Leading Ladies

XXI. Abbygeddon

"Come on, ladies, let's go," Abby claps.

Bianca steps into the studio they're renting for the week with determination.

If there was one thing she was confident about is her dance ability. She's always been top three; Maddie placing higher than her last week was an eye-opener to her. It still stung a bit, but unlike last year in Florida, she wasn't desperate to win, to beat Maddie. Okay, she was a bit.

But at the same time, Maddie was becoming a great dancer on her own, so it was bound to happen. She just didn't think it was going to happen to her, and for it to happen again, Maddie-- or any of the girls-- would have to fight for it.

"Girls, this is the big time. We are here in New York City, in the dance mecca of the world," Abby announces, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Right here. And I want you to take it all in. Everybody you pass on that street probably took a dance lesson at some point in their life.

"Do you understand that? Yes, there's a lot of kids that win competitions, a lot of kids that get crowns on their heads, and there's a--" Abby out her hand and moves it up and down as if it weighed something. "--handful that makes it in the industry. Remember that."

Bianca nods as Abby glances at the moms before glancing back at them. "I want to talk about Michigan first. We are not going to win a group dance until everybody in this group is at the same level. When part of the choreographer is in unison, you all need to be in unison.

"That's what it means. It's not always about your solos, it's about that group, and you need to learn to dance in a group. If you don't apply the corrections, you're not going to improve, and that's the issue.

"Now onto the pyramid. On the bottom of the pyramid is Paige. Did you correct the arms? Yes. Did you put the phone away? No."

"She gets no credit for doing her back tuck or... it's her phone," Kelly wonders.

"Credit?" Bianca looked heavenward as Abby gave a slow clap. "Next... Mackenzie. You can improve if you're early on the music in a solo. But when you do it in a trio, and you don't tell the other two partners to do it ahead of time, you made them look like idiots 'cause you were out there, whoo, shaking it up. Understood?

"Next, Chloe. Time to face the music. Forgot your routine. You're not seven anymore; you're ten years old. You can't make up your own thing and wait to get back on the music when 35 other dancers are doing the right thing. That's a pink slip. That's the unemployment line. Understood?

"Next, Nia. You hurt your foot; you worked through it. It all worked out. However, it's the technique. And it's like we tell you over and over. It's up to you. Do you want to make it better? Do you wanna fix it? Then you will. Understood?

"Next, we have Brooke. Brooke, you did what you needed to do, but you always just do what you needed to do. I want you to give me more. Next, I have Bianca. You let your guard down, and you allowed Maddie to slip through and beat you. It was a good performance, but you are not top four. You're top three. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Next, I have Maddie. Maddie, you beat Bianca. That is great, but now I'm challenging you to win against all three of them. And it's going to be hard because I know Bianca, and she's never gonna let you past her again, and Elsa and Sabrina aren't anything to joke about either.

"Next, I have Elsa. It was lyrical, you do well in lyrical, and it was a good performance. And welcome back on top, Sabrina," grinning Bianca claps for her sister. Sabrina hasn't been on the top since the beginning of the season. "The way your body moves is art. I don't think Brooke could do some of the things you did on that stage."