31 Plays in 31 Days: #19 - "Pushing for Perfection"

This short piece is something I may use as part of my graphic novel project, which will be about rival ballet dancers. This may be the words and imagery that opens the piece. I thought getting some thoughts out about it might help me figure out what it should look and read like.

Day #19 - "Pushing for Perfection"

(LISE, a ballet dancer, is folded up in a traditional “sleeping” position. She sits up and faces the audience, hands folded in front of her.)

LISE: In ballet, there is a traditional motif of the dancer sleeping and waking.

(She rises fluidly to her feet and takes a few balletic steps forward.)

LISE: She rises, unfolding like a flower, light as air… and then she goes into focus. First.

(She snaps into full first.)

LISE: Second.

(She snaps into full second.)

LISE: Third, fourth, fifth.

(She goes through full third, fourth, and fifth in quick succession.)

LISE: Ballet is closely codified, sharply defined. Tendu.

(She extends her left leg before her.)

LISE: Dégagé.

(Her left leg pops into the air.)

LISE: Ronde du jamb.

(She rotates the leg in the arm so that it’s behind her. She lowers the leg, still extended, to the ground, and moves her arms to first and arabesque.)

LISE: An established repertoire of movements that form the building blocks with which all choreography is designed.

(She slowly, deliberately begins to dance.)

LISE: The practice in its entirety consists of learning and honing the performance of this limited repertoire.

(She executes a piqué turn.)

LISE: The company is run like an army, and we are the soldiers.

(She lunges and combres.)

LISE: It requires total focus and concentration.

(She pirouettes.)

LISE: Constantly pushing, striving for a perfection that can never be achieved.

(She relevés with her arms in fifth and extends her other leg before her.)

LISE: By its very nature, I will never, ever be good enough.

(She slowly fondus, finally crouching on the ground.)

LISE: I understand why a dancer would want to sleep after.

(She folds herself back up into the sleeping pose.)