McKinna Maryen Ziegler had lived in the shadows for most of her life, letting her sister have the spotlight. Until an opportunity for a chance to be on a reality TV show sent her into a spiral of fame, friendship and favoritism.
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The door slammed behind me as my twin rushed down to the car, trying to beat our little sister, Mackenzie. Maddie and her where always competing and bickering and I was the peacemaker. That was how it works in our family. But there was another reason today. Two reasons. One, we were back into dance for the season and two, we and the rest of the elite junior competition team from Abby Lee Dance Company had been exclusively selected to be on a reality TV show called Dance Moms. It sounded exciting, especially for a group of eight and nine year olds.
My phone started buzzing as my Instagram account buzzed, dancingmckinnaxx. Brooke had just posted a picture of her, Paige and Chloe with their tounges out. I smiled and liked it before falling asleep as we zoomed past hundreds of different stores.
"McKinna. McKinna! MCKINNA!" Maddie shook me out of my peaceful slumber, my hands going straight to my bun to make sure it was still perfect. Yes, I like my hair being nice because then it isn't distracting when I'm dancing. I playfully swacked her on the arm due to her satisfied smirk at my reaction. I couldn't wait to see Nia, Paige, Chloe and Brooke, who were the other four girls on the team. There are also the four moms, Kelly, Christi, Holly and my mom, Melissa. Our teacher is Abby Lee Miller, one of the most sought after teachers in the world.
We pushed through the front door and into the entrance, where Gianna waved at us and asked us about the break. Maddie told her she had been to the beach, Mackenzie told her about developing her own chip brand and I proudly explained I had worked on my dance all summer. Then mom pushed us into the changing room and we changed into our dance clothes. Both my sisters wore the pink outfit but I chose the black one as it's my favorite. Then all the other girls came down from the den and we all squealed and hugged. They are all my closest friends, except for Maddie, who is obviously my best friend. Suddenly, Abby appeared and gestured at us all to come in.
"All right girls, it's the first rehearsal for a new competition season. Ladies, you all know why you are here, you're the cream of the crop in your age group and I have lots of new ideas in store. I am going to do something that no other studio in the country does. Every single competition, we are doing a new routine." she tells us and we all look at our Moms alarmed, "Nuh-uh-uh-uh, girls, don't look at your mothers. I am the coach, I am the teacher. I can make you or I can break you."
A new dance every week, surely we couldn't do it, none of us were that good yet except fo maybe Brooke as the oldest. But then she moved onto pyramid. Maddie McKinna Chloe Brooke Paige Nia Mackenzie
"Now, as you can see Maddie and McKinna are both on top. Why? Maddie because she is dedicated and her stellar record last year. Then McKinna? Every day after school she came, whether to watch a senior rehearsal, she helped with the juniors and she came to the masterclasses. Not to mention with her last solo from last year she got a perfect score. So you two, are you ready to be front and center? Can you handle that pressure?" Miss Abby asks as I blush. I didn't realize that she had noticed, but all I had wanted to do was dance and it payed off I guess.
"Our first competition is going to be in Phoenix, Arizona. Ladies, I chose Phoenix, Arizona because I want you to expierence some of the best competition teams in the country. We are going to do three new numbers. A high-energy, really cute, adorable routine with Maddie, Chloe, Paige, Brooke, Nia and McKinna, a trio with Maddie, Chloe and Paige as well as McKinna, you have a solo entitled Dandelions, a beautiful contemporary routine. This is when those acting masterclasses you saw are going to pay off."
"Unfortunately, Mackenzie, you're too young to compete at West Coast Dance Explosion, but you're still going to go with us anyway. Girls, we are going to win Phoenix, and the next competition and the next competition we're going to win, and that's all gearing up for Nationals."
A thrill of excitement ran down my spine. Nationals is the goal of the season, and the biggest thing ever at ALDC. Last year, we were too young to compete but now we can. And then we started the choreography.
The group routine was actually really fun and I think we have a really good chance at winning. The trio also looks really polished but I can see Maddie kind of longing for a solo. Which makes me feel bad because it's twin sense and if I could, I would give her a solo. But only Miss Abby can so we can't. Then it is time for my solo rehearsal, followed up with a private.
"Wonderful, McKinna, just keep your feet pointed and remember to act. You're hopelessly in love with a boy who is just out of reach, make the audience feel your pain, make them wish the guy would notice you. Much better, keep it going, keep it going, yes!" I finished my solo and loud clapping came from both Gia and Abby. The music is really pretty and it is really easy to dance to. Plus, the choreography is tricky so I have to work really hard. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the cameras following us. She high-fived me and I grinned, knowing that I could win.
-Four Days to Competition-
I sat at the kitchen bench, studying for a spanish test I had tomorrow, a piece of toast in one hand and a highlighter in the other. My favorite hoodie comforted me as I struggled to remember which grammar went where. It said; 'leave me alone to cry over the deaths of fictional characters'. Which is basically what I did when I wasn't dancing. Maddie came stumbling down the stairs with her spanish books but left them on the sofa and started eating the plate of toast I had left for her. Out of the two of us, I'm the more, uh, organised one.
"I don't wanna do the test, I just wanna go to the studio and work on a solo or something." she groaned, scoffing down the toast. "Why can't mom homeschool us?" I don't know, but I wished she would too, so I could spend more time dancing and doing solos.
"Madison and McKinna Ziegler, we have an interview with the producers for the show in half an hour and then you have school, get your lazy butts ready." our mom walked in and we scurried off to our rooms, Maddie taking her plate of toast with her. The room was periwinkle blue, with two beds with desks under. We each had a billboard with photos and sticky notes and then posters and other stuff covered the floors and walls.
"Mads, what do you want with your hair, cause I'll do your look." I asked her as I pulled out my outfit, a bright green off the shoulder dress I had gotten for Christmas. She looked at me with a scrunchie in her mouth and pointed at a picture of her in a high ponytail. Her hair was normally knotty but I brushed through it easily today and within ten seconds it was done. Then I threw a pink dress at her, the one she had used for the headshot.
"MADDIE! KINNA! WE GOT TO GO!" Mackenzie yelled from downstairs as I grabbed my bag, putting a pair of grey sweatpants in and a green off the shoulder top just to match the mood. Maddie grabbed the same but with a pink top and we rushed down to the car. Man, life with the Zieglers was busy.
-Two Days to Competition-
Yesterday, all we did was rehearsals so it was pretty boring other than Broadway Baby coming into my solo and dancing with me. But today, I was helping mom at the front desk when a woman and young girl came in. The young girl said her name was Vivi and her mother signed her up for classes and competition. Was she going to be on the elite team? Her name was Cathy.
