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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Mackenzie Maddie Chloe McKinna Nia Brooke Paige
"Alright girls. This week we have two solos, a duet and a group dance. The solos are going to two girls who didn't have a solo last week. Chloe, you're dance is 'What Goes Around', it is contemporary and I want you to shine in it. McKinna, you will have a lyrical piece called 'Looking For a Place Called Home'. Both of you really need to shine in these routines, your only competition is each other as Maddie isn't dancing." Chloe and I share a miniscule eye roll. Seriously, both of us have bet my twin more than twice at least and still apparently neither of us are good enough.
"You two will also have a duet called 'Falling', it is contemporary, Chloe you're the lead, it is a beautiful routine, I expect you two to do it well." Miss Abby tells Chloe and I and we excitedly exchange glances. We never get duets together, this is our first one ever, and we both have solos as well. While we silently celebrate, Holly raises her hand.
"Abby, how come both McKinna and Chloe get a duet and a solo each. Nia hasn't danced any other routine than the group in a while and Mackenzie is on top of the pyramid with no individual dances. How come they don't get a duet? Or Brooke and Paige?" Holly protests which makes me feel kind of bitter. Neither Chloe or I want to take away opportunities from the other girls, we're just excited to dance together. Plus, Holly forgot Maddie, Maddie isn't dancing but she still ignores her.
"If you want Nia to dance, Holly, maybe you won't so pointedly ignore Maddie in that list of dancers who haven't got an individual dance. Now, Brooke, you will be the lead in this week's group dance, it is called 'the Huntress', you will be hunting the other girls, it is contemporary. Alright, moving on- yes, Brooke?"
"My first school dance is this weekend and I was wondering if I would be able to go instead of going to the competition?" I have to surpress a gasp. Christi looks proudly at Brooke, but I'm more shocked. Brooke didn't even tell me she had a school dance coming up and she is supposed to be one of my best friends.
Abby Lee Miller "The kid wants to go to her first school dance instead of be the lead in the group, fine by me. I'm not going to stop that memory for her."
"Brooke, I'm not going to stop you from going, but if you aren't going to dance, you need to go with your mom, because I can't have you in here learning a routine you won't be dancing." Abby tells me and I wonder if Payton, who is like a meter taller than me, which is kinda scary, will replace Brooke this week. At least she is normally nice when she isn't being a bully.
"Alright girls, the group dance is inspired by the 'Hunger Games', Mackenzie, this week you will be in the routine. Moms, Brooke, you are dismissed. Girls, this is how your starting position is..." everybody except for us dancers leaves and we start working on the routine.
The concept is actually really cool, which is good because we are going to Starpower in Woodbridge, Virginia. The thing is, the competition is so big the competition has been split into two! So that means there is a lot of pressure this week, a bit of skipping school for dance and probably a whole lot of drama with the moms. Lucky us.
"Step put on your right, switch hands, lunge." Miss Abby runs the sequence for a while to we nail it on the third attempt and then we do it with the music. "Girls, I'm obviously going to have to replace Brooke. Maddie, I want you to go get Payton. Do not make a big deal out of it. Just go in, tap her her on the shoulder and say something along the lines of 'come with me'." Maddie nods and says 'ok', running out of Studio A.
She comes back with Payton, which means Leslie is joining the moms. Looking up to Dance Jail on that thought, I see the moms looking very displeased and doing a lot of muttering. But then we start the group dance again and in Miss Abby's words we are Payton's dinner because she is the huntress, which is kind of cool.
"Alright, McKinna and Chloe stay, you two are going to watch each other learn your solos and then we'll do the duet." Miss Abby tells us, leaving the other girls to file out, with the Hylands and Nia most likely going to head home with nothing else to do.
I practise my solo first and I'm actually in love. It definitely is my favorite solo I've ever done, it is absolutely gorgeous and there is so much raw emotion I have to convey through my dancing, I love it.
Kinna's Top Ten Solos: 10. Dance the Night 9. Finally Home 8. Padam Padam 7. Brighter Than the Sun 6. Goodbye Peter Pan 5. Something There
