~ that's just life, baby ~
where valentina and pete figure out how to raise their child as a functioning person in society
'pete, where did she go?'
'i thought you had her?'
'no, i thought you had her...
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The dancers chatter amongst themselves, their voices bouncing off the walls like cicadas singing in the summer nights. Everyone at the studio was buzzing with anticipation as they waited for their guest instructor to arrive.
Even though they were not born when the biggest popular culture moment of the late 2010s happened, they knew it like the back of their hand. Once their parents had found out who would be teaching their children, they disclosed everything to them.
Whether it be an exaggerated or an abridged version, everyone had an opinion on the woman who had entered the room.
The petite dancer marched in with the utmost confidence. Her wild curls were perfectly braided with baby pink ribbons intertwined. A green strapped leotard and a flowy skirt wrapped around her small frame, which she paired with her striped leg warmers and pink warm-up booties.
She dressed according to her presence: professional yet inviting.
The visiting guest set down her items on the chair propped against the mirrored wall. Before she acknowledged the enthusiastic group of starstruck kids, she greeted the pianist who happened to be her old childhood friend doing her a favor.
Hushed whispers were heard as the teenagers leaned in, hoping they could catch something juicy to report back to their parents. All of them jumped at the sound of her melodic laughter as she playfully shoved the man.
She then took her place in the middle of the room and looked out at her students for the day. She knew that they knew who she was. Both as a skilled athlete and as a famous personality, though she could give a shit. All she cared about was teaching these aspiring individuals and seeing if they have what it takes to make it as a professional dancer in ballet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the American Ballet Theatre. My name is Valentina Perez. I had arrived at the company at a young age, starting in the corps de ballet. A decade passed and I was still a corps member, longing to be more than a background dancer."
Valentina begins to slowly walk around the room, often engaging in eye contact. She could tell that they were nervous but excited, it's actually quite cute. It reminds her of when she attended her first classes at their age.
"From my time here at the company, both as a member and prima ballerina, I have come to realize two things. One: Classical ballet is an art form heavily reliant on forming a relationship with your fellow dancers and partners, one that is true and genuine that can translate across cultures and transcend language barriers. It's easy to bullshit yourself but hard to bullshit others. Which brings me to two: your mind is also a part of your body. There is a difference between perfection and obsession, the latter being dangerous not only to yourself but those around you."
If there was one thing that Valentina enjoyed when it comes to being a teacher, it is these moments. These are moments she often took for granted when she was younger. But now that she's older and had established herself in the community, she found it her responsibility to share with the new generation of dancers things she wished she would've known at that point of time.
