Vivi-Anne at the ALDC

10. Awards

We get to the competition half an hour before awards. Abby makes us go in the audience and watch the senior duet/ trios, which are being performed onstage. All the girls are sitting in the front row, with their moms behind them. Abby's sitting behind Maddie. Every single time she sees something she likes or something she doesn't like, she taps Maddie's shoulder, leans between our heads, and whispers loudly, "Look at the posture from the girl in green. Don't ever do that." It's really annoying, especially because the dances onstage are amazing.

When the dances are over, we go back to the dressing room and change back into our costumes for awards. The producers make us do this because they want it to seem like the awards are immediately after the dances.

Finally, the results are tallied and we go onstage for awards. The producers have us sit in the front row, then all the other studios have to sit behind us. 

They start with the Petite groups. Next, they have the Petite duet/ trios. Kenzie grins at me nervously and clutches my hand as they announce the winners. Tenth place... ninth place... eigth place... seventh place...

"In sixth place, with a score of 279.4, we have Mackenzie and Vivi-Anne with Flamingo Fun!" I smile and Kenzie and I get up. I glance over where the moms are sitting. My mom gives me a thumbs-up. Melissa has a half- smile on her face, and Abby is grinning at me. They announce the other petite duet/trio winners, then we sit down.  They start announcing petite solos.

Kenzie looks a bit disappointed. "What's wrong, Kenz?" I ask her.

She shrugs. "I don't know, I usually place in the top five, that's all. The competition was tough this time." She smiles. "Hey, but we did really well considering how long we've been dancing together."

I smile at her. "Don't tell Abby, but I've actually only competed four times before ever. My mom told her I've been to at least ten, but that isn't true."

Kenzie laughs. "No way. You're kidding, right? You did really well today."

They start announcing junior groups, and Paige taps my leg. It looks like excitement, but I know what she's getting at: Kenzie and I have to quiet down.

Tenth place... ninth place... eigth place... seventh place... sixth place...

Nia smiles. "Top 5...." she mutters quietly.

"In fifth place, we have Falling by Velocity Dance Center!

In fourth place, we have Under The Sea by Studio 19!"

Nia squeezes my hand. "Top 3..." she whispers.

"And in third place, we have Party, Party, Party by the Abby Lee Dance Company!"

The girls smile and Maddie goes up to get the award. We arranged this beforehand. The person who gets the award is determined by how we place. In this case, we did it by age. If it was first place, it would be Kenzie. Second place would be me, third was Maddie, fourth was Nia, fifth was Chloe, sixth was Paige, and anything lower was Brooke. Although Kenzie and I weren't in the group, they still let us collect the award, we just don't get to keep it.

The girls admire the plaque. It's pretty big, and has the name of the competition and "third place" on it.

Maddie wins first place in the Petite Solo category, and Chloe wins first place in the Junior category. They both win titles.

"Now, we'll be announcing Overall Solos."

Maddie and Chloe hold hands, and Paige grabs Chloe's other hand.

They go up to the top five, and neither Chloe nor Maddie have been announced. They smile at each other, nervous.

"In fifth place, we have Jennifer from Arrow Dance Academy with Shattered Night, Shivering Stars." An older girl comes to get the award.

"In fourth place, Gavin from Dolce Dance Center with Asteroids."

"In third place, Macie from Velocity Dance Center with Sugar, Spice, and Lollipops."

Maddie and Chloe squeeze their hands tightly together. One of them is first, and one of them is second.

"In second place... Chloe from the Abby Lee Dance Company with Baby Mine!" Chloe gets up, a smile on her face. She takes the award.

"And our first place overall solo... Maddie from Abby Lee Dance Company with Cry!" Maddie hops up and gets the award. In the audience, Melissa stands up and applauds. "Woohoo!" she screams. Maddie blushes, gesturing to her mom to quiet down.

The trio wins first in the junior musical theatre category, second in the junior category, and eigth overall.

We get back to the dressing room, the girls showing off their plaques proudly. After many congratulations, we pack up and get onto the bus. Homeward bound, at last.