The Girl With The World At Her Feet

The Girl With The world At Her Feet  

By Paul McCann

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3Do-bPEiw4&feature=youtu.be

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Hanna Howard was born in a tent on the Silver mines in a remote part of Victoria , Australia . She was brought up by her Mother Maisy who did her best under extreme hardship . Her Father Sean spent everyday searching for a fortune that became so elusive . Each day Sean would spend hours digging in the hope that he would find that miracle strike and leave the mines a rich and wealthy man but the days went into months with nothing to show for it all and the same old story of hard times and frequent  disappointments with a miners life and the struggle to survive .          

Hanna had quickly adapted to hard times in life .

There were no luxuries or comforts except for the music she heard around the Silver Mines . On winters nights music came blistering around the camp fires where the small community of miners worked and lived side by side . Hanna loved to listen to the music played by Irish miners late into the night she heard them paly their jigs and reels on squeeze boxes and fiddles . One of the women settlers Sally noticed that Hanna had a love for the music and so she taught her how to do step dancing .

Hanna was just 5 years old when she could dance with a passion rarely seen by those in the know . Interest was shown by a few and it was hinted that she would be entered into some of the dancing competitions that offered prize money for the winners .

At night people watched Hanna dancing like a wild Gypsy around the camp fire and during the day she would  walked on the airs of grace like she was Queen of the Silver Mines . Hanna had a mysterious kind of mystic around her and soon that became part of her performances .

One evening some of the miners had mentioned that she was good enough for the world stage .With the help of select few her name was put forward into the wild card selection for the World Championship heats .

Hanna Went through each stage and made the final and became the youngest entrant to reach the final in the Australian group of the World Step Dance Competition . Hanna was now bound for Dublin in six months time to dance with the best in the world .

There was one small hurdle to get over , Hanna would be looked on as a Gypsy girl and the travelling people were not permitted to enter the competition . Many of the Silver Mine residents knew about this issue and so they disguised her secret with false papers and references .

When her documents were accepted the news spread like a fever all around the Silver mines  . . All of the miners put their finances together what ever they could afford and it was more than enough to pay for her entrance fee and her return passage to the world championships in Ireland . They knew she was good enough and they invested all they had in her talent .

The day arrived for Hanna to leave for Dublin and she was taken to Port Melbourne on a horse and cart . A group of well wishers watched her make her way on to the ship . She was dressed up like a princess and with the hopes of the miners in her heart and their blessings at her feet she was ready to take on the world .

She was the youngest finalist ever in the World Championships and there was a huge crowd there to watch the final . Dancing schools from all over the world had their dancers there to perform   Hanna was the last person called to perform .

She danced when she walked and she danced when she talked and she danced on the airs of grace . The audience were mesmerised and many had said her feet never touched the floor during the performance .

After her performance she had three standing ovations and was soon crowned the Champion of the World .

After she was announced the winner and she was given the trophy , her parents ,Sean and Maisy walked on to the stage .

They were dressed in their miners clothes and proudly introduced themselves as miners from the Silver Mines . Everyone there went quiet and in the silence they informed the judges and the audience that Hanna was a Gypsy girl .

Nothing could be done as Hanna had already been crowned the Champion and it was decided that she could keep her trophy and title .

From that day on there were no more restrictions for Gypsy’s and if anyone had enough talent to make the final no barrier would be placed in their way to rob them of a chance to be champion  .

Hanna had a hero’s welcome when she got back to the Silver Mines and she shared the prize money with everyone who had helped her .

In the weeks that passed many congratulatory telegrams were sent to her and read amongst the miners .

The End

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