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"Come on girls, let's go, moms, girls, get in here, let's go" miss Abby calls to us as we walk into the dance studio. "Hello ladies, how's it going?" She asked. "Where's Holly? Nia, where is your mother?"
"She's at work" Nia replies.
"Not gonna happen" she tells her, shaking her head. "Yes. She needs to leave work, leave the job, forget it, and be here with you." Miss Abby tells her, and I think that's a little unfair. "That's what's important" she says, I look over at the moms and they don't look impressed by her words.
"Yes? You want this, I know you want it. I know you love it. She had to love it for you. Now, first of all, you're national champion. It was a great competition at Starbound in Lake Tahoe. That's something to be very proud of. Then we got to LA, we did a video. People know who you are now, from watching that video. But, you're a target. When you walk in it's going to be all about beating the Abby Lee Dance Company. We all know that Cathy is not here. Because Cathy wasn't a team player. Where did that get Vivi-Anne? Nowhere. I'm going to have an open audition. A casting call for a new dancer for the Abby Lee Dance Company. Tell everybody you know that we're looking for a new girl for this group, maybe two new girls. Everyone's replaceable. Are you next?" Miss Abby said and I get nervous because I don't want to be replaced. I love dance.
"First, Mackenzie" miss Abby says moving onto the pyramid. "You can't sit on the couch and eat chips. Your now six and under. Your seven and over. And I expect the same thing from you as Maddie did when she was seven. Next, Brooke. Brooke why are you on the bottom of this pyramid? You had a great season. But then you took a break. You didn't show up to class. Paige, same thing. You can't take a vacation. New rule, dancing year-round. Nia, you want to win a title. It's all about a title, every time I talk to your mother, it gets back to the title. Your mother couldn't care less about you winning a title. She's not even here. Kennedy, I think you danced grate in the video, you did get upset once, you pushed through the whole way even when you were tired. This season there's gonna be a lot more pushing for you because I expect you to win. Chloe, your in the video. People recognise you, wherever you go now. That's pressure. A Maddie, your on the top of the pyramid. Because you won a national title. Maddie, Chloe, Kennedy, Nia, your going to be doing solos. Now Maddie, it's not going to be an easy win. It's nine and up. And your on the young side of the age. This weekend we will be attending Dance Troupes in Greensboro, North Carolina. And we're going to do a new number called, sassy dolls"
Maddie
Chloe Kennedy Nia
Paige Brooke Mackenzie
"I'm really glad that Maddie isn't in my age category anymore because now I have a better chance of winning first and making miss Abby proud."
"We have one week to the competition. And we don't have a routine yet. We're starting from scratch, right now. This is going to be crazy. All right? Moms, I'm going to dismiss you. Girls let's go" miss Abby says and we leave the studio to put on our Jazz shoes because the dance is a jazz routine.
Then it was back to the studio and straight to work on the routine.
***
Today we have the auditions for a new girl or boy to join our dance team, I'm super excited but it's also kinda a waist of time because we have an important competition this weekend. I still haven't learnt my solo.
I don't know why we're in here to be fair why aren't we in another room going through the dances?
The people who came to audition, auditioned and now there's 4 people left. Miss Abby told us to go in a line with them so we did, it went.
Girl1
Brooke
Girl2
Paige
Girl3
Chloe
Nia
Girl4
Kennedy
Maddie
Mackenzie
"Turn to face the back" miss Abby said as we turned around. "My girls, go to the side please" she said and Brooke, Paige, Maddie, Kenzie, Nia, Chloe and I all stood off to the side. "As you know, we're looking for one person. 230,201,279, step forward." Miss Abby said leaving Payton to stand alone. "Payton, you know I love you. Your just now right for this particular competition team. So I have to let you go." Miss Abby said to her and she nodded and walked out of the studio.
"I feel bad because, I love Payton and she's a really good dancer and she would be good for the team because we all know her, we don't want some stranger coming in who we don't know."
"201,479" please step forward" miss Abby said leaving a girl who looks around my age to stand alone. "Relieved?" Miss Abby asked the two girl and they nodded. "201, 479, sadly, I have to let you go. Thank you very much" miss Abby said as they left the room leave 230 to stand alone. "230, congratulations." Miss Abby yelled and we all scared running up to her to give her a big hug. I've seen her around the studio but never actually spoke to her because I don't have classes with her. I learnt that she's 9 and her names Kendall. Then the moms walked in to congratulate her.
"This a legacy that your joining. She is now one of Abby's kids. This is a tight-knit group. And I'm not going to tell you that it's going to be easy. You're on probation for the first several weeks. And mom, there's a competition this weekend. She has three days to prepare. Thank you, your all dismissed. I will see you bright and early tomorrow for rehearsal. Okay, thank you, thank you all." Miss Abby said and we all left the studio to get ready to go home.
It is now night time and it was kinda cold outside so I took off my dance shoes and put on my slippers and the aldc company jumper. I then packed away my shoes in my bag, then my mom took my bag and we left to the car to go home.
This:
***
Today miss Abby is going though all the solos and the group dances and it's crazy.
"My solo this week is called 'so far away' and it's an acro solo and I'm really happy miss Abby let me do it."
"Kennedy, I need to see more energy, I'm giving you a solo after your mother complained to me about not giving you any acro solos. Here, I'm giving you one, but I need you to pull it together and I need you to give it your all, okay?" She says and I nodded. "Okay, let's go"
The music started and so did I, it was a class full of miss Abby perfecting everything I'm doing. But that's fine, I want to be the best.
Then it was time to work on the group, my solo is done and I love it. This class again was full of miss Abby yelling to correct everything we do.
She ended up making Brooke cry. I feel really bad and I go to hug her but miss Abby tells me off, honestly tonight I think everyone is just tired and just wants to go home.
***
Competition day!!
Todays the day of the competition and miss Abby's worried we won't be able to make it becuase there's a snow storm right now, it's freezing.
My mom grabbed one of my suit cases with my makeup, while I grabbed my bag for the bus, full of snacks and colouring in and my other suitcase with my costumes in it and spare things like sewing stuff in case things go wrong.
***
"Girls, come on, let's go" miss Abby says as we get off the bus at the competition.
Once we get to the dressing room, everyone was quick to set up everything and it was straight to work with hair and makeup.
With doing dance since I was 2 I've learnt how to do my own makeup, the only thing I need help with is hair and lashes, my mom touched up my hair as I did my makeup and then she applied the false eyelashes.
When it was done I went and got into my costume for my solo.
Then I started to warm up seeing as it's freezing outside. I started to do stretches so my body warms up so the moves I have to do on stage don't hurt when I do it. Gianna sat on the floor with me to help me.
"Alright now listen, you just shot the music video. People recognise you. They know who you are. Do not go out there and forget your dance. Do not let it happen. Keep dancing." Miss Abby said to Chloe who nodded at her.
"Kennedy, I gave you an acro solo, I expect you to win, otherwise, no more acro solos" she tell me and I nod my head.
"Now Kendall, remember, you are still on probation. What you do out there today counts. Yes?" Miss Abby asks her and she nods her head.
"Maddie, new age group, nine and up. Do not disappoint me. Get out there. And do what you were trained to do." Miss Abby tells her and she nodded.
"All right. Are we ready? Game faces." Miss Abby tells us as Gianna and I get up off the floor to do back stretches really quick. Gianna then takes me back stage to dance my solo first.
"Please welcome contestant number 39. Please welcome, Kennedy" the announcer said and I walked on stage while the audience cheered.
The crowd cheered as I existed off stage and Maddie gave me a big hug "you did so good!" She smiles at me letting me go.
"Thanks" I say to her smiling back, I just hope it's good enough to win first place.
I'm the only girl from ALDC preforming a solo in my category so I hope I win or miss Abby will be mad.
***
"Our first place, petite soloist goes to, contestant 39, Kennedy Lord" the man said and I heard the girls scream for me from the crowd as I stood up to collect my award, my moms stood up to clap for me and I waved at her.
"Who's your choreographer?" The man asked me.
"Abby Lee" I said with a big smile.
"What company are you from?" He asked me.
"Abby Lee Dance Company!" I cheered putting my fist up in the air with a big smile as the audience cheered again.
***
Kenzie, Brooke, Paige and I and I sat in the audience with miss Abby and the moms while we wait for the girls to go on.
"Now we'd like to welcome to the stage contestant number 65. Welcome, Maddie." The announcer said as Maddie then made her way on stage while we cheered for her.
When her dance finished we all clapped for her as she made her way off stage, she danced so well.
"Up next, we have contestant number 84. Welcome Chloe" the announcer said and she walked on stage while we cheered for her.
Chloe did her dance so good and I cheered for her as she exited the stage.
"Next is contestant number 85. Please welcome to the stage Nia" the announcer said as Nia walked on stage.
When she exited the stage everyone cheered. She danced so good.
"Up next, we have contestant number 81 in the performance of bring on the boys from studio code 513. Welcome, Kendall" the announcer said and I cheered for her and she made an entrance on stage.
Honestly I thought she was going to be better, don't get me wrong shes an amazing dancer but against Maddie and Chloe she stand no chance.
I cheered super loud as she exited the stage and now it's time for awards.
"Are we ready for awards?" The announcer said, I sat on stage with the girls even though I didn't preform in this age group I still wanted to be on stage and the people didn't seem to mind so the moms let us.
"This is performance. In fourth place, number 85, we have One Small Girl as the title. It's Abby Lee Dance Company." The lady said and I gave Nia a quick hug before she got up to get her award.
***
"And in first place Junior Age Division, our Overall Award goes to number 84, Born to sing, Abby Lee Dance Company" the lady says and I gasp as I hear her call out Chloe's dance, I give her a hug as do the other girls and then she gets up to grab her award.
And rounding out our Pre-Junior Category, in first place, number 65, star of the show, Abby Lee Dance Company" the lady calls out and Maddie gets up to grab her award.
***
The girls and I are back in the dressing room where we're getting ourselves ready for the group dance.
"We need to get ready for the group dance. Let's go. Kendall, you need to watch your distended neck. You need to pull it back." Miss Abby tells her and I walk over to where I'm set up.
my mom did my hair and I touched up my makeup. I then got into costume.
"Kendall. Are you crying?" Miss Abby asks I turn around to look at her and see that she was. I walk over and give her a hug as Jill says no trying not to let miss Abby yelling at her daughter and make it worse while she's handling it.
"No tears. You save those tears for your pillow, in your room, alone. Your going to humiliate yourself in front of everyone in this dressing room. Do not cry, suck it up, kid. You're here, your healthy, you are one lucky little girl. Act like it." Miss Abby says being a little harsh to her.
***
"Alright girls, listen to me, everybody can dance better. You know, this was the first time out. It was the first competition of the new season. Your a little rusty out there. All of you are too old to be cute, even Mackenzie." Miss Abby tells us as we continue getting ready.
***
"Girls, this is the first time you've been on stage since the big national win. Do you understand that?" Miss Abby talks as we are all ready and we're running through the dance. "You can't go from up here to down here in one performance." Miss Abby tells us and then a lady walks in.
"Girls, your next, we need you, let's go" she says and we follow her out the door to the stage.
We did the nerves shake before our number was called and had to teach Kendall but she got it pretty quick.
"Next up, we have set 189, with a performance sassy dolls. Please welcome studio competition code 513." The announcer said as we got on stage.
***
"Overall high scores. In the Pre-Junior Age Division, third place trophy, number 193 Freak, Floyd Ward's School of Dance." The lady said and I clapped for them as they went up to get there award.
"Second place, number 198, How Great Thou Art, Floyd Ward's School of Dance." The announcer said and I clapped for them as well. Oh man I really hope we get first or miss Abby will be so mad. I started biting my nails waiting for her to say who got first.
"Rounding out the juniors, number 189, Sassy Girls, Abby Lee Dance Company." The announcer said and I felt a huge relief life off my shoulders and we stood up to collect the award. The audience clapped and cheered and out moms stood up to cheer. Always so extra. We each got a medal then sat back down while she finished off talking.
***
"Girls you have to get it together" miss Abby says as we're now back in the dressing room packing up our stuff. "I said no more sloppy groups. And you know what? Brooke, you're too old to be cute. You're right in the front, before the whole side area section. Looking across at Chloe to see what to do." Miss Abby tells her, she can't just be proud we got first, no way, that's to hard for her.
"Nia, you were not even dancing. You didn't even know where you were on stage. You don't want a group dance? We can just come and do the solos. It'll save a lot of rehearsal time if we don't need a group. Back to the drawing board. New number, starting tomorrow." Miss Abby tells us.
"Your the one who wants them to learn a new dance every three days. Everybody else out there, I can guarantee you, have been doing their numbers more than three days." Kelly speaks up.
"How come I'm the only one that gets aggravated?" Miss Abby asked.
"Cause you're the only one that hasn't had a child." Kelly tells her.
"No. But I had a mother and a father. And if they looked at me one time, I knew. One look. So I'm telling you right now, it's 4:30 to 9:30, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday day, Thursday, Friday. Plan on it." Miss Abby says to her now yelling.
"Whatever Abby" Kelly says rolling her eyes and turning away to keep packing up.
"I don't have to pay on time. I'm Kelly Hyland. I've been dancing for 30 years." Miss Abby says mimicking Kelly.
"No, I always paid the whole year up front. Because I'll show you my Discover card payment that shows for the past 10 years, I've paid you in full." Kelly says to her.
"You're the reason I don't even take Discover anymore." Miss Abby tells her. "Kelly go get a job!" Miss Abby yells as Christi takes us girls out of the room.
"Oh, don't even go there, you whore." I heard Kelly say before the door shut and I couldn't hear anything else. Then the door opened again and miss Abby walks out. "Oh, you are a whore" I heard Kelly say and then the door shut again.
***
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