Moments

Every once and a while, this journey of life stops being a rough uncomfortable ride, and pauses to give you moments of pure delight and joy. Planning your wedding day, graduating from college, seeing your football club win a grand final, achieving an A grade or receiving your first real kiss. Moments when the oppressive clouds of doubt lift, and that quiet dream, that whisper of hope which you had kept guarded and hidden in your heart for so long is suddenly realised.

I had one of those special moments this week. As I got ready for company's season opening performance of Giselle, I realised that I had come full circle. The first time I ever saw ballet was the Australian Ballet performing Giselle in Brisbane. I had never seen anything like this before and I was completely blown away by the pure magic of what I saw. I was so inspired by what I saw, that I knew I had to at least try and be a part of such a beautifully magical world.

The journey to finding that world has taken nine years, lead me across four countries and asked more than I ever thought it would cost in courage, sacrifice and determination. To say that I've found that world of innocence and magic would also be naive. The reality is that dancing is a brutal industry; indiscriminately rejecting, crushing and humiliating the lives of some people who choose to chase the dream. This world of fairies, princesses, magic and happily ever after's only really exists in happy movies, for a couple of labour intensive hours on stage, and in the hearts of people bold enough to dream of a happier world.

Or at least that was what I had come to believe up until a couple of weeks ago. Suddenly, my inbox had the offer of a contract in it. In a week I was on a plane to a place I had never heard of. Then, incredibly, I was employed by a major professional ballet company! But that special moment didn't come until on Thursday night when I was waiting on stage for my debut performance as a full member of the State Ballet of Georgia. I suddenly realised I had finally achieved what I set out to do. I had wanted to be part of the theatre that had touched me so much all those years ago and here I was performing, the very same ballet with an internationally recognized company! I relished that performance; a truly magical moment.

I have conclusively proved (for myself more than anyone else) that if you are willing to pay the price, grind through the grunt work and have the courage to take your hope through the darkest lows – sometimes magic does really happen, and dreams do come true.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

DreamChaser

Rodney Cuthbertson