|Pyramid|
"come on girls! let's go let's go! move it in here!" Abby yells for us as we walk into studio a
"congratulations ladies you are undefeated eight times in a row."
i smile and we all clap
"that's a big deal, not too burst your bubble but it is early in the season a lot of dance studios don't have their competition numbers ready yet and it's gonna get tougher and tougher as we move along."
"we're celebrating accomplishments and i have a accomplishment i published my first book." Holly says
we all clap for Holly
"and i have my book signing tomorrow everyone's invited, i told Abby i gave her own invitation everyone here is invited"
"uh uh uh dance comes first right?" Abby says
"right Nia? yes."
"you inspired some of those quotes and affirmations." Holly says
"i just want credit where it's due." Abby says
"what is the title of your book?" Jill asks
"oh moments of clarity and i've had many moments of clarity sitting up there." Holly says and points upstairs
"finished?" Abby asks
"oh yes i am." Holly says
"anything else to add?" Abby asks
"no." Holly says
"i got a copy of the book in advance signed one of the quotes in the book is silence is golden, yeah let's see if she's gonna keep her mouth shut now." Abby says
"at the bottom of the pyramid Nia, not so great in the group routine.. new problems little late headpiece.. the minute the headpiece started to slip her confidence went down the tubes."
"and next we have Kendall, Kendall you were good i didn't have a problem with you at all until your mother started to go on and on and on oh this special part and you were supposed to have the apple in your hand blah blah blah."
"nope nope nope, you went on and on and made the kids work for their that spot." Jill says
"how fair is that Abby?"
"oh its not fair at all." Abby says
"next we have Maddie, Maddie no way you're ever going to be on top of the pyramid if you're not here for all the rehearsals and you know that, you were in LA you were working it was a dance job."
"yes." Maddie says
"the team comes first but i want you to do other things so it's kinda a double edge sword." Abby says
"and next we have Camila, in the dance off you got beat by Kendall..you've never gotten beat by Kendall."
"next Eloise, you've been kinda coasting it these past couple of weeks it's time to get working."
Eloise nods
"moving up we have Chloe, Chloe you were the overall high score second place you had a great performance nothing was really wrong."
"and next we have Mackenzie, a triple threat singing, dancing,acting you were the overall high score of the junior division by the skin of your teeth."
we clap for Kenzie
"and the overall high score junior soloist Kalani."
we clap for Kalani
Kalani
Mackenzie Chloe
Eloise Camila Maddie Kendall Nia
"this week we are going to Detroit Michigan and we will be attending intensity dance competition"
we clap
"this is where the car industry made people millionaires suddenly the depression came and nobodies buying any cars so we are going to do a routine and call it Riches to Rags"
"Maddie you are doing a contemporary solo and the name of the piece is Timeless because you are Timeless Maddie."
"Eloise it's back to work you have a musical theatre solo entitled Love Me Like You"
"and my other solo.. Kendall this week you're doing a pretty lyrical solo."
i smile to Kendall
"Abby can you just explain as to where Kalani fits she can't go up against Maddie for the number one spot on the team." Kira says
"Kalani was brought here to dance with Maddie not to go up against my own students." Abby says
"you put her up against Chloe last week." mom points out
"i did and what happened so i learnt from my mistakes, i'm never going to do that again." Abby says
"okay go ahead.. get ready to dance."
|Group Rehearsals|
we start the group and it's cute
our dance is about us being homeless and wanting to be rich basically
"so the songs sassy but you are unemployed, hungry, dirty, sad" Abby says
"so ready? who's starting.. Kendall you start."
we all come out in the line
Kendall enters first then Chloe then me then Maddie then Nia then Kalani then Kenzie
we do the group a couple of times
"we need to start the solos.. Maddie you're on deck and the rest of you can go."
we all get dismissed
|Two Days To Competition|
|Group Rehearsals|
"listen girls im not gonna be here tomorrow Gia will be incharge tomorrow, no mother changes the costume no mother changes music no mother changes choreography and you are not doing a solo got it kiddo?" Abby directs the last bit to Kalani
Kalani nods and we leave studio A
"what's happening between you and Mads?" Kendall comes over to me
"did she tell you?" i ask
"no, Eloise did." Kendall corrects
"why did she- does everyone know?" i ask
"well all the girls know..and i'm assuming the whole studio is gonna know soon." Kendall says
"great..jeez thanks Eloise." i mumble
"look i don't know what actually happened and i'll probably never fully understand but maybe talk to Maddie, hear her out first." Kendall suggests
|Competition Day|
we arrive at the competition and we head to the dressing room
the girls get ready for their solos and they all soon perform
Kendall's dance was really nice this week
and her costume was really nice
Eloise performs next
and according to Abby she's broadways next star
but she probably won't beat Maddie
Maddie performs next and as usual
she was flawless.
we head back to the dressing room and
i start doing my hair for the group routine
Kira pulls Kalani out of the room and Jill goes over to listen in
"Kira is out in the hallway saying she wants to put Kalani in a solo." Jill comes back over saying
Jill goes back over to the door and looks shocked
then we all hear screaming assuming Abby has found out
the fight was about Abby not wanting another mom and Kelly on the team and that Kalani isn't doing a solo
Kalani comes back in and gets ready for the group
Camilas group costume (same dress) and hair:
we all head backstage ready to perform
"we need to show Abby that we're not replaceable." Kendall says to us
i nod
"alright next up in our junior small group division we have entry number 77 welcome to the stage Riches To Rags." the announcer says
our music starts and Kendall enters first
then Chloe then me and i point acting like i want something then i faint into Chloes arms and she drags me across the stage then drags me offstage
we all enter again looking happier and we start dancing
we do the routine and we finish it and i think we did a good job
we head back to the dressing room and i take my costume and makeup off and put leggings and a leotard on
i stick my hair in a ponytail and put my dance jacket on
then Jeanette and Ava enters the room
wow i'm seeing Ava a lot more recently..
"oh hey!" Holly says
"i just wanted to stop in and say after seeing the four performances.. girls good job." Jeanette says
"thank you." Abby says
"i don't necessarily think that you got Maddie beat this time but um think you got Kendall beat" Jeanette says
i look to Jeanette in shock
she did not just say that..
and Jill looks shocked
i look to Abby and she makes a face of disgust
"that was nasty." Abby says
"we have travelled for a long time we're very close we have our disfunction but we don't want you here if you're going to say that because i don't want you here that was rude." Jill says
"we just think technically.. technically i think that it was." Jeanette says
"you just said you think has them beat how is that not saying not slapping somebody in the face." Kira says
"well." Jeanette says
"and you want apart of this team?" Kira adds
"i'm not apart of this team yet." Jeanette says
"yet?" Kira says
"yet, i think she has her beat it's my personal opinion." Jeanette says
"saying that your kid has a perfect performance cause your kids performance was not good.. her arms were going like this." Kira says
"okay enough of the dramatics." Jeanette says
"that's what it looked like." Kira says
"there is plenty of things i could've pointed out about Kalani." Jeanette then says
"really? about my kid?!" Kira raises her voice
"really? don't even start." Kira gets up wand walks towards Jeanette
"there is plenty of things that i can point out." Jeanette says
"about my kid?" Kira says
"about your kid." Jeanette confirms
"you know what Kalani would put your kid in a grave." Kira says
"she's thirteen." Jeanette says
"she would've put your kid in a grave ten years ago!" Kira yells
"she's ten times the dancer your kid would ever be."
"back off." Jeanette says
"get out." Kira says
"we're going to have a little dance off before the awards there's gonna be a improv competition so we will settle on the dance floor, Kalani vs Ava." Abby says
"let them all do it." Jill says
Jeanette and Ava then leaves
"that's why i wanted Kalani in a solo not too put down Maddie to put down all the rest of them." Kira says
"alright girls you gotta get ready for this improv competition when you get out there you need to use your brain you need to think outside the box don't just get out there doing the same kick and the same turn over and over these judges want to see something different you're up against some stiff competition let's go out there let's do it." Abby says
i slip on my half soles
Kaylas outfit:
we head backstage for the improv competition i make a small combo in my head before we go on
"at this time i would like too welcome thirty six incredible dancers to the stage that will be performing in the masters of dance arts improv competition
we all enter the stage and i stand in between Chloe and Ava
"if you hear number blank thank you that's your queue to exit and you're gonna exit that way." the announcer says
my number is 27.
the music starts and i start my combo with sliding to the floor on my toes and doing a floor combo
"thank you number thirteen." one of the judges says
i then do a floor leap into my turn combo
the judges keep calling out numbers and they exit
"thank you number seven." the judge says and that's Nias number so she exits the stage
i land my turns and i do a tilt
into a leap
"thank you number nine."
Kenzie exits the stage
"thank you number ten."
Kendall exits the stage
i do my ending section with some leaps into turns
and then round one is over.
"can i please have then top seven line up across the stage."
we all line up and i stand beside Kalani
"if you hear your number please stand at the front of the stage, number twenty five, number eight, number eleven and number twenty seven."
i stand forward with Kalani and Chloe and another girl
"very nice job dancers, back line i'm sorry very nice job you guys can exit the stage thank you."
Maddie, Ava, Eloise and another girl exit the stage
i beat Maddie and Ava which i'm happy about
but i beat Eloise
Karma.
"congratulations to the finalists we're going to have you guys dance one more time."
the music starts and it's more heavy so i pull out a bit of my Burn solo
then the rounds of over.
"beautiful job girls."
"let me see what the judges think.
"and your winner is number twenty five Marissa."
i clap for the girl that won
|Awards|
for solos
Kendall got ninth
Ava got third
Eloise got second
Maddie got first
"now our top junior elite groups, in third place with a score of 273.5 points number 54 land of wonder."
"in second place with a score of 274.3 points number 51 titanium."
"and in first place with a score of 280.7 points is number 77 Riches to Rags."
we stand up and get our award
i hug Chloe
we run into the dressing room cheering and Abby hugs us
"good job! nine!" Abby cheers
"Kalani come here, i love you babe but you were supposed to win that improv dance off, Chloe you did a lot better in the improv than i would've thought you just can't repeat they saw you turn they saw you nail the turns you don't want to do them again and do them as good as you did the first time understand?"
"Camila, you did well in the improv but you can't repeat anything, they already saw you turn and leap they don't need it again."
"Christi get rid of the attitude."
"i don't have an attitude i'm responding to you." mom says
"look at your face right now you have an attitude." Abby says
"let's go." mom says to Chloe and I
i start to get my things and i put my jacket on and i grab my bags
"you have an attitude of being on this team." Abby says
"no Abby i have an attitude with you." mom says
"and that's only going to hurt you in the long run." Abby says
"no it's not" mom says
"sorry Chloe and Camila" Abby says
"sorry i know you really look out for the best for them!" mom says
and we leave the room
"go wait outside." mom says
"why?" i ask
"i'll be out in like five minutes" mom says
Chloe takes my hand and we start to walk
i look back to see mom spitting in Abbys face
i gasp
"don't look back, let's go." Chloe says as we leave the building