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...
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"Now, first of all, you're national champions. It was a great competition in Starbound at Lake Tahoe, that's something to be very proud of. Then we got to LA, everyone except McKinna did a video. People know who you are now from watching that video. But you're a target. When you walk in, it's gonna be all about beating the Abby Lee Dance Company." Miss Abby tells us all.
While I was away auditioning for Annie, which is sadly now over as the majority of the cast had to return to school or for the dance season, the girls actually did a music video which Chloe ended up being the lead in.
"McKinna, would you like to tell us all what you did while you were away?" Miss Abby asks me and I grin.
"I auditioned for Annie the Musical and I got the lead, so I spent the entire off season touring that." Everyone claps and I grin.
"Now, while you guys as a team are the targets for everyone, McKinna is the latest Broadway star and everyone knows it. That only adds on the pressure." Miss Abby moves on, "We all know that Cathy's not here because Cathy wasn't a team player. Where did that get Vivi-Anne? Nowhere. I'm going to have an open audition; a casting call for a new dancer for the ALDC. Tell everybody you know that we're looking for a new girl for this group, yes, McKinna, only girls. Maybe two new girls, everyone's replaceable, are you next?" She goes on to reveal the pyramid.
McKinna Maddie Chloe Nia Paige Brooke Mackenzie
"Maddie, Chloe, Kinna and Nia, you're going to be doing solos. Now Maddie, Kinna, it's not gonna be an easy win. It's nine and up and you're both on the young side of the age." we look at each other, but neither of us seem overly nervous. "This weekend we will be attending Dance Troupes in Greensboro, North Carolina and we're doing a new number called 'Sassy Dolls'. We have one week to the competition and we don't have a routine yet. We're starting from scratch right now. This is gonna be crazy, alright?"
We start rehearsing the group routine straight after. I can't believe Miss Abby said no boys! Alejandro would fit the team so well, and he is already one of the biggest names out there. And he's been on Broadway, just like me. Oh well, at least I get another best friend, hopefully. The routine is super fun, as it is jazz. Plus, Miss Abby always says we are sassy dolls because of our mothers. Even though I'm not entirely sure if that is a compliment or an insult or what.
"Okay, McKinna in here first to work with her solo." Miss Abby tells us, which is surprising because she nearly always works with Maddie first. Maybe she just doesn't feel like it. "Okay, Kinna, look, you are the hottest topic in this industry right now. Not only are you a National Champion, but you just were the lead on Broadway. So, you have to win this weekend. Your solo is entitled 'Maybe', and it will sound familiar because it is straight from Annie. As you know, it is a jazz musical theatre piece, but the choreography is going to be harder and much more advanced, even more than any other solo you have done before, even on Broadway. Your sister was the target, but now you are. Hopefully you can cope with the pressure."
I nod, and we start going over the choreography. And man, it is definitely hard. But I have to be able to cope with that kind of work, especially if I'm ever going to land on Broadway again and be Miss Abby's favorite.
Bring this week on!
-Open Call Audition Day-
No school today, so we all gathered in the Dancer's Den. I was already in my black ALDC dance clothes with my ALDC jacket over the top, as Miss Abby wanted us all to be in there as well, so she could compare the dancers to us to figure out who she wanted.
"What if Miss Abby brings in a boy?" Paige asks us all as she, Chloe and Brooke all sit down. They start listing every single famous boy in the world.
"I wish, cause then Alejandro could audition." I frown. I still don't understand why Miss Abby wouldn't let him audition! It'd work so well.
"So, a really cute boy in Kinny's eyes?" Maddie twinkled mischeviously as my cheeks heat up.
"She can go to Broadway but she'll still always be our McKinna, the mom of the group and the one who is always blushing." Nia grinned, giving me a sidehug.
"Hey, none of you guys said One Direction and Niall, Harry, Liam, Louis and Zayn are we cuter than all the boys you listed." Kenzie and Chloe nod with me, while Brooke, Paige, Maddie and Nia all look in shock at all of us.
"You guys can not honestly be serious right now!" Paige spluttered. We all say we are and then she fakes a wail, pretending to faint. Overdramatic much, Paigey Mack.
After that, Gia collected us and we stood in front of all the dancers. Everyone looked pretty nervous except for Payton Ackerman, who was the girl who helped me at the showcase. Even though I liked Payton a lot, I don't think she'll fit into the group as we are all mainly under 12.
"McKinna, dance in the middle of the group, in the front row. I want to compare some of them to you." Was I being replaced? Surely not, not after I literally was just on Broadway. Plus, I'm Mads' twin, so surely not. Miss Abby probably just wants to compare them to an original.
"478, you're done."
"276, you're done."
"Come on, girls! Give it to me!"
"I feel bad for saying this but it feels great to see her yelling at someone who isn't one of us." Kenzie whispers to us as I return to the group, as we all glance up at the very uncomfortable moms in Dance Jail. Miss Abby continues to yell until the end of the audition, where all the seven of us form a line and the rest of the dancers form another line, right where we usually stand for pyramid.
"You know that we're looking for a new girl for this team. 230, 201, 479, step forward." Miss Abby tells them, and three out of four girls step forward, leaving Payton behind. "Payton, you know I love you, you're just not right for this particular competition team. So I have to let you go." Payton leaves Studio A, clearly upset.
"201, 479, step forward." Two girls step forward, leaving one behind. "Where, relieved? 201, 479, sadly, I have to let you go." a huge smile comes across all our faces as we look at the new girl. "230, congratulations!" We all run up, hugging her and the moms come down, obviously relieved, from Dance Jail.
"This is a legacy that you're joining. She's now one of Abby's kids. This is a tight knit group and I'm not gonna tell you that this is gonna be easy. You're in probation for the first several weeks, and, mom, there's a competition this weekend. She has three days to prepare." She dismisses us and we all go to the Dancer's Den to get to know the newest member of the team. Who I'm still kinda wishing was Alejandro but I'm not going to hold that against her.
Turns out her name is Kendall, she is eight years old, she used to dance at Studio 19 (which gives me studio hopper vibes) and she seems to be a good fit for the team. I think everyone except Brooke, me and Kenzie were thrilled for her. Brooke cause she is way older then her, me because I want Alejandro to join the team (is that selfish?) and Kenzie for the same reason as me as well as she already has to live up to Maddie's place, so it kinda doesn't supremely affect her. I guess?
After that though, I had to practise my solo and then it turns out Kendall will have a solo to. Which is really good cause then we can tell if she also fits with us when we dance, not just in personality and age.
My solo, 'Maybe', is actually one of the songs from Annie, so I know it really well, plus all the timing is coming easily. So I have a really good feeling I can win!
-Two Days To Competition-
While Maddie, Chloe, Nia and Kendall all practise their solos (my practise is after the group dance), I sit upstairs with the moms and do some schoolwork due in a week. Things are a bit tense, especially with Kelly, as neither of the Hyland girls have solos, in Dance Jail, plus even though Kendall is here, Jill isn't and because mom thinks she is nice, they're all picking on her.
"How about your new BFF Jill? Is she coming?" Christi asks, but with a weird tone. I don't get it, shouldn't we be embracing the new change. I mean, yeah, I wanted Alejandro to join the team but Kendall is really nice and she is growing on me. Even though I think she can be a little bit dramatic and cries slightly too easily, I think she will be one of my best friends really quickly. So why can't the moms accept Jill like my mom is?
"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be here." Mom tells Christi, looking at me, "McKinna, are you sure question 2a is correct?" I double check it, realizing I misread it. Oops.
"She'll probably be here with a big gift for Abby." Christi responds, making Kelly laugh. Yeah, so she and Kendall are a bit fond of giving. But is that really a problem, or are the moms just jealous Kendall got a solo right away? I'm on Holly's side, I think, which is just ignoring the whole situation, or at least pretending you aren't there and listening in.
"I think she's very nice." Mom says, "And I- I don't know her, so I'm kind of-"
"You always thought Cathy was nice." Christi interrupts her, "So what's your judge of character?"
"Well, she likes your daughter, so I'd say it is pretty good, unless you think liking your daughter is a bad thing." I respond for her. Sorry, Christi, but you do not diss my mom for trying to be nice to someone new. Nuh uh. Abby gestures me down, so I walk off, waving politely as the moms hush. Hopefully I didn't overstep too much. Or at all.
We went over the group dance before finally it was solo practise for me, but then Jill and Kendall interrupted it and gave a gift to Abby, before talking for like fifteen minutes.
Okay, I see what the moms were saying.
-Competition Day-
The bus ride was certainly interesting. I sat with Kendall, because I wanted to get to know her a lot better and because no one else sat next to her. Kenzie and Brooke paired up, Paige and Maddie did and Chloe and Nia sat with each other as well. Which made me feel bad for Kendall. She likes singing a lot as well, which made me perk up.
"Oh, so do you want to be like, on Broadway and release singles?" I ask her, curiously.
"Totally, but I don't know how, because I don't have an agent and I've never starred in a video or anything." she responds, nodding her head.
"Don't worry, Miss Abby gives us lots of opportunites. I mean, that's how Maddie and I got the agent which led to me being on Broadway, so ya know, stay with us and-"
"You were on Broadway?" Kendall's eyes widened and her mouth was open slightly.
"Yeah, I played Annie in the recent adaption of it." her mouth dropped fully open.
"That's so cool!" she exclaims, and then we go on, talking about musicals, acting, singing and of course, ALDC. Then, I start doing her makeup and hair, for her solo, 'Bring Out The Boys'. "Okay, list your four top favorite dance styles."
"Contemporary, jazz, lyrical and musical theatre. We all have our little titles in the ALDC, so I'm the 'contemporary queen', Maddie is the 'favorite' or 'lyrical bird', Brooke is the 'acrobatic ruler', Paige is the 'jazzy fun joker', Kenz is the 'underdog' or 'mini Brooke', cause she likes acrobatics, Chloe is the 'broadway ballet' and Nia doesn't really have a title, but she normally gets like bollywood, jazz and acrobatic solos." Kendall nods, intrigued as I finish her light pink lip gloss. "You?"
"Basically yours, except for musical theatre and lyrical. I haven't done enough solos of either to really know if I like them or not. At my old studio, we were ballet, contemporary and jazz, so ya know." I think Chloe actually takes the occasional technique lessons at Studio 19, so it's not surprising to me about the ballet.
"Kendall K, come here for a second, please." Jill calls Kendall, who obediantly walks over to her. She hands Kendall a gift, and then forces her to go up to Abby and give it to her. Awkward. Kendall quickly returns to her seat.
"Sometimes, I just want to fall through the floor." she whispers and I nod.
"The moms are like that, you get used to it, plus, surely you won't have to do it for too much longer. Your mom probably just wants her off probation." I tell her as the bus driver announces we are at our destination. On our way out, we thank him, before we all head into the dressing room. Kendall, thanks to me, just has to change into her costume, while Maddie, Nia, Chloe and I have to get ready for our solos. First up is Maddie, so I give her a hug on our way backstage.
"You know you can ace this, twinnie." we wink and do our secret handshake. Then everyone goes into super focus mode and I start to stretch and go over my routine, with Kendall stressing out in the background.
