Stephenie Meyer owns all TWILIGHT characters. The names "American Ballet Theatre" and "ABT" are registered trademarks of Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc.
Though I've done as much research as possible regarding the ballet world, please know that I have taken some liberties for the purpose of entertainment.
CHAPTER SEVEN
EXPRESSION
"Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It is the rhythm of your life. It is the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and envy."
~ Jacques d'Ambroise ~
The auditorium was packed with the students of the elementary school. It seemed they were in rows according to grade – the tiny ones were in the front, practically bouncing in their seats, while the older boys tried to look bored near the back of the room. All the way in the back, the members of ABT II took up a corner of seats, laughing and chattering easily.
Standing in the small space of the left wing, Edward peered out and his eyes immediately fell on Bella, who dodged a playful hit from Benjamin, her latest partner in class. Even from far away, Edward could see the tension in her shoulders. He knew, from speaking to Tanya, that Bella had been disappointed she wasn't chosen to dance the pas de deux, hadn't even been chosen as the alternate. She wasn't ready, though; not yet.
A hand settled on his shoulder, causing Edward to slip into the backstage area once more. Maria said his name and he smiled, holding a hand out for her to take. He led her to one of the few, small corners behind the stage and held her waist as she stretched. They spoke quietly, murmuring about Maria's plans for her weekend nights when she wouldn't be performing and chatting about Edward's choreographer status. It was a way for them to calm down before performing.
There was a loud screeching sound from the stage, a microphone gone awry with feedback, and the volume level in the auditorium lowered. The principal began to speak, introducing the company and explaining to the students how lucky the school was to welcome such prestigious guests. Maria rolled her eyes but she had a smile on her face.
"Are you going to watch?" she asked Edward.
"If you don't mind."
Maria waved him away. "Go. I'll join you in a couple. I just want to check myself one more time."
Edward stood in the wings again, toward the back so he wasn't blocking the way for dancers to enter and exit the stage. A select number of the corps dancers began the performance, a piece from the company's current production of The Sleeping Beauty. By the time they finished, Leah and Riley were standing next to Edward, staring blankly at the curtain that hung before them.
"You two okay?" Edward asked with a raised eyebrow. They both nodded solemnly, Leah turning her head to watch the dancers file off the stage. "Break a leg, then." They nodded once more before each taking a deep breath and walking to the center of the stage to wait for the front curtain to part again.
Edward felt a presence next to him; Maria's hand curved around his elbow to rest her fingers on the fabric of his costume. "They're talented," she whispered. Edward turned his head to agree but paused when he noticed the way Maria's eyes were slightly narrowed. "Especially Leah," she continued.
Turning back to the stage, Edward just nodded. He knew what it was like to feel like another dancer might overpower another. Maria had nothing to worry about, not really, but the fear was always there. Leah still needed experience under her belt before Maria had to worry about her presence and even then, ABT hadn't expressed interest in the young dancer, though she had almost been picked up by San Francisco at the end of last year's ABT II season.
The smattering of applause cut into his thoughts. As soon as the curtain fell, Leah and Riley rushed backstage, hugging each other tightly with excitement over a performance done. It had been Riley's first one with the company.
Edward watched them run past him to the hallway next to the stage. Maria slipped her hand away from Edward's arm as the curtain rose again, this time to an empty stage. Edward shut his eyes briefly before opening them and walking to stand in front of his partner, his back to the stage.
"And so we dance," he said to her with a smile.
Maria lifted herself en pointe and returned the smile. "We dance."
The smiles left their faces as Edward stepped backwards, leading Maria onto the stage as the music began playing. It was strange to perform without an orchestra; though he'd done these types of performances before, he could never get used to it. He focused on Maria as she followed his lead, practically gliding as she performed a bourrée en couru; her legs were perfectly straight as her toes brought her across the floor. They moved fluidly together, exemplifying what years and years of training could accomplish.
After so many years, Edward still loved being on stage, felt a type of adrenaline he couldn't find anywhere else. It was thrilling, moving his limbs to the cadence of the music that wrapped around him like satin ribbons. He lost himself to the movements of his body, to the choreography that he knew so well. The music around him sped up slightly. His arms held Maria tightly around her hips before he let go of her, pushing her away from his body to give her a little more height as she leaped away from him. He heard the soft thud of her shoes hitting the stage before she slid back to him. They rocked together – on the beat, on the beat, on the beat – before she was dancing pirouettes around him, the turns slightly chaotic with the pounding beat of the song. Edward could hear Maria's sharp breaths as she turned, could feel the pull of his stomach muscles as he moved with her. There was a fullness in his lungs that he loved, the whipping of air that passed through his body.
That was what he lived for – the reach for something grander than his own life, the need for perfection that few people could reach. On a school stage in an auditorium filled with young children who didn't exactly appreciate the art of dance, Edward felt like he was home. The music faded as he sank down to one knee and held Maria carefully over him. The sound of applause and cheers met his ears and he closed his eyes until he felt Maria lift up from him. He stood and held her hand as she lowered into a curtsy before he took his own bow. The curtain, once again, fell slowly, and Maria turned to hug him tightly, whispering her thanks for another beautiful piece completed. He returned the gratitude as he led her off the stage.
After changing into a pair of slacks and a button-down shirt, Edward walked back onto the stage, joining the other dancers who were already sitting at its edge. Maria followed quickly; she was the last dancer to join the small panel lounging on the stage. Once she appeared, Esme walked down the aisle from her seat with the ABT II dancers to conduct the Q&A part of the day. Most of the girls in the crowd directed their questions to Maria and occasionally Leah as more than a few expressed interest in training. Every now and then, one of the boys interjected with a question as well. The audience had them thinking and laughing over the course of 30 minutes and by the end, Edward felt drained – intellectually, emotionally, and physically.
As Esme wrapped up the discussion, she mentioned that the dancers would have another 15 minutes before everyone left, in case anyone had more questions they didn't feel comfortable asking in such a public setting. Despite his fatigue, Edward continued smiling. He hopped off the stage before turning to help Maria down. They stood together as a few students walked up to them. Most held the single sheet of paper describing the day's event and asked them to sign it. In the middle of signing his name for a girl who looked no older than six, Edward was caught off-guard by a loud laugh to his right. He looked down to see a line trailing off the page and apologized to the girl when he finished signing and returned it.
"You did so well!" Edward turned to face the familiar voice and found Bella hugging Riley. "Was it amazing?"
Riley hugged her back before pulling away with a grin. "It was." He shook his head. "I still can't believe that just happened." He let out a grunt when Bree ran up to him and threw herself into his arms. "Jesus, Bree, don't kill me or anything," he teased but gave her a quick kiss. "How'd it look from the audience, guys?"
"So good," Bree replied happily. "I wish I was up there."
Bella turned away from the couple and noticed Edward's attention. She smiled tentatively. "Hi."
"Isabella," he acknowledged her. "Did you enjoy the performance?"
She nodded. "Of course! You were phenomenal as always and it was… great… seeing Leah and Riley perform."
Edward paused, hearing the wistfulness in her tone. He didn't want to say anything in case it could be taken as a promise but he couldn't help himself. "You'll have your turn soon, Isabella. I can already see you on a stage."
"I hope so," she couldn't help responding. Another tiny girl with blond hair walked up to them and sweetly asked Edward if he could sign her paper. Bella watched Edward crouch down next to her and take the pen and flier from her hands. He was adorable with young children.
When he stood again, he raised his eyebrows at her. "Isabella?"
"You're so good with children," she blurted out.
He laughed. "I have to be with all the little dancers ABT brings in with their programs." Bella's face scrunched up a bit. "You'll learn, don't worry."
Bella's lips curved up in a soft smile. "You really love what you do," she observed. Edward gave her an incredulous look. "I mean," she laughed quietly. "You love everything about it – not just the dancing but all the little things that go into this industry."
Understanding dawned in Edward's eyes. "I learned a long time ago that I can make a difference with the talent that's been given to me." He locked gazes with Bella. "We have the power to make a difference in children's lives. Remember that."
Bella felt warmth spread throughout her stomach. "I will," she promised. He smiled at her before excusing himself to join Maria again. Bella couldn't help but follow his every move, her mind swirling with a new-found respect.
Thank you to oOza for her beta work and artisticwonder for pre-reading.
In the last chapter, height and weight became an issue during the class, and a few of you asked me about it. For those that wondered but didn't want to ask, the "ideal" for many companies is 85 lbs for a 5'0" dancer (which is actually too short for a company) and an additional 5 lbs for each inch. At 5'5", Bella "should be" 110 lbs. The numbers aren't the only things that matter - muscle and bone structure play a part there - but it is difficult in the dance world to be over what is perceived as "perfect." And as a bonus for reading this explanation, Edward is 6'1" and 160 lbs., which falls into the realm of an "ideal" male ballet dancer.
