Dancer

I do not own Newsies in any way.


"Sophia!" Mistress Lee shrieked.

"Quick, take these", Maria said shoving my ballet shoes in my hands.

"I couldn't", I said.

"You will", she said, "Good luck in Manhattan my little ballerina". She kissed my forehead and shoved me outside. "Go!" she whispered.

I took off into the dark of the night. I turned and looked at the orphanage I would enter again.


When I made it to New York, I stopped and put my ballet shoes on. I came to a large bridge.

"Whatchoo doin'?" a boy asked. He took one look at me and sighed. "Ise bettah take youse ta Spot", he said.

I started following him, but incorporating dance.

"Whatchoo doin'?" he asked.

"Dancing", I said.

He just laughed and shook his head.

We entered a small building.

"Spot, gotcha someone new", the boy said.

I spun and landed at Spot's feet dramatically.

He pulled me to my feet and took my chin in his hand. He turned my head from left to right. "Youse too breakable foa Brooklyn. Ise takin' youse to Jackie-boi in da moinin'", Spot said.


Finally, I was on my way to the reason I came here.

We came to a little square littered with newsboys chatting.

One did a back-flip.

I watched in fascination. I watched a few more times, before I was confident that I could do it. I attempted it, but fell flat on my bottom.

Three newsboys laughed at me.

"Youse doin' it wrong", the one with the dark skin said, "Balance yerself on yer hands".

I did and he took my legs and flipped them backward. I lost my balance and took him down with me. I burst out laughing and he did too.

"I'm Mush", he said.

"…Dancer", I said.

"Well den. Show us yer moves", the Italian one said.

I stretched my legs. I spun and spun.

"She's a liddle ballerina", the one in the eye-patch said, "I'm Kid Blink and dis is Racetrack".

"Welcome ta Manhattan Dancer", Jack said.