𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄, 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐬

001. everyone's replaceable

season 2, episode 1
everyone's replaceable

"YOU GUYS READY? NO NERVES, RIGHT?"

"Mom, you're gonna freak Venus out before we even get there." A sigh slipped past Christina's lips and she turned around in her seat to look at her sister. "It'll be okay, Vee."

"No, it won't be be. What if Abby's really mean and she doesn't like us? Or what if the other girls don't like us? Or what if we don't get in at all-" The little girl rambled on anxiously.

Jennifer put on her turning signal and steered her car to the left, into the ALDC parking lot. "If Abby says one mean thing to you, you come tell me and I'll handle it. We'll go and find somewhere else to compete. I know you guys want to dance here really badly but it's not worth being belittled over. And, you're the sweetest girl ever, the girls will love you and you're also an amazing dancer, both you and your sister. You guys will do fine, your talent sticks out."

"What she said." Christina smiled and unbuckled her seatbelt before hopping out of the car. She took a quick look around the parking lot while her mother helped her sister out of her booster seat.

The lot was filled with an array of cars, ranging from black to blue. Her mother was lucky enough to even find a spot. A line of girls spilled out of the building and wrapped around the concrete walls of the dance center.

"Do you think someone will get mad if we skip the line a little bit?" Jennifer asked, staring at the length of the line.

"Mommy don't start a fight before we even get into the building." Christina told her.

"I'm not, it was a joke and don't skip people, that's bad." Jennifer took a deep breath. "Alright, let's join the line before it gets longer."

It took a total of forty-seven minutes before the family even arrived inside. Once they had, they were greeted with a nice brunette lady named Gianna. She gave both Venus and Christina numbers to place on their chest and told them to wait in the den. Jennifer, on the other hand, was instructed to watch from the crowded mezzanine with all the other mothers.

Christina found a space to wiggle out of her denim skirt and unzip her sweater. She ran her hands over her black leotard to smooth it out before taking a seat.

"Cute skirt." A voice made her turn around quickly.
It was a tall brunette girl who sat there looking at her with a smile. She seemed much older than Christina, and every other girl in the den. "I'm Payton."

"Thanks, and I'm Christina." She outstretched her hand and Payton took it happily. "Are you nervous?"

"No, I've been through this before. I actually go to this company already, I just want to be on the junior competition team." Payton answered rather quickly. "What about you?"

"Oh, no, I'm feeling pretty confident." Christina smiled.

"Yeah, lots of talent here but I'm sure you'll do great."

"You too, good luck."

It took some time before the girls were able to enter but once they were, they were spaced evenly. The day before Venus had begged her sister to stay and dance in the front alongside her and, being the gracious sister she was, Christina had kept that promise. She stared at her reflection in the mirror one last time before setting her eyes on Abby, the dance teacher.

"You all realize why you're here." She started. "You're auditioning for a spot on the Abby Lee Dance Competition team. It is not to be taken lightly. This is it. Dance for your lives. Six, seven, eight, here we go."