Part 3: The Results and Banquet
By nightfall everyone had performed and people buzzed about who they thought should win, who had done really well but were missing something, or how they would have danced that dance better or wouldn’t have messed up on that trill. Senja rolled her eyes at these last ones, apparently there were people who thought they could always do better than others! The judges motioned for silence, which took a while to come as there were plenty of people who just had to keep on talking. But eventually the crowd grew quiet and one of the judges, a tall bulky male with a deep bass voice, stepped forward.
“Today you have all performed beautifully. Too beautifully as we have found too many we wish to perform at the banquet!”
The crowd chuckled at this, it had indeed been a wonderful day filled with excellent acts! Those who had performed could (for the most part) leave knowing they had done and excellent job… And maybe get an offer of employment from the business and troupe members who had come to check out the skills and maybe find performers to add to their groups.
“Tonight we will willow down the acts until we have the 5. We will announce it at dawn!”
At this the crowd broke p to go and rest up, chat, and enjoy the mini festival that was going on. Senja found the group she’d traveled here with and fell to talking about dances. She and an older Ice woman began trading steps. Senja had absolutely adored her dance, it’d been slow, sensual, and yet fiery. The woman, Orelia, had wanted to know some of her lighter swifter steps. To add to her collection, but mostly to teach her young daughter who could pull off spritely dances a bit better. In fact, that’s who most the night went. As the majority of them had napped during the day, they were wide awake and ready to party the evening away! Senja managed to corner a few musicians and get them to teach her how to use some of the odder instruments she’d seen and couldn’t wait to get her hands on.
The moon had already risen and set and Senja finally felt the day catch up with her. As she wandered back to her tent she thought on something that had occurred to her earlier. She’d enjoyed her dancing, also sharing dancing steps and moves. But what she’d really loved more had been the music. She loved making music and seeing others move to it, or dancing to it her self. She gave Shilea a rub down and made sure her Mammu had enough food before heading in. Did she want to focus on dancing or music? She’d been asked that a lot tonight. By splitting her attention and practice time, she was keeping herself from achieving the best she could in one or the other. Or at least, they’d told her that. Maybe it was true... but she liked both! She sighed as she snuggled down to sleep. I’ll think on it later.
Horns blaring woke her up. She looked outside and saw that it was a little past dawn.
“The announcement! I hope I didn’t oversleep!” She gasped as she grabbed a set of clothes and ran out combing her hair. She grinned and waved at the others who had also overslept like her.
She reached the crowd right as she heard her name called.
“... and the last of the performers we will be asking to attend is the shifter girl Senja! Will those we called please come here to get more information!”
Ete chattered happily, of course her Senja had been chosen! Anyone could tell that any dance meant to honor the sprites was best!
Senja hopped from foot to foot happily as she waited for the crowd to disperse. Oh this was going to be the best! Rastian would be so surprised! ... Niadra too. She added as an after thought with a smile. Amazing how a guy could make one almost forget a friend!
Later that day, she and the other winners set out with the judges to Zidel. On the way over they discussed who would be performing what and in what order. Senja was to do a repeat of her sprite dance as well as two more performances. She decided to do a musical piece as well as just a dance with others playing the music. That would allow for her to show the people a variety of Shifter dances and music.
The day of the banquet arrived and all was ready. Other than the usual last minute panics, everything went off as planned. She and the other dancers put forth their best effort and it showed! From a slow group dance to Senja’s sprite dance, pounding drums to delicate and angelic wind and harp music, sultry to innocent. They performed all of them, in a way that each dance led to the next piece, each group got a rest before they went again. Tonight was a night to remembered.
Senja sat exhausted off to the side, sipping a cider as she watched the last musical piece. I wish my family could see me now, plus my friends! I know my parents would be so proud and Da happy the dance me made for me was so well received! I’ll have to send a letter home telling them this.
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OOC 
