Storybrooke
"Okay, from the top, Remember if you don't get all the moves it's okay, just asking as you keep fluidity."
The familiar tunes of pink fill the dance studio.
Makes a wrong turn
I Step onto my right foot and swing the left foot behind the right in a full turn.
Once or twice
I Raise my right arm, then my left arm, forming a V.
I watch my students in the mirrors, taking mental notes on people's weaknesses.
Dug my way out
I Step onto the left foot and swing the right foot behind the left in a full turn.
Blood and fire
I Raise my left arm, then the right arm, forming a V.
Bad decisions
I Place my right foot behind me, bending at my waist to move my torso behind my legs.
That's alright
I Swing to the left side, leaning back
Welcome to my silly life
I Extend my arms in front of me, welcoming the "audience", then swing my hips on 'silly life'.
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
I Jump from both feet to the right, landing on my right foot and kicking the left foot out to the side, bringing the left foot down next to the right one, then stomping the right foot, then the left one.
Miss, no way it's all good
I Jump from both feet to the right, landing on the right foot and kicking out the left to the side, then step my left foot behind the right one, turning, then complete the turn by stepping through it onto the right foot.
It didn't slow me down
I Swing my hips and shake my head.
Mistaken
I Jump from both feet to the left, kicking my right foot to the right side.
Always second-guessing
I Step my right foot behind the left one, turning, then complete the turn by stepping through it onto the left foot.
Underestimated
I Jump from both feet to the left, kicking the right foot out to the side.
Look, I'm still around...
I Run in place.
Pretty, pretty please
I do two chaîné turns to the right.
Don't you ever, ever feel
I hop onto the right foot, bending the right knee and pointing my left toes at my right knee, then do a grand développé to the left.
Like you're less than
I do a balancé to the left.
Less than perfect
I Step onto the right foot and whip my left foot around for a single rotation turn.
Pretty, pretty please
I do two chaîné turns to the right.
If you ever, ever feel
I Hop onto the right foot, bending the right knee and pointing my left toes at my right knee, then do a grand développé to the left.
Like you're nothing
I Balancé to the left.
You are perfect to me
I Rise onto the balls of my feet and put my arms straight up in the air over my head. On 'to me' I step my right foot to the side, and, bending both knees, point my left foot behind my right foot, with my head towards the ground, and arms bent at the elbows with elbows at my sides and lower my arms forming a V from the two sides of the body.
The music stops and the whole class try to catch their breaths.
Once I catch my breath I amble to the stool by the stereo and take a seat.
"Okay now I want you to perform the routine this time on your own okay, so catch your breath and we'll go again."
I get nods from my advanced contemporary class.
Most of the class is filled with young adults so they don't need much rounding up, not like my other beginner classes they are always packed to the brim with little girls and a few boys every now and then so it sometimes can take a while to get them settled down.
It's been a minute, long enough for everyone to catch their breath.
"Okay from the top."
I grab the remote and press play.
Pinks Voice once again fills the dance studio.
Finally after what resembled an eternity of performing and critiquing balancé's the clock struck 7.
Signalling the end of My advanced Contemporary class.
"Okay grab your stuff and I'll see you all same time next week, now I'd like all for you to practice your two chaîné turns you all stumbled at least once, next week we shall be moving into the second part of the routine so don't expect us to spend much time on this section."
My students all shuffle out of the dance studio grabbing Their water bottles and dance bags while they're at it.
I wish I could go home but I still have to write in my hours and close the studio.
Maxine the owner of the studio had to leave early today and since the other dance instructors have gone home, (my last class running the latest) meant I had to lock up.
I roll my head trying to relieve the knots in my shoulders and neck with little success.
I'm sweating through my dance gear.
I long ago abandoned my hoodie and my spork tank quickly following, which left me in my sports bra which was soaked through with sweat.
My leggings were sticking to my legs like a second skin, several strands of hair were stuck to my forehead, and let's not mention my feet.
They were practically purple by now, they have been squished into ballet slippers and had to Endure an hour of Pirouettes, then stuffed into jazz boots and performed the same routine over and over again and finally completely barefooted while being exposed to Balancé after Balancé.
To say my feet hurt was an understatement.
I don't know how the other instructors do it, I only work part-time on Thursday and work for only 3 1/2 hours, 4 o'clock beginners ballet, that involved little girls in pink tutus learning how to pirouette and the five basic positions, they weren't the problem, the problem was the mothers, they enrol their children in ballet for the pink tutu and white leotard that means lesson is constantly being interrupted by mother fighting and shoving to take picture of their Princess and considering It's only an hour class and half of that time is spent having the lesson stopped for pictures I don't always get as much done as I would like, and then the parent complain because they aren't getting what they pay for.
5 o'clock was beginners Jazz, once again filled with children however they were a bit older than the little ballerina Princesses and ages ranges were usually 9-12, and here the parents who enrolled their kids didn't care for the pictures sure there were one or two but nothing like the ballet classes.
Then my last class the one I had just Finnish's was my advanced contemporary class, the youngest person you would usually get would be 17, so this was an intense class, however the most enjoyable in my opinion, really because we can cover advance and difficult routines, this class is the class I can utilise all my skills to their maximum.
I try to run the s of my feet in an attempt to ease some of the pain, with too little to no results.
My plan for tonight was to soak my feet in a hot bath, maybe light a few candles and get started on the marking of students homework that I have been putting off all week, also order take out from granny's, because I was in no mood to attempt to make dinner for myself.
I ache far too much
I sit behind the receptionist desk filling out the last of the paperwork, studio lights were all out, dance equipment was packed away I was getting ready to leave when the doorbell Jingled Indicating Someone had just walked through the door.
I look up and see the familiar silhouettes of Paige and Mr Roberts walk through the door.
"Hello Paige, Mr Roberts how can I help you."
"Well Paige has been wanting to begin dance lessons for a while now and so I was wondering could we sign her up for jazz."
Paige's face looks so excited.
Paige is such a sweet girl and I've always held a soft spot for the girl.
My response is going to crush her and me.
"Paige I would love to have you in my class, however, we're already near the end of the year and are preparing for the Christmas showcase, we would be thrilled to have you join our class next year, but I just don't see a way for you to catch up."
The defeated look on her face tears me to pieces, Mr Roberts places a comforting hand on her shoulder.
His unwavering gaze holds my attention.
"Isn't there some way we could enrol her?"
Paige adds on after her foster father.
"Please miss Brown, I promise you I'll be good and I'll practise every day."
"Paige sweetie-"
"Please."
Paige pulled out the puppy eyes.
"What if I paid you for extra lessons." Mr Roberts points out.
That halts me.
Mr Roberts sees that as an opening.
"I'll pay for Paige to spend a few hours every Saturday catching up."
Mr Robert can see he's wearing me down.
So he prods some more.
"I'll add on 15% commission for the time taken out of your weekend."
I'd be giving up a part of my Saturday, but then again what do I really do on Saturdays besides grade papers while watching reruns of casualty, and I could always do with the extra cash and it would only be a few hours.
Plus Paige is a very polite and sweet girl.
Paige is looking to be hopeful.
My resolve breaks.
Maxine is probably going to give me hell for this but as long as Paige works hard and proves to Maxine that she's willing to put in the work Maxine will give her a chance, plus I'll give Maxine a 10% cut.
One of the great things about Maxine she has such a passion for teaching the "artistry" of dance, as she calls it.
"Paige I want you to promise me that you will work hard, do you promise this."
Paige's face lights up.
"Yes! I promise!"
"Well, then I suppose we could give it a shot."
A giant smile breaks out of Paige's face.
"I promise you won't regret this Miss sharp."
I hope not, I'm putting my neck out here.
I grab the necessary forms and hand them to Mr Roberts.
"You will need to fill out this form, just details about Paige you know the name, date of birth, address, medical conditions, you will also need to fill out the emergency contact form in case we need to contact you for any reason. No fees are $70 a month, this is always charged on the 1st of the month, this covers all your lemons for that month, you will also be charged an additional $75 this will cover your uniform, you will receive a standard leotard, they come in pink, red, blue, teal, purple or green, jazz dance shoes, dancing leggings, a studio hoodie, a studio dance bag and a studio water bottle, you will find a form to fill out, really it will just ask you for card details, leotard size and chosen colour and shoes size once you've handed the form in they usually arrive within 5-6 working days, for the time being just make sure Paige wears a loose but comfortable top and soft pants preferably sweatpants, however, once her uniform has arrived she will be required to wear it to every practice, no makeup nor earrings are permitted During practice if necessary studs are okay but no others, hair must always be up as well."
While I'm explaining everything to Mr Roberts I'm also pointing out on the forms exactly where to put everything.
"So do I pay now or...."
Mr Roberts asks.
"Since there is only one week left in This month, next week you shall pay the $75 uniform fee and $17.50 for next weeks lesson, however, the following week you shall be charged $70 this will cover that months lessons and so forth, class begins at 5 and finishes at 6."
I put all the forms in a plastic wallet To keep everything together.
I then move onto the weekend schedule.
"Unfortunately the studio is full-on Saturdays so we will have to have class in my apartment, I'll right you down the address, I'll take Paige from let's say 1 - 4 that's 3 hours plus commission, that will cost you $59."
Mr Roberts nods his head in agreement.
"Well that's everything sorted, so Paige I'll be seeing you next week then."
Well, I'll be seeing her in class tomorrow but still.
Paige waves to me as she and Mr Roberts walk out of the studio.
I let out a breath and lean back against the chair, wondering to myself what hell I just got myself into.