Karimov Dance Project

Chapter 1: A Sleepover with Maddy; The Rivalry

The man on the monitor, a person around forty years old with a big smile exclaimed "And now, for our guest this evening we have Alex Karrát, sixteen year old professional dancer, winner of the Phoenix Young Dancers competition for four years in a row, famous blogger and most importantly an actor in the widely known fantasy TV series 'Days to Blood and Ashes'. Applause for the young genius!"

James snorted and earned himself a shove from Madeline, who then proceeded to move the leg he was leaning his head against, making him search for a new comfortable position.

Meanwhile on the screen a tall blond boy entered the stage taking long leisurely strides. The pale blue suit he was wearing with the sleeves rolled to his elbows brought out the paleness of his skin. He looked effortless and casual at the same time as neat and formal. He looks into the camera and smiles his flawless smile. "Trust Alex to be anything less than perfection," thought James before a sudden realisation hit him.

James fell off the bed.

"Blond?! Holy shit! Since when is your brother blond?! And what's with this Draco Malfoy style haircut?! Did you know about this?!"

Maddy grinned. "I did know, he told me on the phone two weeks ago, but I haven't seen it until now. He really loves it, and I think it kinda fits him. It's a bit different than what he usually does, but he wanted to try something new. And you yourself once said that he gives off Malfoy vibes, didn't you?

"I said it because he's a stuck up git with an ego higher than his gigantic pile of medals! Black suited him so well!"

The curly haired boy dramatically dropped back on the bed nearly knocking off the computer.

"So what, are you gonna tell me he doesn't look even hotter this way?"

The only answer she got was silence. Then the boy groaned into his pillow.

Now it was Maddy's turn too snort, but her face went gentle.

"C'mon, stop your pinning, lets get a snack!"

James turned his head from where he was lying and smiled cheekily.

"Madeline! It's already past eight! Tsk, tsk, tsk, how could you, we are professional dancers!" While saying this, he was sliding a bag of crisps out of an old toy box. Maddy's eyes became huge and started shining.

She turned the volume on the computer up and the boy opened the bag slowly and as quietly as he could. He then fished out a small plastic bowl out of the same box, poured all the crisps there and got rid of the noisy bag by dropping it in the waste bin just outside his window. Each sound was risk when you had good food in a house with three siblings.

Soon both teens were curled up on the bed with the bowl of crisps and continued watching the show.

The man and Alex were both laughing about something, and when they finished the man asked "Alex, could you please tell us, people who weren't following The Karimov Studio's journey, how it works? With all the generations?"

Alex's smile widened, as he said "I would be honoured. You all know that the founders and my dear teachers are Azamat and Sofiya Karimovs. From the beginning, the very first generation, which was started in 1994, the rules have barely changed. When the youngest member of the generation turns sixteen, the new generation starts. The teachers go around a random list of small dance studios and find five or six talented children anywhere between nine to sixteen. Then the cycle repeats. As I happen to be the youngest, and I just turned sixteen, the new generation is soon to start."

The man nodded, "Fascinating! What is your next step then?"

"Both me and Elizabeth Felmur, who is only two months older than me, decided that we will stay in the Karimov studio for at least another year, and we'll see from there."

"You have so many scholarships and acting jobs offered, why do you choose to stay there?"

"Of course I have my personal reasons, but also a big part of it is curiosity, as well as my own experience in the studio and how much the seniors meant for me and how much of my character was built by them. I would like to do something like that for the younger generation."

"Sounds fantastic. You know, there is a rumour going around the internet that Aidar Karimov and Zhou Ling will be teachers in the new generation, and you three are well known for your friendship. Could that be a part of why you're so curios to see the new generation?"

"Yes, the rumour is true and your guess is correct." Alex chuckled lightly, "I cannot wait to see them in those positions. I have a feeling this year is going to be fun."

Maddy and James grinned at him through the monitor.

                                                                       ***

Alex's memories from when he was eight were mostly unsurprisingly blurred, but he had a few very clear ones. One of them was the time Maddy first mentioned James, because from that day on, things became much more complicated.

Alex came from school and started heating up soup for him and his sister when he heard a loud bang of the front door, signalling that Maddy is home. She ran into the kitchen, all her clothes in disarray, hair sticking up in all directions, making the boy screw his nose in distaste. The girl ignored his grimace and started taking excitedly.

"I think I actually made a friend! Like a real one!"

"Thats wonderful. Now go and wash your hands, you were late so we have only a half an hour left before we should be at the studio."

Maddy continued talking while washing her hands in the kitchen sink and while she ate.

"Do you remember I told you we had a new boy in class?Jamie? Well today some boys were picking on him during playtime because he didn't want to play football, they were calling him names and stuff, and said that all real men like football! I came up to them and said that they are wrong, and that neither my dad or my brother like it, and they are both more men than all of them combined! We got into a fight, and they called dad and I'm probably going to be left without pocket money for eternity, but that's beside the point, anyways we started taking with Jamie, and he turned out to be really fun, and he lives only a bit further down the street and he's French and he taught me how to make origami frogs that can actually jump! And he's going to come to our dance studio for try-outs today!" By the end her monologue became a wild mix of Russian and English that was hard to decipher even for Alex, yet somehow he always managed to.

"Sounds nice! Now hurry, or you're gonna have to stand outside class waiting for old Mrs Plank to let you come in, because I'm not waiting for you!" Winking at her, he ran into the bathroom, grabbing his dance bag along the way.

"Attention class!" Mrs Tarsen turned to her students with a sickening smile. She was holding a boy with light brown curly hair aged around seven by the shoulders. When everyone in the changing room turned to look at her, she continued "This is James Laurent, he will be your new colleague. He used to go acrobatics as well as dance before, so I hope he will be a challenging competitor. Maybe he will even put some people in their place, and show them there's always something to learn from others." The last sentence was directed at Alex. Mrs Tarsen looked at him unblinkingly, before saying "You have a few minutes before class." After that she let go of the boy and walked out.

Maddy jumped right up into James face and all but squealed, "You went to acrobatics?! Can you stand on your hands?"

James let out a surprised giggle and answered with a quick "Of course!", before doing just that. He proceeded to show the other children all his tricks, while Alex stood in the corner and understood what just happened. He wasn't the most popular anymore.

During class he found out that he wasn't the best anymore either. The younger boy turned out to be on the same level with him in most things, and even better in others.

For the first time in his life, Alex had a real competition. Someone as stubborn, as willing to push past limits as him. They could either become best friends or rivals, and Alex, an eight year old who was sure he needed no one except for his sister, decided for both of them.