Melody 5 - Rising Stars

Chapter 5 - (i) Molly

--- MOLLY ---

“AND AGAIN!” yelled Derren.  “5, 6, 7, 8.”

The music to Demi Lovato’s Really Don’t Care kicked in and Molly and the other girls picked up the routine.  Molly and Jadine strutted towards the rehearsal studio mirrors, as Amy and Olivia shimmied towards the back wall.  Rhian was in the middle, shaking her hips and directing all her moves to Derren.  He was oblivious – he seemed more concerned with Amy.  As she and Olivia swung round, threw their heads back and headed towards the front, giving a couple of fierce high-kicks along the way, Derren stopped the music - again!

“No, no, no, no, NO!” he shouted.  “Amy, you have to kick on the 4th beat!”

“That’s what I did!” said Amy, putting her hands on her hips, as she eyeballed Derren.

“No, you didn’t!” said Derren.  “You were just off the beat.”

“In what universe?” shouted Amy.

“In this one.  And in all the others where you’re lumping around, shambling through this routine.”

Olivia sniggered.

Molly thought Derren was out of order.  He’d been nothing but down-right rude to Amy the whole morning.  “I don’t think she was actually!” she announced.

“Excuse me?” said Derren, turning to face Molly.

“I was looking in the mirror and I could see we were in time.  All of us!”

“I’d rather when you looked in the mirror,” said Derren, “that it was to check on your own performance, not worry about someone else’s!”

“We’re a group,” stated Molly.  “We’re supposed to be aware of everyone else.” 

Derren was momentarily stumped.

“Absolutely,” joined in Jadine.

“I was just looking at Derren,” said Rhian.  “Was that wrong?”

“You’ve no idea,” said Amy, under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I thought a good choreographer, was supposed to encourage and support their dancers,” said Molly, firmly holding Derren’s gaze.  “Not rip them to shreds every two minutes.” 

She fully expected him to lay into her, just as he had with Amy, after all it was bad form for a dancer to blatantly criticize a choreographer during rehearsals, even ones that were behaving like total arseholes!  But instead Derren took a couple of deep breaths and said, “I just want you girls to be the best you can be.”

“And so do we,” chirped up Olivia.  “I don’t mind you telling me if I ever get something wrong.  Not that I have yet.”

Molly rolled her eyes.  Even her patience was wearing thin with Olivia’s constant snidey comments.

“Of course, we all want to be the best we can,” said Molly.  “And none of us mind being told we can do something better, but we’re not here to be yelled at.”

“And I’m not here to pussy-foot around,” snapped Derren.  “I’m not teaching 8 year olds, Molly.  Welcome to the real world!”

As Derren glared at her, Molly felt as though she’d been slapped round the face.  There was silence as he turned and stormed to the front of the room.

“There was no need for that!” shouted Amy hotly.

“Listen,” said Derren, as he rounded on the girls.  “I think you’re all pretty amazing, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure everyone else thinks this group is pretty bloody amazing too!” 

Derren paused and stared briefly at every single one of them.  “Now, let’s start from the top and this time I’ll let you get to the end until I make any comments.  But trust me – there will be comments.”

“That’s fine,” said Jadine.  “I think we’re all agreed on the fact that we can handle constructive criticism.”

Derren nodded wryly and clapped his hands.  “Ladies, opening positions!”

Jadine turned to Molly and gave her a wink.”  Then Molly caught Amy’s eye, and saw her mouth “thanks.”  Molly smiled.

Derren clocked the looks between the girls.  “Ladies, if I could have your full attention.  Please.”

Molly looked straight ahead and prepared to launch into the routine again.  Derren McKenzie might be an amazing choreographer, but he was also a complete arse!