The Story Of My Life

Chapter 9 - Week 3 at the ALDC - part 1

Special chapter! I'm doing Brooke's POV 

"Girls, pyramid!" Abby shouts from Studio B. We run in, and see that Abby hasn't even bothered with covering the pyramid pictures. "On the bottom of the pyramid, Lilly. Then Ellie. Obviously they have been cut, though I'm still proud they helped us get the top ten. Plus that award is pretty sweet." Abby gives us a little smile, then puts her strict pyramid face back on. "Mackenzie, you got eighth, Brooke, seventh, and so on so on. Kendall got sixth, Nia fifth, Maddie Z fourth, Maddie T third, I think I'll call you Madison most of the time, Paige you got second, nice job, and Chloe, you got first, you're on top of the pyramid. See what happens when you work hard?"

This comment receives an eye roll from Christi. "This week we're going to West Coast Dance Explosion, and guess who's gonna be there?"

"Cathy!" We all scream. I've been dying to compete against her ever since I first started watching Dance Moms, but we never seemed to be at the same competitions. Guess there's only one team she's interested in beating. And now that I'm on it, the dream of seeing her face when she loses in person and not just on a TV will finally come true.

"You all know how much I love making fun of Cathy. So for the group dance, Madison and Kenzie will be just like Vivi. You two will be running around the stage, doing lots of cartwheels, and wearing really puffy tutus. Are you up for the challenge?"

"Yes!" We say in unison.

"Great! Speaking of Vivi, she's doing a duet competing in the mini division, so Madison, Mackenzie, you'll be doing a duet against her and whoever else she's dancing with. You'll be doing an acro routine entitled 'Cowgirls', based off of that horrendous solo back in season one. Except this choreography will be a lot more sophisticated, and the costume will be much better. I'm taking a risk with this group dance. It's pretty lyrical, yes, but Madison - oh what the heck it's easier - Maddie T and Mackenzie will be running around like they don't know what they're doing. If I do it right, my message will get through to the judges, and if it doesn't, well, we all know what'll happen. Chloe and Paige you also have a duet, it's a jazz number called Rising Up. You girls are rising up the pyramid and you're making names for yourselves. Heck, you're staring in a music video next week!"

Chloe and Paige give each other a big hug. This is their first duet together. "There will be no solos this week, but you will all be preparing one for our annual recital, which is one week after Halloween, on November 4. We're doing two group dances, one of which is Where Have All The Children Gone, and we'll be reblocking so Maddie T and Mackenzie have bigger parts, and the other number is a tap routine which you may or may not be selected for. I want only the best tap dancers for this, so you might not all be in it."

"Well Maddie has a spot right?" Melissa asks.

"Of course she has a spot Melissa are you an idiot? She's Maddie Ziegler the whole world knows she's an amazing tapper and her fans would kill me if she wasn't in this routine."

"Alright, just checking." Melissa replies.

"Anyways, we have work to do. Chloe, Paige, in studio C with Gianna, Maddie and Mackenzie stay in here with me. I want Brooke and Nia to go help Miss L with the 4 and under acro class in Studio A, and Maddie and Kendall could you two go down to the costume room and see if we have any white tutus?"

We all nod, and Maddie and Kendall start heading out towards the front desk, where the key to the costume room is held.

"Wait! Girls, get back here."

They quickly scuttle back into line with the rest of us.

"50 push-ups, both of you. You weren't dismissed. Everyone else, you're dismissed. Girls, in the corner until you finish, then go get costumes.