I wrote my poem DANCING IN THE STREET for Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #242. The challenge is to write a short piece or poem inspired by this image.
Dancing in the Street
Dancing in the street, On the pavement is cool, with a Pas de Bourée on tiptoe feet, Dancing all day in a tutu of tulle. Dance the dance! Whenever the chance, Whatever the fancy, (But, if you’re a boy, some idiots might call you a pansy) Never mind those! Take no heed, Stay en pointe on your toes, Dance the quickstep full speed! Sing a song! They are wrong. Prance around all day, Wahay! (or at night ‘neath the city street spotlights) Grand Jeté off the kerb—in bright pink tights, Perform Glissades, Fouettés and Ronde de Jambe, Echapeé and Changement, Plié, Relevé, and Tendu, Whatever is okay for you, Imagine you’re Gene Kelly! Dancing and Singing in the Rain. And dance in Covent Garden, with Nureyev and Fonteyn! Again, and again… Perform an Attitude, with an attitude! (Forgive any platitude) Arabesque Derrière in your office, Port de Bras at your desk, Take a breath at the Waldorf, Do the Splits at the Ritz, Soutenu along Fleet Street, Waltz down the Strand, (with or without the gloves in your hand) And—one, two, three—one two three—and, For a treat, and a lark, Pas de Deux with a swan on the lake in Hyde Park, Dance the Ballet!—down a dark winding alley, In a beautiful dawn Dance to Reveille! Frappé and Foxtrot along Rotten Row, Point your toe down the pub at the Eight Bells of Bow, Entrechats with class in Beauchamp Place, Twirl with a swirl of tulle confection and lace, Glissading—Glissando—go slow—adagio Or, quicken the pace, Do the Can-Can! Dance to the rhythm and the beat of your heart. Dance down the street for many a mile, ‘Tis fun and an Art. You pirouette like sunshine with a classical smile, Spinning at noon like a dervish with style. a whirling festoon, a candy floss bouquet, Turning in blurring blurs of confusion, in pivoting profusion of sweetest display, If I may say, You look divine, Now get out of the way! The next dance is mine. Lesley Scoble, November 2023
Grand Jeté in Paternoster Square
…with an attitude derrière
Little Dog Dancin’
Take a walk around London and there will always be someone (or some dog) dancing.
A little bit about ballet terms…
NOTES In my poem, I mention a fair number of ballet terms. If you don’t know them, I hope it didn’t spoil the poem. If you want to read a helpful explanatory list of all the ballet terms, the Learn to Dance site seems to cover the subject well. Another site called Love to Know demonstrates the moves with pictures and video. The term Glissade comes up more than once in my poem. glissade is from the French word glisser, meaning to glide. From the fifth position you stick one leg out and slide (I mean glide) it along the floor and your other leg catches it up. There! It’s simple, isn’t it? I mention arabesque derrière, which simply put means stick your leg up behind you. If this whets your appetite to know more, I suggest you glide over to the sites that I mention above.
The Fifth Position
The feet are closed close together with the toes touching the heel of the other foot.
On a personal note
Ballet Exam with Tamara Karsavina I attended many ballet exams. There was one that was special. It was where the exam was to attend a ballet class taken by Tamara Karsavina. I was chuffed to be taught by Pavlova’s rival. [Are you wondering how I came to take a class with the prima ballerina who danced so long ago, in another era? Who danced with Nijinsky and rival to the greatest ballerina PAVLOVA? Yes, you guessed it! I am an alien who slipped through the Time Barrier.] I shan’t forget the image of Madam Karsavina’s elegant figure standing there in the exam with a stick. She gave us tips on how to improve. The moment was formidable and unforgettable. Federation of Russian Classical Ballet Certificate The image below shows one of my old ballet certificates from my childhood. One signature upon it is that of Tamara Karsavina. Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978) danced with Pavlova and Nijinsky in the Imperial Russian Ballet and later in the Ballet Russes of Sergei Diaghilev.
Keep Dancing!
I love coming across random dancers just dancin’ for fun (or maybe they were rehearsing in the open air?).
Dance the dance to a busking band 🎶
Actress Ania Marson likes to dance the dance! On a walk round London, it’s not impossible that you might spot her dancing in the street to a busking band.
CREDITS Thank you Melissa, for the Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #242’s inspirational prompt. The prompt’s photo image is from Pexels at Pixabay. All other photos, videos, gifs. and artwork are mine.
Farewell for now and keep dancing!
Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright, (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.
LesleyScoble.com 
Leave a comment