the awesome/terrifying freedom

i used to be this kid.



i was a rope skipping prodigy. i held two world records in speed and consecutive double unders for my 6th grade age group. i was on tv, competing against the fastest skippers in the world for the 30 second world record in speed skipping. i was a member of the skip-its. i travelled around the world competing and teaching workshops. for some strange reason, i had a knack for it. and i was seriously conflicted about quitting it to do theatre, knowing that there was a good chance rope skipping might be a demonstration sport in the seoul olympics, and that if i stayed with it, i'd likely go.

it's probably the strangest part of my past - something that so consumed my elementary life, and yet i often completely forget that i was ever that person.

part of it used to be the intense shame i felt at being athletic, yes, and exceptional at something that was, next to synchronized swimming, the girliest sport ever.

and when i gave it up for theatre (something even girlier) i threw away all my medals and ribbons and didn't pick up a rope again until just this past year where i occasionally do 'jump rope jam' at new york sports club and irritate the instructor by showing off.