Glitter in the hair
Glitter on the skin
Glitter on the floor
It covers everything

From the rose colored cheeks
To the stiff and straight hair
It’ll be on for weeks
Please don’t get it on my bear.

That bear my mommy gave me
For my first dancing show
Now, I take it with me everywhere
Everywhere I go.

Now this is my fifth show
But still the same old bear.
Oh no! It’s time to go on
Mommy, more glitter in my hair.

The show will come
And the show will go
But the glitter remains
Though we may not know

So spread that glitter
Spray it everywhere
Don’t get it in your eyes
Yay, a tutu for my bear!


SHOWTIME!!!

Twenty minutes to SHOWTIME
Camera man’s coming around.
Fifteen minutes to SHOWTIME
Everyone come stretch on the ground.
Ten minutes to SHOWTIME
Opener girls gather backstage.
Five minutes to SHOWTIME
It’s time to pray.

Hold hands in a circle
And pointe your right foot.
Lord keep us safe
Let no one get hurt.
Help us dance our best
Like we know we can.
Amen

One minute to SHOWTIME
Gather up for the camera
It’s almost time to go.
On the count of three shout,
“AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR THE SHOW!!!”


Tap
Stamp-Stamp
Brush back Brush back
Stamp-Stamp
Million Dollar Baby,
Green bows on my taps
And Boogie Wonderland,
With a plastic white hat.
Devil in a Blue Dress,
In a dress that was blue
All the dances and the costumes
I had to show you.

Fa-lap heel heel brush heel toe heel.
Maxi fords and buffalos
Time steps, pull backs and cramp rolls
Smaller and tighter with every year,
The sound comes more pleasing to the ear.


Pointe

Blood. Pain. Tape. Pads.
Far from the dainty figures
That grace the stage for you
The truth behind the curtain
Is much less beautiful than you think.

Forcing the arch
To nearly break the bones.
The shoe breaks instead.
Next comes harder shanks,
Thicker pads and tighter tape
To shrink the bones
Compress the shape.

Shin splints, charlie horses
Aches and pains galore.
The costume covers the truth.
The pain behind the frill and lace.
Like a white rose dyed red with blood.
The beauty and grace shown,
Consists of the pain not seen.

There’s no one left to do it now.
Very few are willing to sacrifice
Feet, time, legs, muscles.
Pain.

Of the millions that try,
Thousands stick with it.
Hundreds take it pro,
Ten make it big.

Pointe while you can
But know what happens.
Don't be attached to your feet,
Mine weren’t always this narrow.

Lyrical
It’s the feeling, not the move.
Forget your life. Forget your troubles.
Take just the emotion. And use it.

This is your life. This is your trouble.
This is your love. This is your lust.
Take that feeling. And use it.

Let it consume you. Let it envelope you.
Let it surround you. Let it hold you.
Take that everything. And use it.

Feel the breath. Feel the life.
Feel the pain. Feel the death.
Take that song. And use it.

For this is not life. This is not death.
This is not breath. This is not pain.
This is not a blanket. This is not a dagger.
This is not a song. This is not a dance.
This is not rule. This is not a way.
This is feeling. Use it. Feel it. And dance it.