You're a Dancer Now
by Florence
/* Janet Jackson - If */
Chapter 2, Settling In.
/* LL Cool J - Luv you better */
Class was over much too soon and since it was our first day we had no classes until next day. I felt that I had done okay. At least I hadn't done any fatal mistakes, I thought as I sat stretching and chatting with the other girls. The girl who had been late, Eva Rodriguez, was actually an amazing dancer and even though everybody were really good dancers, it was clear that some were a bit sharper than the rest. Maureen, a very slim dancer with dark, brown hair in a perfect bun, was obviously a teachers pet, and Anna was also really good. I smiled and thought about how great it was to be among all these talented ballerinas. I could learn so much. Everything was so great, but I just remembered that I had a problem, I didn't have more than one leotard and it was terribly plain and I'd used it for quite a while. Most of the girls had tons of pretty leos and other stuff. My shoes were a disgrace, but that problem would be solved faster than I could imagine. Juliette Simone called my name and asked if she could talk to me for a while. First, I was scared that she'd kick me out or something, but I realised that that wasn't realistic, they would't kick any one out after just one day.
"Maria, I see your shoes are very worn out, you'd better get a new pair."
"Yes, I know, but, well, I can't afford them..." I was terribly embarrassed.
"Maria you don't have pay for them, you can get new pairs in a store just a few blocks away, show your key to the main entrance and they'll put it on our bill. The adress is in the folder you got when you arrived. We want all our students to be able to dance thier best, even if they can't afford it on their own. That's why we have scholarships. Now dear, I have an other class in a few minutes so I'll see you tomorrow.", she said briskly.
"Thank you, miss." I said and hurried away so I could catch up with Aesha and a few others heading for the cafeteria.
***********
After a light dinner, I decided to get a new pair of shoes so I could start working properly tomorrow, and when I read the folder we'd gotten, I found out that I also could buy other dance clothes as well. I was so relieved. Everything would work out just fine. Anna came by and asked what I was doing.
"Oh, I was just going to buy some new dance shoes and stuff, wanna come?"
"That would be nice, but I have to practice a bit. I feel a bit out of shape since summer and all.", she said."But, I think Jenni needed some stuff, you should ask her."
"Great, thank you. Jenni was the blonde we met at lunch right?"
"Yeah, you got it, she's in the room next to ours. Have fun." Anna said sweetly and smiled as she left. I went up to my new room to get my wallet and then joined Jenni on the way to the dance shop.
/* India Arie - Always in my head */
I climbed up on my bed and pulled my new pointe shoes, a pair of Grishko Fouette's out of my bag. I'd decided to try a new kind now that I could afford them and I couldn't believe how well they'd fit (to be pointe shoes that is.). I resolved on finishing sewing my new shoes today so I could wear them tomorrow. Sewing on the ribbons and darning new shoes wasn't exactly my favorite way to spend my time, but in a way it was soothing. I smiled, I still couldn't believe that I was here, in New York. On my wall there were photos of my mum and dad and, of course, Martin. I didn't miss them quite yet. There was so much to become familiar with and a lot going on. I felt a twinge of guilt as I realised that I hadn't had much time to think about them at all. I made up my mind to write a letter for Martin as soon as I was done with my shoes.
"Hi there, you found what you wanted?" Anna asked as she came back to the room from her practice.
"Yes, it's so great. There was so much stuff, I didn't know what to choose." I answered her and looked down at my new shoes to make sure the needle didn't slip. Anna dumped her bag on her bed and fetched a towel from the wardrobe.
"That's N.Y. for you. I'm just going to have a quick shower, I'm soaked. I hate being out of shape. See you later, allright?", she said.
"Allright. " I said and returned to my shoes. Anna was so good and obviously a hard worker. Suddenly I felt an urge to go and practice myself. I was in a terrible need of getting back into shape and I wanted to work on some of the diagonals we had done today. Even if I couldn't be the best I wanted to make sure that I still did my best.
I finished preparing my shoes and decided to write to Martin tomorrow instead. I needed to work on my dancing and besides, my shoes needed breaking in.
/* Janet Jackson - If */
Chapter 2, Settling In.
/* LL Cool J - Luv you better */
Class was over much too soon and since it was our first day we had no classes until next day. I felt that I had done okay. At least I hadn't done any fatal mistakes, I thought as I sat stretching and chatting with the other girls. The girl who had been late, Eva Rodriguez, was actually an amazing dancer and even though everybody were really good dancers, it was clear that some were a bit sharper than the rest. Maureen, a very slim dancer with dark, brown hair in a perfect bun, was obviously a teachers pet, and Anna was also really good. I smiled and thought about how great it was to be among all these talented ballerinas. I could learn so much. Everything was so great, but I just remembered that I had a problem, I didn't have more than one leotard and it was terribly plain and I'd used it for quite a while. Most of the girls had tons of pretty leos and other stuff. My shoes were a disgrace, but that problem would be solved faster than I could imagine. Juliette Simone called my name and asked if she could talk to me for a while. First, I was scared that she'd kick me out or something, but I realised that that wasn't realistic, they would't kick any one out after just one day.
"Maria, I see your shoes are very worn out, you'd better get a new pair."
"Yes, I know, but, well, I can't afford them..." I was terribly embarrassed.
"Maria you don't have pay for them, you can get new pairs in a store just a few blocks away, show your key to the main entrance and they'll put it on our bill. The adress is in the folder you got when you arrived. We want all our students to be able to dance thier best, even if they can't afford it on their own. That's why we have scholarships. Now dear, I have an other class in a few minutes so I'll see you tomorrow.", she said briskly.
"Thank you, miss." I said and hurried away so I could catch up with Aesha and a few others heading for the cafeteria.
***********
After a light dinner, I decided to get a new pair of shoes so I could start working properly tomorrow, and when I read the folder we'd gotten, I found out that I also could buy other dance clothes as well. I was so relieved. Everything would work out just fine. Anna came by and asked what I was doing.
"Oh, I was just going to buy some new dance shoes and stuff, wanna come?"
"That would be nice, but I have to practice a bit. I feel a bit out of shape since summer and all.", she said."But, I think Jenni needed some stuff, you should ask her."
"Great, thank you. Jenni was the blonde we met at lunch right?"
"Yeah, you got it, she's in the room next to ours. Have fun." Anna said sweetly and smiled as she left. I went up to my new room to get my wallet and then joined Jenni on the way to the dance shop.
/* India Arie - Always in my head */
I climbed up on my bed and pulled my new pointe shoes, a pair of Grishko Fouette's out of my bag. I'd decided to try a new kind now that I could afford them and I couldn't believe how well they'd fit (to be pointe shoes that is.). I resolved on finishing sewing my new shoes today so I could wear them tomorrow. Sewing on the ribbons and darning new shoes wasn't exactly my favorite way to spend my time, but in a way it was soothing. I smiled, I still couldn't believe that I was here, in New York. On my wall there were photos of my mum and dad and, of course, Martin. I didn't miss them quite yet. There was so much to become familiar with and a lot going on. I felt a twinge of guilt as I realised that I hadn't had much time to think about them at all. I made up my mind to write a letter for Martin as soon as I was done with my shoes.
"Hi there, you found what you wanted?" Anna asked as she came back to the room from her practice.
"Yes, it's so great. There was so much stuff, I didn't know what to choose." I answered her and looked down at my new shoes to make sure the needle didn't slip. Anna dumped her bag on her bed and fetched a towel from the wardrobe.
"That's N.Y. for you. I'm just going to have a quick shower, I'm soaked. I hate being out of shape. See you later, allright?", she said.
"Allright. " I said and returned to my shoes. Anna was so good and obviously a hard worker. Suddenly I felt an urge to go and practice myself. I was in a terrible need of getting back into shape and I wanted to work on some of the diagonals we had done today. Even if I couldn't be the best I wanted to make sure that I still did my best.
I finished preparing my shoes and decided to write to Martin tomorrow instead. I needed to work on my dancing and besides, my shoes needed breaking in.