Waiting in the wings was scary. Watching the dances that go on before you make it even more nerve-wracking, which was why Abby advised people not to do it. But Brady was a curious guy and wanted to know what he was up against and how he could beat it. So far he saw: 2 girls bobble their turns, some dude land weirdly on his firebird but the girl he was currently watching was damn good and he didn't know if he could beat her.
Brady should have been practicing his routine, he knew that, he knew that the middle part of his dance got muddled in his head and he needed to run it again, but it was too late now. He was just about to go on and the girl on the stage currently was practically perfect and it was, for lack of a better word, scary.
|| So I'm just about to go on for my solo and I'm watching to see who's dancing before me, and she's REALLY GOOD! I don't know if I can beat her? || - Brady Farrar
|| I'm watching Brady slightly freak out in the wings before his solo, and he looks spooked because of the girl on stage but I know whatever I say to him will just work him up more || - Amelia Hatchet
Apparently, GiaNina did not have the same qualms as Amelia did when it came to speaking to Brady as she confidently strutted up to him and announced, quite loudly, "C'mon Brady! What're you freaking out about? You are the best dancer you have nothing to worry about! You HAVE to win today and prove that the Abby Lee Dance Company is back and better than ever! Okay?"
Brady just let own a small noise one could class as a squeak and shook his legs out, feeling even more unprepared than ever. Just as he was about to start running through his dance he heard the emcee over the sound system, "Next up we have Number 33: Straight Back Down, from the Abby Lee Dance Company!"
The crowd yelled out as he made his way to center stage and laid down on his side.
(Start at 0:18, end at 1:59)
While Brady was dancing Tricia noticed that Brady was just walking in circles instead of dancing and immediately knew he had forgotten the dance. Pity ran through her heart she turned to Michelle, who was sitting next to her and whispered, "That's not his dance! That is not his dance! Oh my god, he's forgotten it!"
|| As we're watching Brady dance I looking, waiting to see if he'll mess up the same part again. So I'm watching, and we get to the part and HE FOGETS IT! Not only that but a few seconds later he gets this deer in the headlights expression! || - Abby Lee Miller
Michelle was very comforting saying she hadn't noticed until Brady just... stopped dancing with this look of terror on his face, a dead giveaway he'd forgotten. There was no saving him at this point, almost no point in trying. Especially when Abby turned to Tricia and whispered yelled, "What the hell was that!" She just pretended that she hadn't seen nor heard Abby and focus back on her kid who was walking off the stage with a defeated look on his face, it hurt Tricia as a mom.
|| I just know Brady is kicking himself for forgetting his dance but there is nothing I can do, and that hurts || - Tricia Farrar
|| I know it sucks that Brady mucked up his routine but as a competitor I think that this is really good for Hannah, I mean one less kid to compete against right? || || I mean, yeah I guess, but I feel really bad for him || - Ann & Hannah Colin
It was obvious to everyone in the wings that Brady wouldn't win, heck he probably wouldn't place. His team rushed over to him, to give him some kind of reassurance that Abby won't bite his head off for forgetting, all lying through their teeth, all except Max.
Max was quite blunt when he turn to the only other male on the team and told him, "Dude you messed up, it happens to everyone. Abby will get mad at you when we go back into the dressing room, but only because she wants you to get better, okay man? We just have to live and learn from mistakes we make," Max was very chill under pressure and knew that lying to Brady could only make it worse for him later. He knew that from personal experience.
|| He forgot choreo, so what? The world will continue to spin, the sun will still rise and Abby'll just yell a little bit, it's not the end of the world || - Max Fevoro
The team barely had time to register what Max had told them when the emcee' voice was carried around the theatre, "Now we have Number 35: Attention, from the Abby Lee Dance Company!"
Hannah hadn't realised her solo was so close to Brady', so now she was stuck like a deer in the headlights, frozen in her spot unable to move. The emcee called again, "Number 35: Attention, from the Abby Lee Dance Company, will now take the stage!" Hannah probably wouldn't have moved if it weren't for Amelia pushing her to get Hannah's legs moving.
As Amelia pushed Hannah onto stage she whispered in her ear, "You got this, remember to use your face!" With that Hannah was alone on stage, waiting for her music to start.
Hannah strutted off the stage just like Abby had instructed, with more sass than she thought she had in her body. She felt confident that she had made the exaggerated facial expressions that Abby had wanted and she knew that all eyes were on her when she was on that stage, she felt it in her blood.
|| Positives of Hannah's solo: She used her face. Negatives: Literally everything else! It's like two steps forward, one step back with that kid! || - Abby Lee Miller
Once Hannah was out of clear view from the stage the team rushed to hug her because it was a good Hannah solo. Sure, they all knew it wasn't as technically proficient as she usually was that wasn't what Abby wanted her to focus on being entertaining and using her face, and she did that!
Pressley had a few minutes before her solo, so she started running through her solo, which she had learnt the day before. She barely had time to really process the choreo, and get the emotions right and Abby expected her to win?
|| I don't know if I've ever been this nervous for a solo because Abby has been playing it hot and cold all week. At first she said that I had to win, then I didn't finish my solo until the night before! How does that work? || - Pressley Hosbach
"Coming to the stage next, we have Number 37: Never Loved Like This, from the Abby Lee Dance Company!" The emcee announced with fake cheer.
Pressley walked out the most confident of the three soloists, her pink skirt swaying with her as she got in her starting pose.
Pressley walked off stage, her head held high, but as soon as she could she started (quietly) squealing with joy at Gia. While Gia and Pressley squealed, it just made Brady disappointed in himself because just seeing someone else completely crush him in something he prided himself in, hurt, really badly.
|| Y'know Abby did not care about my daughter or her solo this week, so that performance was all her! Take that Abby! || - Ashley Hosbach
After the solos the moms ended up in the dressing room. Joanne, of course had something snarky to say after solos, because when did she not have something to?
She looked Trisha dead in the eyes and with faux sympathy said, "Aw, it sucks that Brady completely messed up his solo, doesn't it? It's even worst that he doesn't have a group dance to redeem himself with," Which was already pretty bad, but she somehow flipped the script, "Say Sandy, why doesn't Max bow out of the dance so that Brady, someone who's actually on the team, gets to dance?"
Sandy sat in a shocked silence for a second, mulling over what Joanne said, thinking about how crazy it was and how everyone would back her up on the fact that she wanted her (sorta) child to dance. Instead she was met with Stacey and Ann jumping down her throat agreeing with Joanne.
"I mean, it's only right -"
"- Brady really needs -"
"- Why wouldn't you?"
"- That's so selfish!"
|| I can't trust these women! They are CRAZY! First Ann comes after my biological kid, now I have Joanne telling me to pull my non-biological child from the group, what the hell?! || - Sandy Hatchet
Sandy was sitting there talking all the verbal abuse being thrown at her, waiting for her moment to strike, that moment came when Joanne silenced her two lackeys. Sandy turned to Trisha, who had been oddly silent considering it was an argument about her child, "Does Brady know the choreography?" Trisha started to stutter out a response but was cut off by Joanne.
"What does it matter? Just say you'll pull your kid!" Joanne was getting aggressive, desperate for Max to be replaced with Brady.
Sandy was quick to answer Joanne by restating, "Does Brady know the dance? Like, if Abby asked him to do it as soon as he walked in here, would he do it better than Max? Because if so, I'll be more than willing to swap them, trust me," Sandy had learnt this trick at her old studio a good ninety percent of the time it got moms off her back. This was one of the the ten percent.
Instead of Trisha answering, like Sandy intended to happen, Joanne jumped in yet again. "Of course he -"
"Of course he could what, Joanne?" Abby cut in, having heard the whole thing from outside the door, "Please, enlighten me," Abby stared at the woman she was talking to, gaze unmoving.
|| These mothers are so jealous of these new kids, they didn't think that I wouldn't hear them bullying Sandy into pulling Max from the group? IDIOTS! || Abby Lee Miller
The group of children made their way back to their dressing room, chatting quietly amongst themselves. Gia, Lilli, Hannah and Sarah praising Pressley while Max and Amelia were comforting Brady. Well, Amelia was comforting Brady, Max on the other hand was bluntly telling him to get over it.
When they entered the dressing the moms and Abby went dead silent, like they had been caught doing something wrong. Like usual, silence did not last long at the Abby Lee Dance Company, especially in dressing rooms. Abby cleared her throat and swiveled her chair around, to face the children.
"BRADY! WHAT WAS THAT ONSTAGE? DO YOU KNOW HOW EMBARRASSING IT IS TO HAVE A DANCER FORGET THEIR DANCE?" Abby was a lion, roaring at the poor boy, who stood there with his face flushed taking all of her yelling. But Brady wasn't the only one who was going to be yelled at, "AND HANNAH, WHERE WAS THE TECHNIQUE? IT CAN'T BE PERFORMANCE OR TECHNIQUE, IT HAS TO BE BOTH!" It was obvious to everyone in the room that the stress that this week had caused Abby was now exploding onto everyone, deserved or not.
Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath waiting for her roar her criticisms at Pressley, the girl close to shaking with fear and anticipation, but instead of Abby turning to Pressley she made direct eye contact with Brady, who looked more terrified than ever. "Brady, your mother seems to think that I should replace Max with you for the group dance, out of pity for the performance you just gave, but I'm going to ask you something. Do you think you deserve to be in the group dance?"
Brady went wide-eyed, and froze knowing that either way he answered an argument would ensue, so he choose to avert his eyes to the ground hoping to to not get in too much trouble. Abby started to tut and shake her head, "Kids! This is why I brought in Max and Amelia! They want to dance and they don't take chances for granted! I bet if I asked either one of them they would have willingly taken the opportunity to show me that they deserved to do this group dance!" With an eye roll she turned to the mothers, "Until your kids find their passion and want to dance and I see it, Max and Amelia STAY! YOU GOT IT!"
|| It's not that I don't want to dance, it's just that I haven't been practicing this routine like Max has! || || I think that it unfair that Abby put you in this position, it was rude, nasty and downright cruel! || - Brady and Tricia Farrar
|| It is clear to me that these moms are threaten by Max and Amelia and so are their children! I want those kids to WANT to improve like Max and Amelia do, I want what's best for all of these kids! || - Abby Lee Miller
It was apparent to everyone that the conversation about the group dance was over, well and truly. Abby sent the members off the group dance to go change, with Brady tagging along, so the adults in the room were left in an awkward silence that no one tried to break. When the kids came back their parents were incredibly grateful, just so they could have something to talk about; their costumes.
They were all wearing a black blazer with golden pinstripes (bar Max who was carrying his), with white shirts that the moms spent the better part of an hour stoning and to complete the look a gold tie that most girls were struggling with. On the bottom was much more plain, for the girls just simple black shorts while Max had matching pinstriped pants, it was obvious where Abby wanted the judges to focus on.
Max finished off his hat with the iconic Charlie Chaplin bowler hat, which Sandy was currently making the boy knew how to place it to make it stick on his head. Amelia, on the other hand, was having a grand old time using eyeliner to create a teeny, tiny, little moustache on Max's finger, while trying (and failing) to convince him that eyeliner was very necessary.
Abby had the group run through the number a few times, giving corrections occasionally before she called them in to talk to them, "Kids, last time I did a Chaplin number, it placed fifth! FIFTH! The ALDC does not place fifth, EVER! Okay, so you use your faces, remember the things I've telling you all week and get the ALDC a win, got it?" Abby was met with nods of affirmation so she rolled out the door shouting over her shoulder, "You guys coming?"
It was one number before the kids were on and things were starting to get serious. Max had never danced with most of the girls, Pressley was still trying to perfect the big turn sequence she did with Amelia and Hannah, Gia was rolling her eyes and chatting to Sarah and Lilli who seemed the most calm in that moment and Amelia was doing what Amelia does best; panicking.
|| I'm terrified for this group dance, because I get the first flower, I set the new rhythm, so if I'm off the whole dance is off! || - Amelia Hatchet
Whilst Brady attempted to do a rousing speech to calm everyone down, it only seemed to freak them out more until the emcee spoke, "Now, coming from the Abby Lee Dance Company, number 56: Chaplin!" With that Michelle, Ashley and Sandy ran onstage carrying between them the bench, the hat, the cane and the vase filled with flowers, as soon as they got off stage and everyone walked, in character, and waited for the opening notes of the music.
Walking off the stage the kids felt ecstatic, knowing that besides a few hiccups the dances was great! They were all incredibly proud of themselves, until they saw Brady standing off to the side with a glum look on his face. When the girls asked about it all they got was a shrug and him quietly saying, "It was great and all but I wish I had been apart of it," Which caused a massive group hug from the original girls, while the new kids just stood awkwardly to the side knowing that this wasn't their moment.
|| I thought the the group dance was dynamic and lovely, but I did notice a lot of simple mistakes that could cost us the win || - Abby Lee Miller
Abby barely had time to talk to the kids about the performance before they were called out for awards, which was filling people with mixed emotions. Some with sheer joy, others with dread. Especially with both the caliber of dance at the competition and the strange way awards were given out.
|| Now at most competitions they separate dancers by ability and age, not at Starpower though! At this competition they only have an Overall category and they only announce the top two dancers || - Abby Lee Miller
The emcee walked onto the stage receiving a large round of applause. Smiling he started the ceremony, "Who's ready for some awards?" This was met with an even bigger cheer, "Starting off we have Overall Solo, in second from the Abby Lee Dance Company," A hush fell over the auditorium as he paused for dramatic effect, "we have number 37, Pressley, who danced Never Loved Like This!" With a disappointed smile, Pressley made her way to the emcee who shook her hand and showed her where to stand.
|| For having almost none of Abby' attention all week, I'm proud of second! || - Ashley Hosbach
|| Second? Really? Her mother might be fine with second, but I'm sure as hell are not! || - Abby Lee Miller
As the cheers died down the emcee got to the place everyone wanted, "And in first place," Hannah squeezed Brady' hand so tight he thought he lost circulation, "is number 14, Alec who danced, The Rabbit Hole! Come on up bud!" An adorable little nine year old made his way to the front of the stage with the biggest grin in the world.
|| I'm utterly shocked that Hannah didn't place, especially in her home town! I mean, come on! She's one of the best darn dancers on the stage! It's crazy! || - Ann Colin
|| I'm upset, but not surprised that Brady didn't place, it wasn't his best this week || - Tricia Farrar
|| Not one, but two of my soloist didn't place! What is this?! || - Abby Lee Miller
After of a few minutes of announcing the duets and trios it was time for the group awards, which reinvigorated some the dancers, "In second place for Overall Top Scoring Group of the day is," The ALDC kids held onto each other, "number 43, from Kids Dance Club, Angels In The Night! " Kids all around the stage let out a breath of relief when they weren't called up, hoping that they were the ones who beat second.
|| I really scared, because who knows what'll happen if we don't win anything || - Lilliana Ketchman
|| Right now it's either win big, or go home losers! || - Abby Lee Miller
The emcee was quiet before starting up his speech again, "And now, the moment we've all been waiting for, The Top Overall High Score Group here at Starpower in Indianapolis is... Drum roll please!" Everyone on stage started beating their hands at a fast pace, smiling in anticipation, "Chaplin! Act number 56 from the Abby Lee Dance Company!" The moms stood and clapped profusely while the kids semi-calmly walked to receive their award, they posed for photos before they were allowed to leave the stage and made their way backstage to the dressing room.
|| I knew as soon as Amelia got that first flower, that this was a winning group! || - Sandy Hatchet
When everyone got back to the dressing room, the first thing Amelia noticed was blood red lipstick on her vanity, which was obviously not there before, "Um... What's that?" Was the first thing to escape the her lips. After some encouragement she read the message out loud, "It says, WE'RE BACK! XO"
|| A message on my mirror, not creepy at all! || - Amelia Hatchet
The rest of the trip back to Pittsburg was a blur to Amelia, who was solely focused on those two words,
We're back!
Hey guys! Hope you like the rest of the competition, I thought it was pretty damn good especially considering it took me like 5 hours to get it the way I wanted it to be. This chapter has actually come out at the perfect time, if you haven't been keeping up with it, Jojo Siwa has just come out! I for one could not be more happy for her because everytime someone feels safe enough to say "This is me" it becomes a better place for everyone! N e ways please remember to:
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Peace Out Girl (and other) Scouts, stay safe!