The Eldest Ziegler

Brooke's Turning Point

"Girls, come on! Let's go!" Miss. Abby yelled as we walked into Studio A, ready for another competition week. After we won against the Candy Apples last week, I was hoping that things were going to go smoothly, but I knew they wouldn't.

"Let's have a big round of applause," Miss. Abby says as we all clapped, "I think we made applesauce, don't you?"

Everyone nodded their heads and everyone had a smile on their face.

"Now, the group won. They won the overall. But you know what?" Miss. Abby said, "That was one competition. For this week, we are going to Starbound, in New Jersey. When we walk in, you need to be these national champions."

Miss. Abby then turned to the pyramid, "All right, on the bottom... Nia. Simply because of the mistakes in the choreography. And that dance is easy. It's simple. Next, I have... Kendall... You need to learn how to read music and you need to learn to hear the music. I'm gonna keep her on probation. Until I hand her that jacket, she's still proving herself."

"Paige," Miss Abby says as she reveals the next person, "I've seen you do the press better. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt. I thought you did a nice job. Next... Mackenzie. This week, you are not in the group dance. You are going to do a solo."

I smiled and gave my sister a quick hug as Miss. Abby moved on, "Next, I have... Monica. You were ok in the group dance, you didn't pull my eye in a positive or a negative way. But I want you to stand out more, I want you to stand out like your sister."

I guess I'm being compared to Maddie now.

"Next, I have... Maddie," Miss. Abby says and I was a little shocked, I don't remember the last time Maddie wasn't on top or at least second on the pyramid. "You were the highest-scoring number in the entire competition. Why do you think you're not on top?"

I think that Maddie wasn't on top because Miss. Abby wants her to work harder or she thinks someone else was better. But I don't think that's the case because Maddie won the whole thing.

"I want you to stop resting on your laurels," Miss. Abby tells her, "I want you to keep improving for the next 20 years. Not for one competition. Do you understand?"

Maddie nodded.

"You impressed them. I want you to impress me," Miss. Abby says as turned back to the pyramid, "Next, I have Chloe. Chloe, you didn't do a solo last week. You were great in the group, people recognized you from the video, but I want them to recognize you for your dancing. Understood?"

I gave Chloe a smile, this was the first time that she was higher then Maddie on the pyramid and that was pretty cool.

"And on top of the pyramid this week... is Brooke," Miss. Abby tells us as she reveals Brooke's headshot. "You want out, you proved yourself. I mean, you went from worst to the best in one week. You're the oldest person in this group. You need to be the role model. And that needs to contiune."

I was happy that Brooke was on top of the pyramid because she is the oldest and has the most training. I was happy that she was finally recognized for that.

Brooke

Chloe Maddie Monica

Mackenzie Paige Kendall Nia

"Mackenzie, you're doing a routine called, "My Parade." And it's all about you kiddo," Miss. Abby tells my little sister. I looked at Mackenzie to see that she looked totally fine. "You're gonna march out from that corner like you're the leader of the big parade. Maddie, this week you're going to be doing a jazz routine to, "Lights, Camera, Action." Chloe, you're going to be doing a lyrical routine to "Don't Catch Me."