adult ballet

one at a time

we pas de chat,
both legs in the air
diagonally,
just as i side-stepped
a sledger at shibden.

dicing with danger elegantly
i dredge a grande jeté
from the recesses,
dust her off
for a laugh
and a gallop.

there's a certain smell
in a studio:

leather shoes and sweat
as we chassé. my body is a tool, none left unturned and minutely examined as my mind re-learns.