Vivi-Anne at the ALDC

3. Duet Rehearsal

Author's note: I know it isn't Mackenzie in the picture but imagine that it is, and that Kenzie is about to go into a chin stand.

Kenzie comes into Studio C, already red-faced and sweaty from acro class. She smiles weakly. "Hey, Vivi."

"Hi!" I say excitedly. "I'm so glad I get to dance with you this week!"

Gianna walks in. "Okay girls, your duet is going to be a musical theatre- acro dance. You're both going to be pink flamingoes. The dance is called 'Flamingo Fun'. Yes?"

Abby comes into the room, and I see Kenzie wither a bit. The atmosphere darkens. Yeah. Abby's that scary. We start the dance. Because of the whole 'flamingo' thing, I thought the dance would be a lot of leg holds and that sort of stuff. Although I do a leg hold (see picture in sidebar) at the beginning, we don't do too many leg holds or kicks.

Instead, we're doing full- on acro. There are flips, there are handstands, chin stands, and the works. Although we do some of the dance together, a lot of it is Kenzie doing tricks that I can't do around me.

(the next paragraph will be all the moves in the dance, if you aren't into that sort of thing just skip the next paragraph)

As the music starts, we run onstage from opposite sides and do a fan kick. Kenzie goes onto her knees, and then I do a leg hold using her shoulder for support. She does a chin stand while I do a cartwheel into a roundoff and an Arabian towards stage left. We do some 'flamingo poses'. Then I stay in a bridge while Kenzie does a pike Arabian into a roundoff- back handspring towards stage right into a straddle leap. We do a front handspring towards each other, then I sink into the splits and Kenzie does some rolling tinsicas around me. We do another kick. From there it's a synchronized chin stand, from which we go into a shoulder stand to a split extension. Kenzie does some neck rolls while I lie on my stomach with my hands under my chin. We do a one- handed cartwheel holding hands and then I lie on my back and Kenzie does a handstand walk over me. I do a back shoulder roll into straddle, then Kenzie does a leg hold using my shoulder as support. I do a handspring towards stage right and she does a handspring towards stage left. We run to the middle and both do leg holds. Finally, we leave the stage, lifting our knees with each step, bird-like.

We've got the moves down, and Abby decides to clean the dance as the other girls are still in Acro and she can't work on the trio that Chloe, Paige, and Maddie have. The music starts and the dance is going really well. I can tell Abby's impressed by how much I've learned since I left the Candy Apples studio. 

We're about to land the final handspring when I feel my right leg give out and slip. (picture Maddie's fall during Maestro Man). My left leg skids on the floor and I land on my butt. It doesn't hurt until I try to move my leg, then the tears come. It's legitimately painful. I can't even get up.

Before I can even speak my mom runs in. "Vivi! Are you okay? Talk to me, Vivi!"

"I'm fine." I say through clenched teeth. "I... I just need to sit down for a bit."

"Sure." Gianna says, grabbing my arms and trying to pull me up.

"Stop! Stop!" I shout, the pain intensifying with every movement.

Gianna carefully puts me down. "What's wrong? I thought you said you were okay."

"Yeah... just if I don't move. I think I just need to sit out over here for, like, five minutes."

MACKENZIE'S POV

We're rehearsing the duet that Abby assigned Vivi and I. It's pretty easy choreo, the type of stuff I've been doing in my studio. But I'm surprised that Vivi is keeping up. I mean, yeah, she isn't doing perfectly, Abby's definitely correcting her legs and feet and shoulders much more than she's correcting me. But considering how poor her training was back at Candy Apples, she's doing pretty amazing. She learned how to do a handspring, an Arabian, a back shoulder roll, and all the kicks. We're definitely not at the same level- this was me maybe a year and a half ago- but she's definitely improved.

It kicks in. Wait. Now I have competition. Before, I was the only one on the team in the mini age division. If Vivi's here, she's my competition. Just like Maddie and Chloe.

Drat. And there I was thinking Vivi would be my new BFF.

I'm watching myself in the mirror as I think, and suddenly Vivi goes down behind me. I turn around, staring in surprise.

Her eyes are wide, her body still in shock, not recognizing the pain. And then it hits. Her pretty brown eyes fill with tears, and I run over to her. Gianna is already by her side, and Abby's gotten up and is walking towards her.

CATHY'S POV

I'm watching the duet rehearsal, and honestly I'm proud of Vivi. She learned so much today. It really goes to show how much I cared for her and felt bad about correcting her. Now that she's got a proper teacher, she's doing great. Maybe the little duet partner Mackenzie isn't that much better than her.

Suddenly, Vivi slips and falls on her butt.

I knew it was a bad idea, coming here.

I run down the stairs, straight into Studio C. "Vivi! Are you okay? Talk to me, Vivi!"

Gianna tries to pick her up and Vivi shrieks in agony.

"If you hurt Vivi, you're in trouble." I tell Gianna. "Vivi, do we have to get you to the hospital? It isn't that bad, is it?"

Vivi nods. "I'm fine, just let me rest for five minutes!"

"You know what, let's just stop rehearsal now," Abby says. "You girls did an amazing job today. Good work. I'm going to go work on the trio now. Gianna, I believe you've got a turns class to teach in ten minutes."

"I'll get Vivi out." I tell them. I carefully pick up Vivi by her legs in one arm and her back in the other arm.

"Ow! Mom, stop! Ow! It really hurts!" she shouts, starting to cry.

"Oh, Vivi..." I tell her, running her to Abby's stage block and lying her down. "I'm here, okay? You can rest here. Mackenzie, you can go."

Little Mackenzie nods quickly and runs out of the room.

We sit for awhile, me stroking Vivi's hair. Eventually, she nods. "Okay. I think I'm good."

I carry her out of the room, and nearly fall over when I crash into someone screaming. Wait... I know this person!