Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog

Menu

✕
CONNECT
Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites
BLOG
Success Stories
APPS
TOOLS
Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Epub to Mobi Converter Independent Publishers Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships
ABOUT
About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write about a backup dancer who’s on tour and just wants some peace and quiet for the holidays.

Posted in Holiday on Jan 2, 2021

Submissions are closed!

Sorry, we are no longer accepting submissions. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook

Or create a new Reedsy account:

✍️ 60 stories

“I'm Just a "backup" ” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Title: I'm Just a "backup"Author: HaripriyaAuthor's Note: Hello everyone! This story wasn't one of my best ones because I included the prompt at the end of the story, so it might be a little disappointing to many of you. But either way, I just wanted to post this story to get some feedback and suggestions for this story. Other than those quick words, I hope you kind of enjoy what I've written, and please feel free to comment down below on what you think about thi...

42 comments 42
Read story

“Better With You” by Writer Maniac

I stand backstage, the short skirt and top I’m wearing not helping with the heat.I’m pressed up against Layla and Shailene, their sweaty bodies making me more uncomfortable and suffocated with every second. Our star is late. And eight thousand people aren’t very happy about it. “LOGAN! LOGAN! LOGAN! LOGAN!” Freaking Logan. Can’t he come on time for once? People from all over the world travelled here just to see him...

45 comments 45
Read story

“#BostonLife” by Coconut Charlotte 🥥

SlumpAlicia slumped down on a chair after the last dance of the day. She was a hip-hop backup dancer that was doing a tour with Little Iné, currently the biggest rap/hip-hop singer in the world. She was doing a tour across North America, and they had just arrived from New Jersey, heading up toward Maine. Alicia had always wanted to visit Boston from when she was 9 years old, because of the giant libraries and museums. She was kind of a nerd. Anyways, here she was, 8 years later, in Boston, but for a completely different re...

10 comments 10
Read story

“A Fitness Center Christmas” by H.k. Slade

Rex had worked so hard to get on the show. The weeks of practice, the grueling auditions, the utterly convincing look of interest he’d developed and maintained during the director’s lengthy anecdotes: all for naught.  The tour didn’t even have the decency to die someplace interesting. New York, Chicago… even Baltimore would have at least been closer to home. But no, they called it quits in Cary, North Carolina of all places. Most of the cast left town on the bus that afternoon, but Rex had s...

13 comments 13
Read story

“Grace of the Bard (Part the First)” by Emmie Greensgate 🏗🔚🔚👫

I wake up to my phone beeping a steady rhythm. I groan. I've been on tour with Rosaline Height for six days, and I'm so tired I could sleep for a week. It doesn't seem that hard to get out there and do a few dance steps, but if you do that for six hours to your least favorite songs (sorry, Rosaline) in the middle of the night, then it gets you pretty tired. I don't even sleep well anymore....

63 comments 63
Read story

“🌻Keep Me Steady🌻” by The Manticore

I stand in the exterior wings of the stage, wishing I had wings myself. It’s so incredibly hot, this little tiny extra space behind the stage, and the outfit, too tight around the ankles and too loose in other places, doesn’t help. I wish I could fly away from all this. It's unbearably hot. I can’t wait -- literally, I feel like jumping away and escaping -- for this tour to be over. I shouldn’t be this nervous. I’ve be...

9 comments 9
Read story

“Dance the Christmas night away” by Katelyn Howell

Its almost Christmas?! Goodness. It just feels like yesterday it was the first day of summer. I have grown in many ways, and also learned many things. I hope you enjoy 'Dance the Christmas night away'. "You ready Maya?" The producer asked, keeping her eyes glued on her clip board. I sighed and nodded. "Sorry?" She asked. "Yes, I'm ready. Sorry." I added, looking at myself in...

2 comments 2
Read story

“Exodus” by Philip Clayberg

At each performance of the “Nutcracker” here in America, I have one of the best seats in the house: off stage at stage left. I get to watch the dancers float in from off stage and then back off stage again. I get to watch the prince and Clara as they sit in their throne-like carriage. I get to watch the different curtains rise and fall, slide across the stage and back again. I get to watch the lights above the stage chan...

67 comments 67
Read story

“A Hummingbird's Hollow” by Svara Narasiah

Today was biggest day of my life. I should have been excited, but I wasn't.. I was dreading what was to come. But today I learned a lesson: Never let anyone live your life for you. Let me tell you what happened: My grandfather, Old Squirrel Johnny, told me that dancing was the cure for sadness--but dancing was in his blood. He was the lead dancer of the Flying Squirrels, twisting and hopping and standing ...

3 comments 3
Read story

“I Just Wanted Him To Be Quiet.” by Annette Lovewind

“Five! Six! Seven! Eight!” The director yelled to the girls that were dancing in time with each other. “Stop! Stop!... Stop! You’re off the beat.” he yells, waving his hands, and points to me. “For the last time Cindy! You are offbeat by just a hair! It’s very noticeable!!”“Sir, with all due respect I am in the back..people are only focused on the actors and the front dancers. There never focused on the background. I don think me begin three seconds behind or barely behind will make a difference overall.” I say.The director ...

10 comments 10
Read story

“A Maddie Christmas” by 💚 𝒫𝑒𝓇𝒾𝒹𝑜𝓉 💚

“Chest stand everyone! Alexis, extend your legs out a little more, You’re too compact. Maddie, come up here and show the class how you do a chest stand properly.” I walk up quietly, taking petite steps until I'm at the front of the gymnasium. Slowly, I lower myself down to the ground and lie down on my stomach. I kick my legs over my head and stretch out my right leg. I look up to my teacher to see her towering above me....

7 comments 7
Read story

“Unrecognizable” by Blane Britt

Many people outside of the entertainment world might just believe that being and entertainer is a glamorous life. It is but it isn’t. With that being said, let me introduce myself. My real name is Royce Nesby. Yet everyone calls me Dancer! I been dancing longer than I been walking. My mother would tell anyone who would listen that I even danced out of her womb. Maybe she drank one too many Margarita’s the late morning I ...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Simpler Beauties” by Grace Larson

There is an awful moment after every performance when one’s feelings fall from euphoria into depression. In the moment of the performance, under the transforming brilliance of the spotlights, everything seems sharp and clear and powerful. Wave after wave of vibrant joy at being alive sweeps through every gesture, every expression. Every step is charged with energy and exuberance, every thought is an intoxicating pleasure.To come back to ordinary life is almost torture. After the colors of the stage, everything seems was...

22 comments 22
Read story

“The Joy of Movement” by Melanie Knapp

A back-up dancer questions the meaning of his work. A well muscled and fitnessed back-up dancer for the musical 'La La Land' wanted to rest and rejuvenate and relax over the festive holidays. He had worked long long hours with cast and crew. He had learned different types of dances.Not only did he work long hours but he had been around people sweating and nervous and egotistical and wanting to look good, too good.He had broken through to some people in heartfelt ways with humour and friendliness. But he...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Light Relief” by Tanja Cilia

I was the first coryphée to pirouette offstage when the cue was Exeunt Stage Left. I almost always, but not quite, avoided getting dizzy and / or smashing into the backdrop, thereby making things difficult for the rest of the nymphs and dryads sprites and naiads. I had joined the troupe with a view to going places during my gap year – not because I liked dancing. My sister’s boyfriend had high hopes for me; he said my height and carrot-top would make me famous. You don't often see tall ballerin...

8 comments 8
Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who is given a bird for the holidays but doesn’t know how to take care of it.

Holiday – 226 stories

Write about someone who gets proposed to five times on Christmas Eve.

Romance – 189 stories

Write about a drummer going to a holiday party for musicians.

Holiday – 60 stories

Write about a young nobleman whose greatest wish is to become an Olympic long jumper.

General – 22 stories

Contest #73

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: My True Love Gave to Me

$50

Prize money

606

Submissions

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 25, 2020 EST

Won by Shawn Forno 🏆

Title: Burt Brain

View details

Win $50 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $50!

Tired of MS Word?

Join the revolution and write your book in a tool designed for authors. 🙌

Includes FREE typesetting to print-ready PDF & EPUB files, track changes and collaborative editing.

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Comedy Writing Prompts ⭢

Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

For Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

General Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢