Behind the Curtain

I finish tying the ribbons on my pointe shoes, and walk with Jill and Rachael into studio C to warm up before audition registration starts. "I really hope I get to be a doll this year, I've always loved that part," Jill said excitedly. "I want to be Chinese, but I know I won't get it," Juliana complained.
"I wish they didn't black out the windows during the audition, I wanted to watch." I said, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Girls, registration time!" miss Parnell shouted.
Jill jumped up, "no, wait" I said grabbing her arm. "We don't want to be first, wait a few minutes and we'll go together."
"Good point," she said as she sat back down next to me.

I walked back into the dressing room with Jill and Courtney, we grabbed our headshots and applications. We walked to the registration table and got in line together. Courtney cut behind Juliana, they both turned in their papers and got their numbers. Jill walked up ahead of me, Lauren joined us, and we all got consecutive numbers; 35, 36, and I got 37. We pinned our numbers to our leotards and walked into studio C to put some rosin on our shoes, so they didn't slip. But before we got to the rosin box, the audition ahead of us was let out, we were called in.
"Good Luck!" I heard a chorus of voices say as we walked into studio A.
"Thanks," we all say, waving back.

We walk into the studio to see, Miss Ann-Marie, Miss Jane, and Miss Maryann all sitting behind a table at the front of the room. "Hi ladies," Miss Maryann says as we find our spots at the bar. I smile back nervously. Miss Kailin, standing in the corner, gives us a combination to warm up with, and turns on the music.

"Ok girls, time to move out to the center," Miss Ann-Marie said. "Line up in order please. We are going to put you into pairs and teach you a few pieces of choreography to see who picks up on what."
Ugh please not Emma or Elizabeth, please. Lauren, number 37, and Emma, number 39. Well great there goes my chances of getting these parts.
They taught us a few combinations and had us do it one at a time, and in pairs. They had us do some things across the floor. The auditioners mumbled things to each other, to softly for us to pick out many words. Before we knew it Miss Ann-Marie stood up and said "thank you very much girls, we have seen all we need to see from you today." We curtsied in gratitude and walked out of the studio.

*******

I leap out of the car, and run to the mailbox. "Come on nutcracker casting." I mumble to myself as I open the mailbox and pull out the stack of white envelopes and advertisements.
I frantically flipped through the pile of things as I walked into the house. That was when I saw a red letter, I immediately pulled it out, recognizing that it was addressed to me, I put down the rest on the stack and climbed onto my bed. I opened the decorative, red envelope, trying my best not to tear it. I carefully pulled the piece of paper out and unfolded it. It read; Dear Lauren, Congratulations! We are privileged to tell you that you have been cast in the rolls of, Group Doll, Waltz of the Flowers-corps, and Mouse King :)-both casts in the Pacific Theatre Ballet's 2014 production of the Nutcracker Suite...
I leapt off of my bed, "Mom! Guess what!" I yelled, full of excitement, handing her the letter to see for herself.
I stood next to her, grinning. "So I'm guessing you're not very excited about this." She said jokingly.
"Nope," I said walking back to my room smiling.
I see a group text come in, from Giulia asking everyone what they got cast in, she sent us a picture of hers, "...Lead Arabian, Dewdrop attendant, and Marzipan..."
"See I told you that you would get those parts!" I texted back.
We continued talking on the subject for easily another hour, we found out many of the lead parts such as Elena and Isabella would be performing as Clara, Mylie and Abbey would be playing Fritz, as well as the Gingersnap leads. We found out that Graysen and Alisa would be dancing as the Sugarplum fairies, and Hannah and Emma, as the Dewdrop fairies. EllaCait and Jenna would get to do the Russian "Peppermint" pas de deux with Michael, and Isabel was of course cast as the soldier doll. Excitement continued to grow until Saturday, everyone's first rehearsal for all of their dances.