Aerial Drop

Reva spun in a downward spiral, catching herself right before the ground. Putting her feet down she stood up, holding the silks in her hand. Her instructor, Ms. Conti, nodded, before Reva placed her feet back in the silks and climbed back up near where the silks were mounted in the ceiling. 

“Okay, Reva, try the pencil drop one more time before we go on to practicing your routine again,” her instructor said. Reva wrapped up herself in the silk before dropping back down to the ground, spinning with her arms extended. When she landed on the ground, she walked over to her water bottle, took a sip before getting back to practice. She was preparing for the biggest contest she had ever competed in. Being an aerialist, it was hard to find competitions, but this was a competition that she had been trying to compete in ever since she had started aerial silks. The contest was always held on the first day of spring and Reva had passed the winter months practicing and perfecting her routine. This was her last practice before the competition. 

“That was good. Let’s run through it a few more times. It is important to have the routine firmly marked in your brain so that when the nerves hit, you can still perform with precision,” Ms. Conti instructed. Reva nodded. She ran through the routine several more times. Her practice time had ended long ago, but she needed the practice. Ms. Conti had long left her, and Reva was left to practice alone. 

Finally, she finished her practice. She grabbed her bag and walked outside. She drove to her home and walked inside. Her mom sat at the dining table alone.

“Hey Mom,” Reva said, setting her bag down. 

“Hey honey. How was practice? You were gone longer than usual,” Her mom asked.

“I wanted to really get some good practice in before tomorrow.”

“I am so excited for tomorrow. You are going to do great,” Her mother encouraged. Reva nodded as she sat down across from her mother. 

“Yeah, I’m still a bit nervous. I wanted to practice with my routine as much as I could while I don’t have any nerves,” Reva sighed. 

“It can be nerve racking to perform, but I know how hard you have been working for this and I know that you are going to do wonderful.”

“Thanks Mom.” 

“Now you get some sleep. You’ll need all the energy you can get tomorrow.” Reva got up from the table. She entered her room and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep. 

✾

Reva grabbed her bag and ran out the door. Her whole family was already in the car, except her father who was in the military. “Are we going to be late?” Reva’s sister, Emma, asked. 

“No sweety, we are going to be right on time,” Their mother said from the front of the car. Reva turned back to her six year old sister and 9 year old brother. They smiled at her and she smiled back. 

“I can’t wait to see Revy fly!” Emma exclaimed.

“She isn’t going to fly,” James, Reva’s brother, corrected, “She is going to hang from a rope.”

“It isn’t a rope. Its aerial silks and I would like to see you try my routine,” Reva commented. Both of her siblings were fascinated with what she did, and she hoped to teach them someday soon. But first she had to get this competition behind her. 

“Revy, when are you going to teach us how to fly?” Emma asked. James nodded his agreement, not correcting his little sister this time.

“As soon as this competition is over. I can even ask Ms. Conti if there is a time tomorrow I could bring you guys up to the studio,” Reva answered. Even though she was facing forward, she heard her siblings high five behind her. They soon reached the competition. Reva jumped out of the car and went inside. She met Ms. Conti in the warm-up room. Her instructor came over to her, arms crossed.

“Where have you been? Warm-up started 10 minutes ago,” Ms. Conti inquired.

“I know. I’m sorry. My family was running a bit behind. I’m here now,” Reva retorted, respectfully. They walked over to a part of silks, hanging from the high ceiling. There were many others warming up their muscles. Swinging and spinning through the air. Reva watched them out of the corner of her eye, looking from one competitor to another. Ms. Conti caught her.

“Stay focused just in case you begin to feel intimidated,” Ms. Conti commented. Reva nodded, her expression firm and determined. She walked over to the silks, and began to practice.

“Good, let's do a bit more,” Ms. Conti instructed. Reva pulled herself back up from her hanging and climbed the rest of the way up the silks.

Soon, another person came into the room. The man had a name tag that said that he was helping operate this competition. He walked in and stopped in the center of the room.

“The competition is about to begin. All competitors must report to the entry desk. There you will find your flight time and where you need to be at what time. Please report to the entry desk in the next ten minutes to receive your schedules,” The man said. Then he left. Reva slid down the silks and looked at Ms. Conti. 

“We should go pick that stuff up,” She said. Ms. Conti nodded. They walked out into the hall, the one the man had come in and out of. Reva followed Ms. Conti into a room with the entry desk. 

“I’m Ms. Conti and this is Ms. Reva Wilson. She is competing and I’m her instructor,” Ms. Conti said coming up to the desk. The woman behind the desk looked at a list sitting in front of her, check off a box and handed Ms. Conti an envelope. 

“In that envelope you will find your flight time and schedule,” The woman said without looking up. More of the aerialists had begun to come into the room and Reva squeezed out with her envelope in her hand. As soon as she was out of the room, she opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. There was a single sheet of paper inside. She scanned it looking for her flight time. She looked at Ms. Conti, eyes wide. Reva was performing last, giving her nerves a chance to heighten. 

✾

Reva’s nerves were on edge. Her aerial suit seemed like it was squeezing her arm and legs. Ms. Conti had gone to watch the other performer and should be back there any minute to talk to her before Reva went out. 

She closed her eyes, listening to the music of the other contestant. She heard the applause as the music stopped. Then she heard the judges voice, but didn’t make out what they were saying. 

“Next up, Ms. Reva Wilson,” The announcer said over the speaker. Reva’s eyes shot open, determined and confident. Her nerves had left her. She walked out onto stage, while the technicians changed out the silks so they would not be sweaty or too stretched out. 

Reva walked over to silks. She wrapped her arms in the silks before nodding for the music. The music began to play and Reva ran forward. Her arms caught when the silks grew taught and she lifted off. Her body swung back as she pulled her legs up and spun herself with the momentum. She let the spinning slow before hooking her feet in the silks and pulled herself up. The music was right on point, she let it seep into her, filling her. Leaning back, she held the silks with one hand, the other poised out in the air. Her feet were still hooked in the silks, holding her up. After a few turns, she tucked her hand back in, pulling herself up a little higher before letting her feet loose. Her hands gripped the silks tight as she swung her legs around the silks, twisting it around her body. Then Reva hooked her feet again, letting the silks spin her back in place. She then wrapped the silks around her waist and let her hands release the silks. She flipped upside down, extending her legs, and grabbed the silks that dangled below her. She fanned them out and hooked them on her feet, before pulling herself back up and stretching the taught silks out away from her torso to begin her next spin. 

She couldn’t feel the judges watching her, she only felt the music and the smooth material under her toes. The loose ends of the silks flowed under her in her slow spin. Reva pulled herself up, releasing the silks to flutter below, before hooking her feet again and pulling herself up only a little more. She held herself up with her arms and let her legs swing around the silks, tucking herself into yet another spin. But that was one of the last, the song was coming to the end but also to the climax. She slowed her spin, still holding herself up by her forearms and hands. Engaging her core, she stretched her legs out, extending them out over emptiness as her spin slowed even more. She had one of the two silks wrapped around one of her ankles, but the crowd it would look like she just had it pinned between her ankles.The music peaked, getting louder. Her arms were burning, muscles screaming at her to let go. Without warning she let go of the silks, head dipping towards the ground. Her foot held, the crowd gasped, Reva spun. Extending her arms she grabbed the silks again, letting her feet swing underneath her. Hooking her feet in the silks, she began to climb back up the silks. The song had calmed again and was coming to an end. So was her routine. She reached near the top of the silks, looping herself in the silks, moving fluently, like a dance. She wrapped the silks around herself, seeing their tips crawl towards her as she wrapped more and more of it around herself. She felt like she was in a cocoon. She gave a wave to the crowd as the music grew louder, before she let go. Spinning, spiralling towards the ground. The music ended as she planted her feet on the ground. The silks unraveled themselves from her as Reva drew deep breaths into her lungs. 

The crowd applauded. Reva watched as her mother, sister, and brother stood, clapping. Many others stood as well. She didn’t know if the other contestants had been greeted with this after their performances. She hadn’t been able to watch all of them, but now was not the time to think about this. It was time for the judges comments. The first one drew close to their microphone.

“Ms. Wilson, you put so much emotion and passion behind your performance. I have seen many who have master aerial silks but lack that intensity,” The first one stated. Reva nodded her head, doing all she could to keep back a smile. 

“I agree, but,” The next judge started, “There is much more potential that you could have shared with us today. You say you have been learning aerial silks for 10 years. If that is the case, I feel like there was more that you know that you could have offered.”

“Yes. I have seen many aerialists in my career who lack the emotion, but come with more to offer. It was a good show, but it could have been better,” The third and final judge added. Reva now was biting back her anger and sadness. Reva nodded, keeping a straight face. She didn’t dare look at her mother in the crowd or Ms. Conti. She did, however, look at the judge who had praised her. The woman was giving her an apologetic look, but one that also said that she couldn’t change the others’ minds. 

Reva walked back to the warm-up room which is where she would have to wait for the announcement of the winner. She went over to where she had been practicing, not looking at the other contestants. The man from before came into the room a few minutes later.

The man said, “The judges would like for all of the contestants to come out onto the stage in 5 minutes. They will have you announced over the intercom, but you need to be in the order that you performed. Also you need to be ready and lined up when they call you. It is my job to make sure that you are lined up in an orderly manner as you walk out. Alright then. Would performer number 1 step forward?” The girl who had greeted Reva stepped forward, “Come stand here.” This went on until Reva took her place at the back of the line. Then the man led them out into the hallway, where they waited for the announcement that would call them on stage.

“Would all of the contestants please come out onto the stage?” The intercom boomed over Reva’s head, interrupting the man. The man ushered the girls out onto the stage, making sure that he himself could not be seen by the crowd or judges. Reva followed the girl in front of her until she was out on stage. 

“After some careful consideration,” The second judge began, “we have decided our winner. Now, this doesn’t mean that the rest of you did not perform well, however this is a competition and therefore must have a single winner.” He gave a slight nod to the judge next to him to signal he was finished.

“You each did very well. Each having their own technique and style. This does not mean that we are discouraging your pursuit in a career in aerial silks,” The third judge said. Reva thought that this woman must have been an aerialist at some point in her life. She seemed to have much experience and know how difficult it was to control the silks. 

 “Enough talking. You all are probably on the edge of your seat to know who will be taking home the title of winner today,” The first judge said. Reva figured she must have been an aerialist as well. She could tell this woman knew the emotion that this activity contained and how exciting it was to be rewarded for hard work, “The winner of this competition is…” she looked over all of the contestants in turn before finishing her sentence, “Ms. Reva Wilson!” 

The crowd erupted in applause. Reva stood shocked. She had been criticized by two of the three judges. How had she been elected the winner? Her fellow performers on stage applauded her as well. She walked down off the stage and received the trophy that they handed her. When she was back onstage, Reva spotted her mother, Emma, James, and Ms. Conti in the crowd. She also saw the man offstage beckoning her to come off the stage. Reva held her head high as she turned and walked offstage carrying her prize with dignity. 

The rest of the time at the competition was a blur. Reva was crowded by her 15 competitors, all of them, congratulating her. She went to get her things and told Ms. Conti that she would be at the studio about midmorning the next day, before walking out into the parking lot. The day had warmed up since she had arrived and Reva wondered how long the competition had taken. Her mother came around in the car and picked her up. Emma, James, and her mother were talking to her all at once and were asking her questions. After a few moments Reva came back to focus. 

“Wait, wait. Slow down. One at a time,” Reva exclaimed. They each took turns asking her things or commenting on her performance. When they were about halfway home, Reva slapped her forehead.

“Oh no,” She groaned.

“What?!” Her mother asked, worry immediately filling her voice. 

“I forgot to ask Ms. Conti about bringing James and Emma to the studio tomorrow,” Reva explained. She had been in such a daze that it had completely slipped her mind. 

“I’m sure she won’t mind,” Her mother comforted. Reva nodded, before she turned back to her sibling sitting in the back seat. She smiled mischievously at them and they both smiled back. 

“Are you ready to fly?”