Born A Dancer

Chapter 13: Audition

"Name?" A lady with glasses down to her nose, analyzed the sheets of paper. "Lumina Bowers." She handed me a square piece of paper, written: "SAB #23." "Name?" She asked Bruce, looking through the sheets of paper again. "Yang." She gives him the same piece of paper, but with the number 1469.

We walked away from the table, leaving to a studio with space to warm up. "Lumina, aren't you nervous?" Bruce stretched into a lunge. "Yeah, but I know I've been training very hard for this opportunity. I can't mess up. I know you've just started, but I believe in you; you should too."

We stretched silently as everyone else was coming into the studio. A diverse range of girls and boys filled the room. Some looked intimidating, others looked shy.

"All dancers please enter the main studio to audition." The lady with glasses down to her nose announced. Bruce held my hand as we walked towards the main studio.

"Everyone find a spot at the barre." Peter Martin commanded.

I find a spot in between a girl and a boy. Bruce was on the other barre in the middle to my left. We both had a clear view of one another. Peter Martin scanned the room and motioned to the pianist. The music began, Peter showed us the combination once and started.

"Demi plié... and up.... Demi plié... and up... Grand plié... and up... relevé up and balance." Peter Martin walked around staring each dancer down. Looking from the feet to the hands to the face. He stopped next to me. And he fixed my hands. I tried not to make eye contact with him. He looked more imitating in person than the photos. I held my breath.

"You must show the beautiful of the hands. No finger is to be hidden." Peter Martin nodded his head and continued passing through the room. I let go of my breath, and moved on. I looked to my left to see Bruce. He was perfectly okay. He followed through the steps thoroughly and clean. Peter Martin came around a second time but to Bruce. He stared at him with amazement and joy in his eyes. It was almost as if Bruce was a star principal dancer of Swan Lake.

We finished barre combinations and moved to the floor. Once again, Peter Martin spoke the variation then the pianist played.

When it was my turn, I jumped as high as I could jump. As I jumped, I remembered working on changements with Mrs. Jones. I felt like I could hear her voice in my ear again, "Higher... higher, Lumina! I know you can jump higher than that."

"Glissade, jeté, por ta borré, and penché... and up and plié back into fourth... and bow." Peter Martin finished the combination. "Now, I will be calling two at a time for partners. Bryan and Sherry. In the front..." He went on to the next few names. When he called my name, I was partnered with another person.

"Lumina and Richard. Front and centered..." Peter Martin continued. Richard was light skinned. Soft, little curly hair and strong built. He looked up me and smiled. I smiled back. I've never really done a Pas de Deux, besides practicing with Bruce once in a while. If I screw this up, I won't get into this school.

As soon as Peter Martin finished, he explained the combination then motioned to the pianist. I pointed my foot to go into an arabesque. En pointe, I felt his hand firmly grip my waist. He turned me in a circle, back to the front. I moved forward en pointe then did a few pirouettes. He grabbed my waist again as I twirled.

"Look at your partners... Feel a connection." Peter Martin spoke out, walking around the room. I looked up at Richard. Our eyes met and we connected.

"Thank you all. I look forward to seeing you soon." Peter Martin grabbed papers from a table and walked out of the room. The room became loud a crowd of dancers sealing all at once. I walked away from Richard going towards my bag. I didn't say a word to him because I didn't want to speak. Taking off my pointe shoes, I placed them in my bag as quick as possible. From the glass, I saw him walking my way. I got up and went to find Bruce.

Richard was still trying to speak to me. I ignored him still trying to find Bruce. Ready to go with his bag, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and it wasn't Bruce. I turned around and saw the light skinned, dark curly haired, firmly built, Richard.

"Hey, I didn't get your name." Richard said as he looks into my eyes. I took a moment of silence to sink in. I didn't want to respond, but I had to be a lady.

"I'm Lumina. I'll see you around." I turned to Bruce, nudging him to start moving towards the exit. I felt Richard's eyes staring at me as I walked away. I didn't look at back.