{"product_id":"mareta-of-kiribati-the-girl-who-dances-before-the-song-starts","title":"Mareta of Kiribati — The Girl Who Dances Before the Song Starts","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMareta of Kiribati — The Girl Who Dances Before the Song Starts\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kiribati\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMareta has been told repeatedly that music must actually begin before a person can dance to it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe disagrees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is always music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes other people simply haven't noticed it yet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA screen door slaps shut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFour counts.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomeone chops vegetables against a wooden board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEight counts.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRain hits the roof and suddenly Mareta is halfway across the room, sliding in her socks while her sister shouts:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You are going to break your neck!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I'M REHEARSING.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“For WHAT?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMareta hasn't figured that part out yet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe dances when she's happy. She dances when she's nervous. She dances while brushing her teeth, which has resulted in toothpaste appearing in locations her mother considers scientifically impossible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd Mareta doesn't particularly care whether she's doing it correctly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe likes traditional dances. She likes the dances she sees online. She likes making up movements nobody has named yet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMostly, she loves the moment when a group of people begins moving together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt school, Mareta started teaching dances to some of the younger children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt first there were four.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen seven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen twelve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen one very small boy who refused to participate but attended every rehearsal and offered criticism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Your turn was late.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMareta stared at him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You are six.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It was still late.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe is now unofficially in charge of quality control.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut something happened while Mareta was teaching those children.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe discovered that she loves \u003cstrong\u003ecreating the dance\u003c\/strong\u003e almost as much as performing it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy should this movement come next?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow can a dancer tell a story without saying a word?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow do you take dances that have been passed from one generation to another, honor what they mean, and still create something new?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomeday, Mareta wants to become a \u003cstrong\u003echoreographer\u003c\/strong\u003e, learning dances from across the Pacific and creating performances that carry old stories into new generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe already has approximately forty-seven ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe also has homework.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer mother has pointed this out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonight, Mareta is sitting at the kitchen table attempting mathematics when someone outside drops a bucket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCLANG.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMareta's pencil stops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer mother looks up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Don't.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMareta's shoulders begin to move.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Mareta.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“But did you \u003cem\u003ehear\u003c\/em\u003e that?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHer Dream:\u003c\/strong\u003e To become a choreographer, creating new dances while helping preserve the movement and stories passed down through generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHer Wonder: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“What if your body can remember a story your mind has never been told?”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDiscover Mareta’s complete story in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/girlswearcrowns.com\/products\/girls-wear-crowns-dreams-without-limits\" title=\"Girls Wear Crowns: Dreams Without Limits\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eGirls Wear Crowns: \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eDreams Without Limits\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e*****\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFine Art Details:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePremium semi-glossy paper enhances colors with a subtle shine and protects against fading from light or moisture:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePaper Finishing:\u003c\/span\u003e Semi-glossy, enhances colors with a subtle shine.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePaper Weight:\u003c\/span\u003e 200 gsm (80 lb), thickness: 0.22 mm (8.7 mils).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSustainable Paper:\u003c\/span\u003e FSC-certified or equivalent paper for sustainability.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eAvailable Sizes:\u003c\/span\u003e 4 sizes in inches (US\u0026amp;CA) and cms (rest of the world).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBeautifully designed for any style, any room, any frame.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Girls Wear Crowns","offers":[{"title":"25x25 cm \/ 10x10″","offer_id":45548651577430,"sku":"34f75c76-770a-497f-84eb-f4b872a57502","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"35x35 cm \/ 14x14″","offer_id":45548651610198,"sku":"6f894bb8-b366-4af6-babc-83f3f66a7ceb","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50x50 cm \/ 20x20″","offer_id":45548651642966,"sku":"74b92aa5-2d38-437a-a697-9efabca4cddf","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"70x70 cm \/ 28x28″","offer_id":45548651675734,"sku":"e3e32221-646d-4a98-aee2-d7315ae69f9d","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0733\/7456\/4438\/files\/c2699ce0-9715-4d79-835c-d5f406f9ff67.jpg?v=1790799495","url":"https:\/\/girlswearcrowns.com\/products\/mareta-of-kiribati-the-girl-who-dances-before-the-song-starts","provider":"Girls Wear Crowns","version":"1.0","type":"link"}