Being in the spotlight had always been her desire. Ania Toor, 24 years of age, had everything but still nothing. 24th October, Alhamra Hall 2. She was here to audition for ‘So you think you can dance’. She took a deep breath and stepped on the stage. There she was to show that she is worth it. Dance was the only medium to express her feelings. As she heard the first beat, she walked into a world of her own.
Lush green forest, with the bright sun shining through the trees.. nature could not be any more beautiful than this. The chirping of birds and sounds of the waterfall became the rhythm for 8 years old Ania and her friend Sara. They danced beautifully to nature’s music. The very next minute she found herself in a crowd of people draped in white clothes. Ania saw the people clapping and appreciating their performance. She turned to look at Sara and, suddenly, found herself in the middle of a fierce crowd. She saw her hand drenched in blood and right next to her was her friend Sara lying on the ground with blood coming out of her neck. But, then she heard applause again. She turned her face right and saw herself in the middle of the stage.
She cleared her audition and won a ticket to the first round. However, there was something that held her back to live the moment. It was guilt but at the same time a relief. She cleared the first three rounds but the imagery kept on repeating itself. And every time it got more and more vivid. Though she was a charismatic performer but judges thought her presentation was monotonous. Ania could never face rejection as that brought a gray shade to her personality. She could go to any extent to get what she wanted. She struggled and every time she gave her best. Until 24th January. It was the 4th round and she was in the bottom two.
This was her last chance to stay in the show, if she could win the face off. She knew deep inside the reason for her monotony. The host said:
“Let the faceoff begin!”
The faceoff began to heat up and got fierce. She could not take no as an answer. It was about to come to an end and she knew she was going to win but all of a sudden, she blacked out and froze. The same images began to repeat. The same people in white, the same forest, her hands full of blood, but this time it was different. Soon this image blurred and Ania saw herself on the dance floor, a few years back. It was March 24. It was her and Sara’s first big break into the industry.
Ania made a plan to set Sara up. They both were supposed to be on the stage in one hour. Ania called up Sara and began to sob. She said that she won’t be able to make it as her mother is ill. Sara said if you don’t go then I won’t because we are in this together and said I am coming to your place. And she left. Ania appeared on the stage alone and gained all the limelight. And when the judges asked where her partner was, she said that Sara had deserted her. Sara disrespected the clause therefore, she could never apply again.
She came back to her senses and started screaming ‘I killed her! I killed her!’. She pulled out her hair leaving everyone in shock and this was it for her.
