Adopted by The Prom

A Complete and Total Control Freak

It was very nerve racking as Daniel asked me to perform my piece in front of everyone, but the girls in the Advanced class immediately started cheering me on. What I loved about this studio was that everyone was supportive of everyone. 

I plugged my phone into the speaker, and got set up. The pianist (and music director) gave me a nod and pressed play. Immediately I sprung into my combination of turns and immediate jumps I'd wanted to put at the beginning to grab people's attention.

When the music finished, I held my pose for three seconds, before letting out a breath and dropping my pose. The Advanced girls were cheering for me. Daniel, Lily, and Madeline smiled but didn't clap. Were they supposed to clap? I don't think so.

I took a seat by the mirror by Cadence.

Then we did the group sequence. They reviewed it for everyone but we were supposed to know it before coming into the audition. 

After that it was time for the people auditioning for the dolls to perform their solo dances that they were supposed to learn in advance. 

Cadence gave me a shaky smile and stood up to take her place. She was dancing as a wind up doll from what I could tell. Through her movement you could tell how nervous she was but she still did amazing.

The audition lasted for a very long time, but when it was over, I noticed how many people had been cut. There was an "I'm still here?" moment.

"Here's the cast everyone." Daniel smiled at all of us. He read off a list of the children's roles. Watching the little kids light up was so amazing to see. Then he read off those who would be playing the dolls. 

Cadence would be dancing the role of the doll Columbine. 

The other dancers in the party scene, maids and party guests were read off, and then we arrived at the named roles.

I'm thirteen now. I have plenty of time to get cast in the Nutcracker. I'm the youngest in the Advanced division. Clara is a role that usually goes to a 12-14 year old, a role done on flat foot. She's a young child, so even when you're fourteen you need to be relatively small.

The Advanced dancers are too old to be Clara now, but there are plenty of Intermediate dancers who could just as well get the role. 

Clara's parents: Herr Stahlbaum and his wife, two of the dancers in oldest division for the college students. Herr Drosselmeyer, another college dancer. Louise and Fritz Stahlbaum: Clara's little sister and brother, a ten year old girl and eleven year old boy. 

And then the leads. The Nutcracker, or the Prince, or Drosselmeyer's nephew. Trevor, one of the dancers in the Advanced division, I think he's about a year or so older than me, is casted as the Nutcracker.

And then the thing I've been nervous about all day. Who's getting casted as Clara. 

"And of course, the lead of The Nutcracker, besides the Nutcracker himself. Our Clara this year is going to be Olive McCalla." Daniel gives me a smile.

I don't process it at first. Then Cadence gives my hand a squeeze and it hits me. The Advanced girls in my classes start cheering and I almost fall over if it weren't for Cadence being there.

We're handed packets of paper, and then released. I stumble out of the room, and somehow find my way down the hall. Izzy's there waiting for me, and I sit down shakily and try to take a drink from my water bottle. 

"Did you get a role?" She asks.

I don't answer at first, and meekly hold up the thick packet of paper. "I'm Clara." I squeak out.

Izzy screams, and throws me into a hug and that's when I finally realize what just happened. I start crying from happiness.

My family meets us at a restaurant to celebrate. I'm thrown from person to person in hugs. 

A lot of things happen in the next few weeks. I progress in my own classes, and I have my first pointe shoe fitting. It's been about a month and a half since being put into Intro to Pointe, but my teacher in that class (not Madame Reinold) thinks I'll put in more than enough work to make up for that. We start rehearsals, and I try to completely stay in control of my schedule. 

Izzy is cast in Footloose at the Kennedy Center as Ariel. It took me a little while to realize that I'd be staying with Angie for a little bit while she's in DC. But she promised to be back before opening night.

So I keep dancing. My Nutcracker family (what we named the group chat) and I get a lot closer. 

That's when things start circling around. SAB auditions in the spring. School of American Ballet. George Balanchine. 

"Are you going to audition?" The girls in the Advanced division would ask around.

I don't know?