Swivel

Swivel had not always turned like that.

When she was small, she whipped her head and shoulders around and left the rest of her behind. Grabbing a cup from the counter behind her, flinging a frisbee, looking back over her shoulder on her bike. It mostly worked, until one day she twisted to reach a book on a high shelf behind her, her feet still pointing forward, and felt her back give a hot, cross little pinch.

She sat on the floor, holding her side, sure she was just too stiff to move well.

An old badger who taught dance in the village hall watched her rub her back. "You're not stiff," she said. "You're in pieces." She stood Swivel up and put one paw on her hip and one on her shoulder. "These two are partners. Where one goes, the other goes. And your feet are allowed to move too. Turn your feet, turn your hips, turn your shoulders, all together. Your eyes lead the way."

Swivel tried it, turning to the shelf with her whole body in one piece. Her back stayed quiet and easy. She reached the book without a pinch. She hadn't been stiff at all. She'd only been turning part of herself.

When she was old enough, Swivel flew to FitQuest, because it was a place for learning how bodies move.

The mentor met her at the gate and asked her to show what she knew.

Swivel took a light ball and passed it to the mentor, then turned to take it back from the other side. Each time her eyes led, her hips and shoulders turned together as one, and her back foot pivoted on its ball so her whole body came round.

"What happens if your feet stay stuck?" the mentor asked.

"Then something in the middle has to twist on its own," Swivel said, "and that's the part that gets cross."

The mentor smiled. "You belong here."

A young lamb came to Swivel one afternoon, frustrated.

"I'm terrible at throwing," she said. "It always goes sideways and it feels awkward."

Swivel watched her throw. The lamb's feet stayed rooted, her shoulders twisted, and her arm did all the work.

"Let's make you one piece," Swivel said. "Stand side-on to where you want the ball to go. Look at your target first." The lamb turned her head. "Now, as you throw, let your back foot pivot and your hips turn first, then your shoulders, then your arm, like a wave."

The lamb tried it. Her hips turned, her shoulders followed, her back foot spun on its toes, and the ball sailed straight and far.

The lamb's mouth fell open. "It went where I looked!"

"Because your whole body turned to face it," Swivel said, warm and pleased. "Your arm was working alone before. Now everyone's helping, from your feet up."