Bittersweet | Dance Moms

CHEERLEADER BLUES (s1 ep3)

Virella hurried downstairs, her feet barely touching the steps as she made her way to the bathroom. In her rush, she accidentally bumped into her younger sister, Liora, who was seven at the time. "Sorry, Lee," Virella quickly apologized, offering a quick smile before dashing into the bathroom.

Once inside, she wasted no time, quickly brushing her teeth and running a brush through her hair to tame any stray strands. With that done, she sprinted back upstairs, her mind already focused on the day ahead. She changed into her red two-piece dancewear, a favorite of hers, then pulled on a pair of gray sweatpants over it, ready to head out for practice.

After slipping on her socks and shoes, Virella made her way through the house, stopping to kiss her father and sister goodbye. "See you later, Lee!" she called out, her excitement bubbling over. She then ran outside with her mom, the anticipation of another day at the studio driving her forward.

She opened the white car door and hopped into the gray seats, settling in with a sense of determination. Placing her dance bag beside her, Virella glanced out the window, eager for the ride to end and for the car to stop at the ALDC once more, where she could dive back into the world of dance she loved so much.

The car came to a halt just as the Hylands arrived, so Virella quickly gathered her things and stepped out, falling in step with Brooke and Paige as they all headed towards the studio entrance. Kelly and Elizabeth followed behind them, chatting casually as they walked.

"Hi, girls!" Abby greeted them warmly as they passed by, her tone upbeat and welcoming.

"Hey, Ab," Elizabeth replied with a friendly smile, nodding as they walked past the front desk and further into the studio. The familiar environment filled Virella with a sense of excitement as they prepared for another day of dance rehearsals.

Virella sat down next to Maddie, sliding off her gray sweatpants to reveal her red dancewear underneath. The two girls began stretching together, syncing their movements as they prepared for the practice ahead. Maddie leaned over to touch her toes while Virella worked on her flexibility, reaching into a deep stretch.

"Alright, girls!" Abby's voice cut through the room, commanding their attention. The girls quickly finished their stretches and followed Abby into Studio A, where the energy shifted to focused anticipation.

As they lined up, Abby's eyes zeroed in on the new girl, Vivi-Anne. "Vivi-Anne, where are your dance clothes?" Abby asked, her tone firm but not unkind.

"In the car," Vivi-Anne responded, her voice small and hesitant.

Abby's expression remained serious as she addressed the group. "When you walk in here, you need to be ready to dance, alright?" she instructed, looking around to make sure everyone understood. The girls all nodded in unison, the message received loud and clear.

"Now, I want to recap a little bit about the competition," Abby began, her tone shifting to something more reflective. The room grew quiet as everyone focused on what she had to say.

"There are some things that went on that maybe you don't even know about," Abby continued, her gaze moving from one girl to the next. She stopped when she reached Nia. "Your mom was upset with the costume," she pointed out, her voice tinged with disappointment. Nia's face fell slightly, and she nodded, understanding the weight of Abby's words.

Abby then turned her attention to Chloe. "And your mom was upset about the costume before you even went on stage," she said, pointing directly at her. Chloe looked down, feeling the pressure of the scrutiny, while the rest of the girls exchanged glances, sensing the tension in the room.

" but, that cannot happen again. This week, we are going to New Jersey and we are going to an acrobatic gymnastic routine." Abby explained, looking at Brooke who had been the oldest and probably the most flexible.