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.
People can only be t...
"You know that's one of the toughest competitions out there. This is what is going to happen for this weekend. Maddie, new solo. McKinna, new solo. Brooke, new solo. Chloe, new solo. We are doing a new group routine this weekend and everybody's in iir- the entire cast. It is called 'Where Have All The Children Gone?'. This is a routine about children who become missing. We've all seen the children's faces on the milk cartons. It's contemporary, it's mature and it is very dark. You have to be great actresses to pull it off. And they're all in white like their angels. I don't want any discrepancies. I don't want any opinions. Girls, up, let's get moving." It was contemporary!
Miss Abby was being very strict. She obviously thought this could be a winning routine. She gestured us all in closely. "Come close, listen to me. Alright, you're dancing, you're doing the steps, you're trying to listen to the wors. You're not interpreting the story correctly and this is very serious." I looked down, kicking myself, "Maybe there's people in the audience that have had a child that's gone missing. So you're gonna touch somebody's heart. So this has to be a really serious routine and right now you're just doing the steps and we need to get past that and we need to perform. This is very serious.
After about an hour, Miss Abby dismissed us to start work on Chloe's solo, a musical theatre solo called 'Parles Moi'. It was really fun and she seemed to enjoy it. Then Brooke, with her solo called 'Like a Supermodel' but she didn't seem to be enjoying it as much as she normally does. Surely she didn't still want to be a cheerleader... right? After that, Abby called me in.
"Okay McKinna, to fit with this week's group dance theme, you have a contemporary piece entitled 'Skin'. I want you to take it as a girl who has such a dark past she doesn't trsut anyone, refuses to let anyone in." she tells me and I start imagining how I have to act. Then she teaches me the choreography.
Then Maddie has her solo while I go to a private with Gia.
Why does it feel like the only reason Miss Abby gives me solos is to challenge my sister, the favorite?
-Three Days to Competition-
I placed my duffel bag under my normal spot in the Dancer's Den. Maddie and mom were going to an interview thing about the show tonight so the Hylands had offered to let me sleepover. Today, Maddie and I had decided to go the identical look with the full red ALDC outfit and our hair in the traditional Ziegler bun. Gianna had already gotten us mixed up. Sadly our identical game ended when class started because we had spent three years teaching the team how to tell us apart.
After a private with Abby, a contemporary class with the seniors led by James and Gia running my solo in any free time she had, it was finally time to go to Paige and Brooke's house. We had already agreed it was going to be a Minecraft competition. Ha, they didn't know that I had watched many YouTube masterclasses on Minecraft buildings. I was gonna make a skyscraper! Plus, I already knew Paigey Mack would do a barn and Brooke, being the high achiever she is, would build a castle. Advantages, advantages.
Finally, we reached their house and we all ran inside, except for poor Kelly who had to try and carry all of the snacks we had brought at the supermarket. The girls were so lucky to have her. My mom would probably scream at us to have healthier stuff. And kill Brooke for thinking about doing cheerleading. It was so cool inside their house, we might have a movie room but they have a gaming room! Paige handed me a set of headphones and a controller then the competition started.
Once the alarm went off at 10pm, Kelly walked in, handed us our spaghetti bolognese and examined all of the buildings. "I love the farm, Paigey, and the castle is very arcitectural Cookie, but I have to give it to Kinna. The sign with 'Kelly is the Best' just took the building up to another level." she teased her children as their mouths dropped open. "Don't stay up too late, I'd like to stay on Abby's good side please." Well, it kinda of was already 10pm but oh well. After that, we had a handstand competition where Paige won, a flexibility challenge where Brooke won obviously and then an improv task that I won. Everyone's a winner! Not replaceable for once.
At 11:30 Kelly came and told us all to go to sleep, but secretly we played rounds of truth and dare until 1am were she caught us after Paige erupted into laughter when I told her about how we pranked Miss Abby once.
My friends are awesome.
-Two Days To Competition-
I think it will be one of the biggest regrets of my life staying up with the Hylands. Waking up at 6am for dance was horrendous. Plus, after, I had to go to school and do a Maths test. Thank heavens I'm close to convincing mom to homeschool me. Hopefully, because then I can spend at least a third of my day dancing instead of like a fifth. Maybe even at least half a day. Mom might even be able to teach me at the studio.
"McKinna, would you like strawberry or chocolate sauce on your waffles and berries as an extra?" Kelly asks me, snapping me out of my haze. Paige giggles and Brooke does the signature teenager eye roll.
"Chocolate please, and berries would be great." I smiled politely. Paige suddenly cheered and the cheesiest grin appeared on her face. Kelly nearly dropped the waffles as she turned, worried. Sighing, she turns back to her work, relieved.
"Kinny, we can get everyone to bring their Nintendo and we can play Mario Kart or have a universal Minecraft competition where you have to build something from a certain location or something." Paige smiles as if she is the smartest person in the world. It is a pretty great idea. I mean, catching a plane for ages will be really boring. Nodding my head excitedly, I scoff down the breakfast Kelly places in front of me, food falling out of my mouth as I thank her (you seriously do not know how good these waffles are).
I have to say today feels like it's gonna be a pretty good day.
Nevermind.
Exams suck.
-Competition Day-
After an endless day of rehearsal yesterday, my solo felt refined and I found out that I'm actually doing 'Cry', just unaired. And that Chloe is doing 'Baby Mine' (competing), Maddie is doing 'Rag Dolls' (recreational), there is another group dance that we had to learn really quickly entitled 'My Pumps', a jazz routine, and Kenzie and Vivi have a duet 'Runaway Barbies', all unaired. This competition is gonna be hectic. Turns out Chloe's new solo was the recreational one.
However, as I desperately try to build the Sydney Opera House in Minecraft, I felt nervous. As much as I loved this solo and felt in tune with it, it felt like Maddie was being set up to win and that my solo just wasn't choreographed to the same level. Not that there was no chance I couldn't win. I knew there was a chance I could. But Maddie is the star of ALDC and the rest of us are trying to match it, no matter how many times I've bet her or Chloe has won. We're never equal. I love my twin but sometimes Abby just has to make sure everything is perfect for her but not for us.
"Guys, I'm totally going to win." Nia cackles wickedly as she shows us all her incredible replica of the Statue of Liberty.
"No, I am!" Maddie yells competitively and shows us all her mini Venice. Brooke laughs at all of us and then shows us Santa's Workshop. Close enough to Greenland I guess.
Soon, we end up out of the airport and at the competition after Kenzie's victorious win. But then the usual drama of Brooke having something wrong with her costume, the rush of the unaired solos, group dances and junior duet. According to Cathy, Vivi and Kenzie's hair was too similar is style and mom had to change it.
