To the soft sweeping music, I dance beautifully, twirling en pointe and pirouetting with my hands above my head and my foot pressed lightly on my knee.

I yield to the dictates of an invisible sensual pull, as my long body flows like silk, and my slender form moves ever so slowly with effortless grace to the stance of my desire. My movements are fluid and airy, my poise ethereal. I supplely lift my legs in the air and bend backwards onto myself. With my head facing the sky above, I spin around on the tip of my toes before landing lightly on my feet.

Another slow flight through the air, another effortless landing. My feet change position as I ascend and slide forward and then backward, before springing with my legs split in mid air, in unfolding motion.

I descend to the ground and turn around without arching, only to wait stoically before changing my emotion to the rising new accent of my song. With hands stretched wide, I stand up on my toes and extend my leg out. I have wings on my back with long white plumes and my dress is a shiny sheer with light passing through it and exposing my lissom physique. I sway softly but steadily with tiny nibbling steps, and flutter my body to the dance of my wings. I bend down at the waist, and reach out to my stretched leg and whirl downwards and upwards, round and round in bewildering succession.

And so I dance all through the night, exposing my visceral feelings. I experience the thrill and the anguish of love and make peace with my deep inward senses.

Only now as I wake up from this beautiful dream, I wish I wasn't just dancing in my sleep. I wish I could spin round and round for real, until I am so dizzy and the world has disappeared. I want to take flight, and soar high above the ground like a dancing ballerina on wings. I am here now, in my shiny sheer dress, looking podgy and graceless; my lifeless white wings silhouetted as I stand in front of a bright glass window with darkness all around me.