Two to Tango (11 page)

The Divas watched anxiously as the other teams performed. There were several good routines (Top Toes from L.A. did a salute to Hollywood, including an acro routine across the Walk of Fame) and a few bizarre ones (Candy Corns from Iowa were scarecrows tapping through the cornfields).

“The waiting is the worst part,” Anya said. “I just want to get it over with!”

“At least we're up before City Feet,” Liberty added. “Let them sweat a little longer.”

Finally, the announcer summoned them to the stage: “Performing a contemporary dance titled ‘After the Storm,' please welcome Dance Divas.”

Rochelle cued the sound track, and a bolt of lightning crackled across the back gymnasium wall. The wind machine started to whip, and a curtain of rain poured down as the music pulsed and the thunder boomed. The girls made their way across the floor, helping one another through the devastating hurricane. Scarlett, Liberty, and Anya spun in
pirouettes,
as if the wind was propelling them. Bria rolled across the floor, arching her back and reaching for the heavens, pleading with them to stop the destruction and despair. Gracie's part was the most emotional: a little child, lost and searching high and low for her mother. She walked across the floor in a perfect handstand, finally settling in a pile of newspaper that she draped over her head as shelter. Suddenly, the rain stopped and a ray of sunlight broke through, shining down on the dancers. They took one another's hands and stood tall onstage. They shed their ragged, dirty skirts and shawls to reveal spotless white leotards. Finally, Gracie held up a newspaper with the headline: REBUILD, RESTORE, RENEW.

The crowd went wild. There wasn't a dry eye in the gymnasium. The judges were passing around a box of tissues.

The girls raced offstage to hug Rochelle.

“That was amazing!” Scarlett congratulated her. “Absolutely amazing!”

“A first-place winner if I ever saw one,” Toni agreed.

“Don't count on that,” Justine said, walking over to them. “That was an amazing number. I give credit where credit is due. But you haven't seen ours yet.”

Rochelle checked the program. The name of City Feet's routine was “Puzzlement.”

“What do you suppose that means?” she asked her teammates.

“It means Justine didn't want anyone to know what she was up to,” Liberty said.

As the announcer called them to the stage, the City Feet team girls strutted out wearing black robes.

“What the heck?” Bria asked. “Are they supposed to be monks?”

“Let's hope Mandy takes a vow of silence,” Scarlett said, laughing.

A strange, eerie tune began playing over the speakers. It had bells, whistles, and odd chanting. Rochelle strained her ears to make out the words. “I think they're backward . . .,” she said. There were strange sounds of a record skipping and scratching.

Just then, the dancers unwrapped their robes. They were dressed in black-and-white-checkered bodysuits resembling the squares of a crossword puzzle. They twisted themselves in odd shapes, as Mandy flipped and twirled around them. Random letters and numbers appeared on the walls and ceiling. It was dizzying.

“This is pazy . . . and not in a good way,” Gracie interjected.

“You can say that again,” Hayden spoke up. “I can't figure it out.”

“I think that's the point,” Toni suggested. “Justine is trying to make a statement about the uncertainty of life.”

“You get that . . . from that?” Rochelle said. “All I'm getting is motion sickness.”

“I know my frenemy. She likes to push the envelope and make the judges think. I can't say that I hate it . . .”

“I can,” Liberty said. “And I think the audience does, too.” When the music ended, no one knew if the routine was over and whether or not to clap.

“It doesn't matter what the audience thinks; it's how the judges will judge it,” Toni replied. “It was very inventive and edgy. I think they might have a good chance of taking first place.”

It took the judges over an hour to deliberate on all the divisions.

Petite Solo was the first to be announced. “In second place, Mandy Hammond from City Feet with ‘Red, Red Robin.' ”

“Oh, my gooshness.” Gracie squeezed Hayden's hand as the Divas huddled on the floor. “Do you think? Could it be?”

“In first place, Gracie Borden from Dance Divas with ‘Cooking by the Book'!”

Gracie jumped up and down. “I won! I won! I won!” she screamed.

“See? And you were worried about the pancake-turned-UFO,” Hayden said to Rochelle teasingly.

Gracie beamed and made sure that Mandy got a good look at her winning trophy. It was so tall and heavy, she could barely lift it. “It's bigger than yours,” she said to Mandy. “So there!”

Anya got first place for Teen Solo, while Hayden came in third runner-up. Rochelle felt terrible; the in-your-face umbrella had been totally her fault.

“You win some, you lose some,” he reassured her.

“Don't let Toni hear you say that,” Bria warned him. “She doesn't like to lose. Ever.”

When the announcer said Hayden and Liberty won for Best Duet, Rochelle's heart sunk, just a little. She was thrilled for him, but jealous that he and Liberty shared something they never would.

“Look on the bright side,” Scarlett said, trying to distract her. “Mandy and Regan came in third, and Addison and Phoebe were second. Justine must be freaking out.”

But not even City Feet's defeat could make her feel better. Rochelle watched as Hayden and Liberty posed for pictures with their arms around each other. Rochelle shut her eyes tight; it hurt too much to think of him with another girl.

“Hey, you taking a nap?” Hayden whispered, sitting back down beside her.

“No. I just . . . I got something in my eye.”

“Oh. Let me check . . .” Hayden leaned in closer. “I don't see anything.” Then he planted a kiss on her cheek. Rochelle blushed.

“Next time, that title is ours,” he said.

Rochelle hoped there would be a next time. She wasn't sure Miss Toni would ever forgive her for all of today's fiascos. She was trying to put them out of her head when she felt a drop of water land on it. Then another. Then another.

She held out her hand. “Is it me, or is it raining in here?” she asked.

Hayden looked up. “I think the PVC pipe is leaking.”

“I'm getting drizzled on,” Scarlett whispered. “What's going on?”

Before they could investigate further, the announcer took his position at the microphone.

“Our final category is Best Junior Group Performance,” he said. He read several other studio names, till he reached first runner-up.

“Wow, this was a close one. Only one-tenth of a point separates our overall winner and the first runner-up.” The Divas all joined hands and waited for the names to be called. Rochelle wiped a few more water drops off her face.
Hurry up!
She silently willed the host to read the results.
I'm getting drenched!

“First runner-up, ‘After the Storm,' Dance Divas, New Jersey . . .”

Rochelle was stunned. They'd lost to City Feet!

Mandy, Regan, Addison, Phoebe, and the rest of the City Feet team raced up to retrieve their trophy. Justine joined them onstage, beaming. She even had an acceptance speech prepared. “We just want to say a big thank-you to the judges and congratulate our competitors,” she said. “Toni and Dance Divas, especially. Good try, girls!”

All of a sudden, water burst through a section of the pipe. It poured down right on the spot where Justine and her team were standing as they posed for pictures, soaking them from head to toe.

“Help! I can't swim!” Mandy whimpered.

“Awesome!” Hayden laughed. “We flooded the Feet!”

“Rock, did you plan that?” Scarlett whispered.

“I wish!” she said, cracking up. “Liberty?”

“Nuh-uh,” she answered. “This was a natural disaster.”

Even Miss Toni couldn't help laughing. “Aw, poor Justine. Looks like the Divas rained on your parade.”

“You're not mad that they beat us?” Rochelle asked her.

“Mad? No. Disappointed? Sure. But seeing Justine doused makes up for it a little.” She winked.

Rochelle didn't think the four weeks of being “benched” from the Divas would ever be over—or that she would miss the endless dance drills and Miss Toni's constant correcting. But when the doctor finally gave her the okay, she couldn't wait to be back in the studio again.

“Welcome back!” Scarlett cheered. She'd hung a banner across Rochelle's locker in the dressing room and baked her M&M's brownies. “We missed you!”

“The Rock returns!” Bria said, hugging her.

Even Liberty seemed relieved to see her. “Miss
Toni says she wants to choreograph another duet with Hayden for next month's Ovation competition. You ready to pick up where we left off?”

Rochelle remembered the story Toni told her about Marcus. Instead of being jealous, Rochelle told her teammate, “You go ahead and do the duet. I'd rather be Swanilda.”

“Huh?” Liberty scratched her head. “I don't get it. I thought you liked Hayden.”

“I do,” Rochelle said. “And he likes me. So I'm fine with you dancing with him. Really.”

It felt amazing to be back in the studio. After her clunky boot, even her toe shoes felt comfy. She stood at the
barre
, waiting for Miss Toni to direct her.

Instead, her coach took a seat on a stool at the front of the studio. “Divas, we're growing—and I don't just mean in size.” She looked at Anya and Hayden. “I think Leaps and Bounds was just the beginning.”

Rochelle certainly felt like she'd changed over the past few months. She was more certain of her
footing on and off the stage, and she understood much better why Toni did what she did—and that trying to fill her shoes was impossible. Yes, her teacher was tough and strict, but that's what a great dance team needed in a leader. She made herself a promise that from now on, she'd try to be on time to class and not give Toni such a hard time.

Liberty raised her hand. “Um, Miss Toni, what do you mean ‘the beginning'? The beginning of what?”

Toni smiled. “I think we've turned a corner. I'm ready to shake things up, and I think you guys can handle it.”

Hayden glanced over at Rochelle and mouthed, “Help.” Bria looked like she was going to be sick. But Rochelle wasn't the least bit nervous. Rain, wind, sleet—even City Feet—couldn't stop the Dance Divas!

Arabesque:
a move where the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended behind her at 90 degrees.

Assemblé:
a jump from one to both feet—usually landing in fifth position.

Cabriole:
a scissorlike leap in the air, with one leg outstretched and the other beating against it.

Chaîné:
a series of quick turns.

Chassé:
a step in which one foot chases the other foot out of its position.

Echappé sauté:
a deep plié followed by a jump; the legs “escape.”

Fouetté:
a turning step where the leg whips out to the side.

Grand jeté:
a large forward leap in the air that looks like a flying split.

Pas de deux:
a duet.

Paso doble:
means “two steps” in Spanish because of the marchlike movements. This is a dance where
the man and woman play the bullfighter and his cape or bullfighter and bull.

Piqué turn:
a traveling turning step on one leg.

Pirouette:
a turn on one leg with the other leg behind.

Plié:
a bend of the knees with hips, legs, and feet turned out.

Port de bras:
graceful movements of the arms.