Dance Academy- One Step At A Time

CHAPTER #3

In the morning Tara woke before Ethan's alarm.  He came out of his room wearing shorts and a tank top, runners in hand.  "Good morning, join me for a run?"

She nodded, "thanks for last night.  I didn't mean to dump my problems on your door step.  The freestyle dancing, unlocked the gate."

"I knew it would.  But even in your pain, you taught my dancers how movement can tell a story."

Tara gave him a sad smile and then went to change.  A glass of juice and then off they went.  He took her through the city to a little morning cafe.  They had a light breakfast and began to walk back.

"Race you!"  Tara challenged.

He laughed, "you don't even know where you're going!"

"Alright, let's just run back then."

They did so, side by side.  She easily kept pace.  He liked having her with him.  It angered him that Christian had physically and emotionally hurt her so badly.  All he could do was help her forget that moment when her heart had been shredded.  He looked over at her and shook his head.  How had Christian ever thought she was a little girl.  Everything she'd been through... no she was all woman.

"I missed you," he said simply.

She looked at him and saw he was sincere.  "I missed you too.  And I never got to thank you for helping me in rehab after my back injury.  I was so scared I couldn't walk or ever dance again.... I... I owe you."

He stopped running and began to walk, he smiled.  "Remember when you were organizing that winter prom thing?  You had told me that you liked being injured."

"Yes I remember.  You were right, if there was a threat of never being able to dance, I wouldn't say that.  When I fell and couldn't feel my legs...."

"And look at you now; you dance and run.  You've never been a quitter," Ethan praised.  "I found something that reminded me of you, the first week I was here."  He took her to a park, that had a big green patch.  

"Clovers!" She laughed, "did you ever find a four leaf clover?"

"In spanish it's trebol de cuatro hojas,"  Ethan grinned.  "And no I never did find one, maybe you will.  I kept the one you gave me and had it laminated." He took out his wallet from his shorts and showed her.

The look she gave him, stirred a feeling, that he had buried a long time ago.  But he didn't want to be her rebound, so he ignored the moment.  "We need to go, I've got to head in to the studio and work on that piece for the CCCB."

Tara gave back the encased clover.  "I'll find you a spanish one, I've got all summer."

Back at Ethan's flat, she called her parents.  It was 8am in Barcelona and that meant it was 4pm in Australia.  "I'm in Barcelona... yes with Ethan.  No don't tell him and no, I don't want to talk about it....  I'll be back to finish third year at the academy. ... Thanks Dad.  Send my love to mom... I will... bye."

"I didn't mean to eaves drop, but it sounded like Christian called them looking for you."

"He did, but I'm not ready to talk to him. If he calls you, what will you say?" Tara asked.

"I'll tell him you're okay and that you'll be back at the end of summer."

After a few moments of silence, Tara explained their past.  "Our timing has always been off.  The first time Christian got between you and I, was because he was there and you weren't.  The second time, when you invited me to spend the summer with you, his plans to join Sammy at his parents place, fell through.  I couldn't invite him to join you and I, but I also couldn't desert my friend. There always was something happening or in the way."

"And me getting the job here in Barcelona didn't help,"  Ethan added.  "So really you didn't choose him over me, is what you're saying?"

She nodded.  "He was part of me from the start, kept me grounded.  And he's still in my present.  But you've always challenged me to be better, to look to my future.  I don't know what will happen this year, but I do want to stay here all summer with you if that's okay."

"I understand more now than I did before.  And thanks for explaining," Ethan sighed. Then he added, "you can stay as long as you want."

"Thanks for everything,"  Tara replied.

They left it at that and headed into Increpacion Danza.  He introduced her to some of the choreographers and the directors; Montse Sanchez and Ramon Baeza.  When they said her name, their spanish accent made it sound so beautiful.  They talked for a good thirty minutes and then were called away by business.  Ethan and Tara changed and met in the same studio he had held class at.  He explained his idea, but couldn't figure out the music or how to put it to dance that would be different.

"You said the CCCB like innovative movement.  Since classic contemporary is a mix of ballet, jazz and modern, why not use everything else?" Tara suggested.

"Like when you were free styling?" Ethan asked, an idea forming as they spoke.

"Sure, why not? And to a mix of music, like you playing piano into beat boxing and then classical or pop."

"So we could combine different cultural dances.  Instead of telling a story in the literal sense, it could be how music and dance is the universal language of cultures." Ethan thought out loud.

"One time Zach took us to meet his wife.  She's a circus performer.  Why not incorporate things like ribbon or fire dancing?"

"I'm going to need more dancers and we don't have much time," Ethan said excitedly.  He was energized and his mind was going in all directions.

"You focus on what styles and cultures they will need to learn.  I'll help you with the music." Tara watched him scribbling on a piece of paper, some things never changed.

He told her a few moves and explained what would be happening on stage.  They settled on aboriginal dance for the southern countries, then looked at north, east and west.  The traditional movement would be fused with modern, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, latin and folk.  There would be ribbon and fire dancers too.  The idea was ambitious, but if they focused and worked together, it could be pulled off.

"Chaotic contemporary is what I'm calling it," Tara teased.

"I'll post the audition call and we'll start the screening process.  Once we have the dancers, we'll get going.... I hope you don't mind working over your summer break."

"This is fun and will really put your name on everyone's tongue," she encouraged.

"You really think I can pull it off?" Ethan asked hesitantly.

"Yes, because it's you."