"Louis Mérante will dance as the Prince. Clara Thomas will dance as Sylvie. Rosita Mauri will dance as Emilie. And Odette Durand will dance as Estelle."
The company was silent as the dancers whose names were called walked up onto the stage to stand next to each other. When all four dancers had been called, Madame Lumilda looked up from the paper, only to see that Clara was not onstage.
"Clara? Clara Thomas?"
There was no reply. The rest of the coryphee class sat, motionless, in the red velvet seats.
"Does anyone know where Clara is?"
No one said a word.
"Alright, then Régine will dance as Sylvie," Madame Lumilda said, a slight frown marring her features as she made a note on her paper. Régine scurried up to join them, a large smile lighting up her face.
Once all four dancers were standing on the stage, Madame Lumilda continued. "The rest of you corphyees will be the entourage - townsfolk, nobles and the like. You are all dismissed."
"I don't get it," Rosita remarked as they made their way off the stage and towards the doors. "Where is Clara?"
Clara Thomas was also a member of the top girls' class. Her parents were wealthy elites, like Rosita's, and she was passionate about her dancing. Her fiery red hair and bright green eyes seemed to be a visual representation of this. She was quiet, but would sometimes join Rosita and Odette when they were talking during a break.
"Oh, well," Régine said. "She wasn't here. She broke the rules, and didn't get the part." She raised her chin defiantly, as if daring Rosita to say otherwise.
"Yes," Rosita said. "That's true."
"What's going on?" Louis asked as he caught up to them.
"Clara," Rosita told him.
Louis frowned. "She never misses a day, and it's not like her to miss something as important as this...wait, where's Odette?" The girls looked at each other, then back at Louis. They shrugged.
Louis turned back and approached the double doors leading to the theatre. He could hear the faint strains of music coming from the other side.
The doors were slightly open, and Louis carefully opened them a little further before slipping inside. He quickly darted into the nearest balcony and crawled up to the railing on his stomach. Then he slowly peeked over the edge.
Madame Lumilda was sitting in the third row of seats, watching as Odette danced onstage. Madame Martin sat at the piano as Odette performed. From the way she danced, it was clear she knew it well - what to do, when to do it and how to express the meaning.
Louis watched until she stopped, unable to turn away. Odette turning to the Madame, who rose and applauded her student. "Brava," she said, before turning quickly to leave. "Dismissed."
As she left, Louis saw her wipe at her eyes.