Bolly Wood and his all-or-nothing quest for freedom.

Once upon a time there was a country where music and dance had been declared enemies of order, no one knows why, although the easiest answer is because the people at the top ordered it. Bolly lived in that country under an authoritarian regime. He lived his life in a somewhat sad way because he had always wanted to be a dancer and belong to a famous ballet company. But because of the government and its authoritarian rules he had to live with his movements and desires under lock and key.

The city I lived in was a silent place, where the hurried footsteps of passersby mingled with the drone of drones and vigilant cameras. All buildings were gray because they were redesigned by order of the state. They seemed to lean over the streets, as if they somehow wanted to crush any spark of creativity that dared to ignite. Any attempt to create music or any form of art related to it was brutally punishable by law, as was wearing bright colors. The state wanted absolute submission and these art forms they believed could ignite the flame of freedom.

In this environment he worked repairing typewriters, as it was the only trade that allowed him to remain in the shadows because of his desires and aspirations. Each day was the same as the one before, a suffocating routine that he could barely stand. But they know that every night, when the lights of the city went out, he would close the curtains of his room and begin to dance, as if he were in a theater in front of a large audience. That moment was beautiful, but very dangerous because if anyone else saw him doing it he would go to prison. Besides, in his apartment building there were state informants who were only there to report suspicious behavior. So he had to tread carefully.

There was something special about Bolly that not many in the country had, or at least they didn't know they had. The movements, the dancing, the music made them feel alive, for he felt a connection to something greater, something the regime could not understand, freedom. That's why he believed that if someone could feel what he felt when dancing or listening to music, even for a second, he would understand that the prohibition was a mistake. But of course fear was a constant. Besides the informants some of the neighbors were loyal to the government, and the walls, though old, had ears. But he knew he couldn't keep quiet, so he had to do something about it.

One of those nights when he was dancing in his room, while he was still rehearsing, he heard a sharp knock on the window. He stood still, heart pounding and very scared because he thought someone had seen him. And the truth is that yes, someone had seen him. His apartment was adjacent to one that had a small hole in the wall. Through his hole he had been observed, he still didn't know it. When he dared to look, through the window he saw a woman. It was his new neighbor who had moved into the building not many weeks ago.

Then he opened the window and said to her, What are you doing there? You can fall off the balcony. But at the same time he looked at her and she didn't look like she didn't belong in that dull world. She didn't say much, she just told him “Your dance is not as secret as you think. If you want it to mean something, follow me.” He was startled, but at that point there was nothing to lose since he had already been found out so he followed her.

As they walked along she told him not to be afraid of her, because she was part of an artistic resistance. She told him that she had seen him dancing through the hole in the walls. She also recommended that he repair it in case someone else saw it. So he was relieved to see that what she wanted, instead of denouncing him, was to recruit him. For him, the offer created some doubt and insecurity. On the one hand it was the way he needed to expand his desires, and on the other hand it was a decision that could end his little freedom or even his life.

But in the end the idea of joining something bigger excited him. That same night, he followed the woman, until he reached a basement. There he found something he had never imagined, he was not alone in this, for there was a group of people dancing, playing improvised instruments and secretly creating art. For the first time in a long time, he did not feel alone. They all made him swear that from now on they would all square their backs and work together to achieve freedom for the country.

Bolly quickly joined the group because he felt the same way they did. They made him learn that resistance was not an artistic rebellion, it was an act of defiance against a system that had stripped people of their humanity and in the process they sought to make the government aware of this. As they recruited more people he was able to learn to perfect his art of dance because among those in the group was Lira who was a choreographer before the government banned it. She became his mentor. Lira was someone who saw art as a form of survival. With her, Bolly perfected his technique and understood that every step was a cry for freedom.

But the regime did not take long to notice the comments of rebellion, because in addition to Bolly's group, more groups had formed that were looking for the same objective. It is for this reason that arrests increased, and the presence of drones became more intense.

Because of this the group had to be more careful. And not to be so obvious, so while the group was discussing their next move in one of those meetings Bolly proposed something that surprised everyone, as no one expected that. He wanted to make a mega clandestine performance in the center of the city, a place where nobody would expect something like that. In addition, all the groups had to go organized and together. To everyone the idea seemed dangerous, almost suicidal, but Bolly's passion ignited something in the rest of the group. They knew it was their time to act.

The days leading up to the performance were filled with preparation and but mostly tension. Bolly, who had always been a lonely dreamer, was now the leader of a group of people willing to risk everything. During those rehearsals, he couldn't help but think about what was at stake. Not only his life, but also the lives of those who trusted him. But Lyre was by his side to advise him and that gave him more strength to act.

Finally that day arrived, the day for which they had prepared. The city dawned that day very quiet because no one imagined what was going to happen, not even the regime. But yes, everyone seemed to be breathing with anxiety, even if they didn't know it. Then, in a calculated move, the group managed to infiltrate the central square, a place guarded by cameras and drones, but also full of history. In several trucks they carried the auidio equipment and in others iab people. Everything happened fast, the loudspeakers were not taken out of the trucks because they were ready to be heard from inside the trucks. The dancers and instrumentalists ran to the square and began to play, sing and dance at full volume.

The place was filled with energy, as people who did not belong to the group began to join the dance and even some of the military began to sing. Everything in various places began to do the same. The news spread over the radio and people all over the country suddenly knew it was time. Everyone came out en masse to sing and dance. Some began to applaud, others cried silently. But the regime's response was not long in coming.

It was the sound of approaching boots that broke the spell. Soldiers surrounded the square that was the epicenter of it all. But instead of dispersing, they continued to dance. It was a moment of pure resistance, a declaration that they could not be silenced. Bolly knew they might not get out of there, but in that instant, nothing mattered more than the message they were sending.

What followed was chaos. Some members of the group were arrested, others managed to escape thanks to the confusion. Bolly voluntarily turned himself in, knowing that his capture would be the price for igniting the spark of revolution. As he was being taken away, he saw something that gave him hope, people were still arriving in the square and dancing. Parents, children, old people, all moving to the rhythm of a newly discovered or perhaps forgotten freedom.

Suddenly many of those soldiers were surrounded by the whole town and even by other soldiers who had changed their minds. They all shouted with a very loud voice: Freedom for Bolly. So they, the military loyal to the regime, had to let Bolly go free at that moment and flee. The regime, seeing that all their imaginary power was falling down, tried to appease the protests, saying that they were going to make reforms on the music law, but it was too late, freedom had arrived, and all thanks to Bolly's ideas.

Original article by (martinte)

Credits: The images used are free to use and royalty free. They were taken from pixabay.