The Phoenix Prodigy

It All Ends Here

Today I'm at the ice rink at 4 am to train. I have an hour of training. Since it's nationals this week I'm not doing any jumps as I don't want to risk it. I'm excited for the dance season to be over.

*

After training, I went straight to the set and got ready to film. I vlogged myself getting my hair and makeup done. I also filmed while I was waiting in the dressing I would choreograph small dances. From 5:30 to 10 am, I was on set. I went straight to the airport and got on my family's private jet to Lake Tahoe. During the flight, I completed my schoolwork.

*

My mum and I went straight to the dance studio and I got ready for pyramid. I was already standing in front of Miss Abbey when the other girls walked in.

"Hi ladies. Here we are in another studio, another week. We need to learn a new group routine. This is tough. We have to do it today, and there's props. Now, I want to reflect a little bit on the past two weeks. I keep telling you guys, you have been given an amazing opportunity. You've been hand-selected to go across the country and learn a new number each week and do these competitions. And you are not stepping up to the plate. I want to see energy, enthusiasm, fun. If you don't want to do it, there are probably a hundred other kids that would love to be in your shoes right now. So, I need to see motivation. I want you to want to win. This is my reputation on the line, it's my name. But by now, it's also your names. So, I'm gonna start now with Paige. Moving on... Mackenzie. Nia. Next, we have Chloe. Brooke. Maddie. On top we have Phoenix. I'll come back to you. Maddie. You're doing your solo and a duet with Chloe. Chloe, you will also be doing your solo. Paige and Brooke, I'm giving you a duet. I want you to work together as friends. I do not want you fighting like sisters. If you waste time and energy bickering back and forth, you're never gonna get it finished.

Phoenix. You will compete in two duets; 'Amazing' and 'Emotional' with Rocky and Chris. You will compete with your trio 'Lost Love' with them. You will compete 'Piece by Piece' with my senior company. Now for your new routines. You will compete with the girls from my teen competition team. The piece is called 'Not About Angels' and you will be dancing on scaffolding for most of the routine. You are going to have two solos. Your first one is going to be choreographed by Cindy Xiao. For the second solo, I am going to do something I've never done at Nationals before, I'm going to let you choreograph it. I expect nothing but perfection. You better not let me down.

Everyboby is in the group number this week- even Mackenzie. Every single one of you are an important part of this puzzle. And in a group routine, everybody needs to pull your weight. And I'm telling you what: We need to win. All right, let's get to rehearsing, let's get moving."

-Five Days until the Competition--

"Okay, ladies, the piece is called "Beautiful." And what it's about is not how pretty you're gonna be in your costumes, not how pretty your hair is, but what's on the inside. And it's about taking a good look in the mirror- not at what you see, but like the internal mirror. Are you getting any of this, Mackenzie? Yeah. It's a little deep."

We got our mirrors and started practicing.

"Hold the mirror and cover your face." We continued practicing until Miss Abby and Miss Gianna were happy.

*

I sat in a corner and stretched as Chloe was learning her solo. I could tell that something was wrong. She wasn't dancing like she normally did. When Chloe was rehearsing her solo with her mum, I wanted to see if she was okay. I knocked on the door and walked in. She was lying down with her head on her mum's lap.

"Are you okay, Chloe?" I asked as I walked over to them.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied quickly looking at her mum.