students learned to listen to beautiful sounding musical compositions, they learned to dance and feel great about themselves as well. Annie always remembered about the secret she held in her heart the year before when she taught herself to listen to music while learning to dance.
THE END

Related articles by Zemanta

• Bob Odenkirk’s New Screenplay Is a (Sort of) Update of Annie Hall (nymag.com)
• Leapin’ Lizards – “Annie” Makes its Way to Minneapolis! (eon.businesswire.com)
• SMU Dancers and Symphony Host Night of Historic Firsts at Winspear Opera House (smudailymustang.com)
• Ballet Black, Linbury Studio, Covent Garden, review (telegraph.co.uk)
• Black Prairie: Feast of the Hunters’ Moon (pastemagazine.com)