Muse

Chapter 7: Dance Practice - Take 2

Practice goes smoothly. Lauren and I teach the last few moves and then we let the group run through them with the music a couple times. It's about 45 minutes in when we take our first break. I've learned most of their names by now.

I already new the four seniors, Christina, Isaiah, Jason, and Isabella, outstanding as usual. I learned the girl, Amalia, was a sophomore which I was surprised to hear since she didn't audition last year, but she assured me she would have if only her family moved here from California about a year sooner.

The two other girls that were near her are both juniors. The short one with long, blonde hair's name is Alicia and the slightly taller girl with short chocolate brown hair, similar to mine's, name is Victoria. Victoria could never work up the courage to audition - which is almost unbelievable considering her bright, friendly smile and her skilled level of dance. Alicia, on the other hand, did audition in her freshman year but didn't make it on the team. I don't remember her though.

The two boy's names are Grayson and Dante. Grayson is another sophomore who rocks his Jamaican accent and has that easy confidence that could only be inherited. Dante, a junior, is a second-generation Puerto Rican and will probably inspire a few Latin-culture-embraced pieces. I've been meaning to look into that.

Oh, and then there's Zach. But, like, who could forget Zach?

"All right. Now that ya'lls got your bearings, lets take it from the top!" A few eyebrows raise at "ya'lls" but what can you do? I was born in Texas after all. Yes, you read correctly. I, Devyn Rose Mathews am a Texan. That is what their called right?

We get into our window positions (here's a visual: -_-_-) along the mirrors and I signal for Lauren to hit play. It starts, and I barely focus on the moves, but on how the others execute them. All the seniors - including Zach - are pretty much flawless, as expected. The two sophomores have great dynamics but are pretty much dancing full out which subtly reveals a lack of experience. The older one's are marking it around 80-90%. The three juniors all have a knack for isolation. It's almost funny how the dancers in each grade can also be grouped by skill level. One thing they could all work on (on different levels) is how clean their pictures are.

Once we finish I look over at Lauren and our eyes lock. She nods and its finalized. We know who we're going to let go. Even with Lauren leaving, there must be one person who doesn't make the team. It might even be worse this way, making this person feel not good enough or alone. I've been there, and it sucks. But there's no other way.

I turn back to the group who were waiting patiently for what to do next. The ones who've been through this before sort of have an idea and wait to see who get's chosen. Or not chosen, I should say.

"Great. Um, lets work on cleaning it up a bit then we'll run through it a couple more times and end the practice with some uh, informative, er, disclosures." Jason, Christina, Zach, and Lauren snicker at my word vomit.

I roll my eyes and clap my hands in a "chop-chop" manner before turning to my unassuming victim. But Dante decides this is the perfect moment to ask something stupid.

"Why do we have to spend so much time perfecting this dance if it's only for our 'audition'. Like, are we even ever gonna perform it?" Sigh.

I relentlessly turn to him, not missing the looks of disbelief from some of the others. With the most patient and calm voice I can muster, I answer him.

"Dante, firstly you should want to perfect it, so you can perform it to the best of your abilities wherever you are. Secondly, we are going to perform this. That is, if you make the team," I Deadpan. Chew on that! Now everyone's trying to hide a smile. Well, Zach's not exactly hiding it.