Relevé to the Top

Chapter 21. Abbygeddon

"Girls, this is the big time," Abby spreads are arms out grandiosely. "We are here in New York City, in the dance mecca of the world. Right here. And I want you to take it all in."

Lexie looks around the studio space they're borrowing for the week. There wasn't anything special about it; it's a typical dance studio with mirrors. The only thing that studio has was the view of New York you got from the window.

"Everybody you pass on that street probably took a dance lesson at some point in their life. Do you understand that?" Abby asks. "Yes, there's a lot of kids that win competitions, a lot of kids that get crowns on their heads, and there's a handful that makes it in the industry. Remember that."

Rubbing her hands together, Abby glances at the moms before looking back at the girls. "I want to talk about Michigan first. We are not going to win a group dance until everybody in this group is at the same level. When part of the choreographer is in unison, you all need to be in unison. That's what it means.

Lexie frowns, playing with her finger. They lost again last week, and it seems to be the pattern of the season. They've won the overalls four times to the six competitions they've competed in. It's not a good look.

"It's not always about your solos, it's about that group, and you need to learn how to dance in a group. If you don't apply the corrections, you're not going to improve, and that's the issue," Abby admonishes."Now onto the pyramid. On the bottom of the pyramid is Paige. Did you correct the arms? Yes. Did you put the phone away? No."

"She gets no credit for doing her back tuck or... it's her phone." Kelly interjects.

"Credit?" Abby gives a slow clap before turning to the pyramid. "Next... Mackenzie. You can improv if you're early on the music in a solo. But when you do it in a trio, and you don't tell the other two partners to do it ahead of time, you made them look like idiots 'cause you were out there, whoo, shaking it up. Understood?"

Lexie pats her sister assuredly on the shoulder while Mackenzie nods.

"Next, Chloe," Abby says. "Time to face the music. Forgot your routine. You're not seven anymore; you're ten years old. You can't make up your own thing and wait to get back on the music when 35 other dancers are doing the right thing. That's a pink slip. That's the unemployment line. Understood?

"Next, Nia. You hurt your foot; you worked through it. It all worked out. However, it's the technique. And it's like we tell you over and over. It's up to you. Do you want to make it better? Do you wanna fix it? Then you will. Understood?

"Next, we have Brooke. Brooke, you did what you needed to do, but you always just do what you needed to do. I want you to give me more. Next, we have Maddie. I gave you something new, and I thought you succeeded. I thought you were good. And on top again is Lexie. I need a winner, and Lexie, you are that winner."

"Thank you," Lexie nods humbly.

"I wanna talk about after the competition," Abby moves on. "The scout from the Joffrey ballet school came to our dressing room. They choose the Abby Lee Dance Company. You're going to be going to the Joffrey School with some of the most prestigious instructors in all of New York. The judges that are judging you are three instructors at the Joffrey School. They're going to look at feet, turnout, body lines. Everything you've learned up until this point is gonna come into play in this audition."

Swallowing, Lexie felt butterflies in her stomach. She's had a lot of ballet training by virtue of Beck, but it was still nerve-wracking, and she has auditions for Seasons this week. Her nerves are shot.

"You guys need to fight for this," Abby demands. "We have to work on a ballet combination today. We have to work on a short presentation for each one of you to do when we go into that audition. I expected you to look like ballerinas. I'm shocked at the way you're dressed."