by Ann Bryant
So Rose stood next to me, but she didn’t look very happy. It was no wonder, really. After all, I hadn’t exactly been friendly with her at school.
When we did the port de bras, Miss Coralie had to tell Rose to stop squashing Sophie, who was on the other side of her, and to stand a bit closer to me. I started wondering whether I smelled horrible or something then, because surely Rose wouldn’t care about having to stand next to me all that much.
I got another “lovely” from Miss Coralie for my port de bras, which gave me the crazy yessssssss! feeling, but still I didn’t let it show. Then my heart started pounding with excitement as I thought, Just wait till you see how well I can do the step sequence, then!
We did lots of beats after the adage and, during this part of the lesson, Miss Coralie had to tell Rose to move up again because she was nearly jumping on Sophie’s toes. Next, we did the ordinary steps and I saw from the clock on the wall that there wasn’t much time left. I wished we could hurry up and get on with the step sequence that I’d practised. And the dance.
“Now,” said Miss Coralie, “this week, for a change, we’re not going to do any polishing work on last week’s sequence. Instead, I’m going to teach you another brand new set of steps because I think we need more practice at learning sequences at speed.”
My heart sank down to the elastic on my ballet shoes, and Jasmine turned round and gave me a worried look. I very nearly blurted out, Please can we do the one we did last week first? but just managed to stop myself in time. Miss Coralie wouldn’t have been at all pleased if I’d tried to interfere with what she’d planned.
The sequence seemed even more complicated than last week’s. While Miss Coralie was showing us all the steps, my eyes started to water from concentrating so hard on her feet, trying to remember when it should be left in front and when right, when to face the left corner and when to face the right.
“Mark it through, Rose,” said Miss Coralie in a slightly puzzled voice.
And that’s when I noticed that Rose was standing completely still, staring straight ahead as though she was in a trance. “It’s okay, thanks,” she said, politely.
But Miss Coralie obviously didn’t find it very polite. From the look on her face, you’d think Rose had called her a big fat pig or something. Her voice came out louder than usual. “I’m not asking you, I’m telling you.”
Rose didn’t go at all red, even though lots of people were giving her funny looks. She just started doing as she was told.
A minute later, Miss Coralie clapped her hands quite sharply. I think Rose had put her in a bad mood. “Right, let’s try it a row at a time. Front row first.”
I watched Jasmine carefully, my mind racing away trying to remember everything.
“Not a bad attempt, front row. Second row, please.”
This was it. I took a deep breath and got ready to focus.
“And…”
I tried my very hardest, but it was nearly as bad as last week. I could have burst into tears, because everything was going wrong.
We spent about five more minutes trying to improve the sequence, then Miss Coralie said that there wasn’t time to start learning the dance. “Never mind, girls, we’ll start it next week. Let’s do the curtsey to finish.”
I wished I could sink down through the floor and go on sinking down and down in the dark and stay there for ever. My last chance had gone now. Really really gone.
10 Friends
After the curtsey, Jasmine raised her eyebrows at me. She meant: Wait till everyone’s gone so we can talk to Miss Coralie.
I did a teeny little shake of my head.
“Why not?” she hissed.
I whispered right in her ear. “There’s no point.”
“But what about the dance…?”
I shook my head again because I was just too sad to speak, and started walking away. Everyone else had gone out except Rose, who was dipping her foot into the rosin tray at the back of the room. If Miss Coralie saw her she’d be really cross because you’re not supposed to touch the rosin. It’s for the older girls to give their ballet shoes extra grip when they’re standing on pointe.
“Excuse me, Miss Coralie,” said Jasmine.
I got a shock because I knew she was going to say something about me and I was certain Miss Coralie wouldn’t even have time to listen. She was wearing a big frown, working out a step with her hands.
“Yes, Jasmine.”
Jasmine was using her politest voice. “I was wondering if you could possibly watch Poppy doing the dance.”
I felt myself going red.
“I haven’t time, I’m afraid, Jasmine. I’m starting the next class in a second.” She wasn’t even listening.
I opened the door, wanting to get away before any embarrassing tears started dripping down my face.
Then something surprising happened. Rose suddenly rushed up to Miss Coralie, gabbling away loudly. “It was my fault that Poppy didn’t do her best last week. You see, I put her off by standing right next to her and asking her to help me.”
I stared at Rose, open-mouthed. Miss Coralie stopped what she was doing and looked a bit shocked.
“Her brother told me in the playground. He said that he’d been ear-wigging at Poppy’s bedroom door and he’d heard her talking to Jasmine.”
Now Miss Coralie looked bewildered. “What are you talking about, Rose?”
“I’m talking about how I’ve been trying to keep away from Poppy and not do anything to put her off today, because of it being my fault last time.” Rose suddenly turned round to face me. “I even did my hair in that bun at school to show you that I was going to act like a proper ballet student… Only then the boys made me so mad that I had to pull it out…”
Jasmine suddenly interrupted. “So can Poppy show you the dance, Miss Coralie? Please?”
Miss Coralie looked as though she didn’t know what on earth was happening.
“You should see her!” Rose suddenly blurted out. “She’s mega!”
Miss Coralie frowned. “What dance?”
“The one you’ve started teaching the exam girls,” said Rose. “Go on, Poppy, show her.”
I couldn’t work out how Rose knew that I’d learned the dance. Was she a mind-reader or something?
“You’ve learned the exam dance?” asked Miss Coralie, looking as puzzled as I felt.
“Jasmine showed me,” I said quietly.
“Go on!” said Rose, as though she was my mum. “Do it how you did it in the cloakroom.”
“You…saw me?”
She was grinning. “Yeah, I was hiding in the toilet, watching through the crack where the hinges are! You looked like a proper ballerina. Go on!”
Miss Coralie flapped her hand and looked a bit irritated with Rose. Her eyes were on me. “Are you telling me that you’ve learned the exam dance right through and that you know it thoroughly?”
I nodded.
She looked at her watch for ages, as if she couldn’t tell the time properly, then suddenly said, “All right… Just very quickly then…” She gave Mrs. Marsden a really sharp nod and turned back to me. “I’ll count you in, Poppy.”
Mrs. Marsden played the introduction. The music gave me a shock because I’d never heard it before and I hadn’t imagined it would be so beautiful. It made the room feel like a stage, full of lights that swayed and glittered.
“One and two and three and four…”
It was a brilliant feeling because there was no need to concentrate on the counts any more now. In fact, there was no need to concentrate on anything. The music did all the work, I just danced and danced…
As I held the last position, Rose started clapping and whooping. I hardly dared to look at Miss Coralie but, when I did, I saw that her eyes were bright and dark at the same time.
“Lovely, Poppy,” she said slowly. “Lovely. I truly didn’t know you had it in you!”
“So, can she do the exam then?” asked Rose, dropping to her knees right in front of
Miss Coralie and doing praying hands.
Mrs. Marsden let out a giggle and I noticed the corners of Miss Coralie’s mouth turning up. But then she suddenly looked worried and spoke quickly. “Did you post the letter of application yet, Mrs. Marsden?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasmine’s shoulders go up and heard her do a little gasp. She must have been thinking exactly the same thing as me. Now that Miss Coralie thought I was good enough, it would be absolutely terrible if it was too late.
Mrs. Marsden reached down into her handbag and yanked out a brown envelope. At the same time, a piece of paper fluttered out and landed at my feet. I didn’t look at it because I was watching Mrs. Marsden. She straightened up, waved the envelope in front of our noses, grinned and said, “You’re in luck. I forgot to post the envelope at lunchtime!”
“What a relief!” said Miss Coralie, taking the envelope from Mrs. Marsden and slitting it open with her finger. “I’ll put your name down, Poppy.”
“Oh, thank you!” I cried. At least, that’s what I tried to say, but my mouth was all dry again, so it just came out like a little squeak.
And then I happened to look down and see what was written on the piece of paper that had flown out of Mrs. Marsden’s handbag. It was the list of names that Miss Coralie had read out last week – the girls who she’d chosen for the exam. I reached down and picked it up and, as I handed it back to Mrs. Marsden, I read them very quickly…
Lottie Carroll
Immy Pearson
Tamsyn Waters
Sophie James?
Isobel Brooks
Jasmine Ayed
Poppy Vernon?
I managed to keep my gasp inside. So I was on the list. My name was one of the ones with a question mark. I’d tell Jasmine later. But, for now, I could only smile and smile as all my old sadness fizzled away and a whirlwind of happiness started whizzing around inside my tummy. I had been good enough. Miss Coralie would have picked me if I hadn’t messed up so badly in that one lesson.
Jasmine put her arm around me and said, “I knew you could do it, Poppy.” Then Rose got up and surprised me by giving me a hug.
“And so did I!” she said loudly.
“What a lucky girl you are, Poppy,” said Mrs. Marsden, “having two such good friends!”
It was funny, because only a few minutes ago Rose hadn’t felt anything like a friend. But now she really did.
“Off you go then,” said Miss Coralie, shooing us away with her hands. “I’ve got another class waiting, you know.”
Five minutes later we were walking downstairs together.
“I’ve just realized something,” said Rose.
“What?”
“We’re all flowers, aren’t we? Poppy, Rose and Jasmine!”
Jasmine and I looked at each other with laughing eyes. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I asked her.
“Waltz of the Flowers!” we both said together.
Jasmine turned to Rose. “Do you want to be part of the dance we’ve made up to Poppy’s most favourite piece of music in the whole world?”
“No, I’d only spoil it,” said Rose. “I’m so rubbish at ballet… But you can invite me round and I’ll watch you two doing it.”
“Yeah, let’s go and ask Mum right now!” I said.
“And you can tell her your brilliant news!” said Jasmine, dropping her bag and sticking both thumbs up, she was so happy.
Without thinking I pressed my thumb against hers.
“Hey, what about me?” said Rose, yanking my school shoes out of my other hand and making me join thumbs with her. Then she pressed her other thumb against Jasmine’s so we made a triple thumb-thumb.
My eyes met Jasmine’s and we burst out laughing. Then Rose broke free and raced off down the spiral staircase crying “Geronimo!” at the top of her voice.
Jasmine and I followed behind and, for once, I couldn’t hear the splitching echoey sound that our footsteps were making, because we were laughing so loudly.
Ballet Words
Ballet words are mostly in French, which makes them more magical. But when you’re learning, it’s nice to know what they mean too. Here are some of the words that all Miss Coralie’s students have to learn:
adage: The name for the slow steps in the centre of the room, away from the barre.
arabesque: A beautiful balance on one leg.
assemblé: A jump where the feet come together at the end.
battement dégagé: A foot exercise at the barre to get beautiful toes.
battement tendu: Another foot exercise where you stretch your foot until it points.
chassé: A soft smooth slide of the feet.
développé: A lifting and unfolding of one leg into the air, while balancing on the other.
echappé: This one’s impossible to describe, but it’s like your feet escaping from each other!
fifth position croisé: When you are facing, say the left corner, with your feet in fifth position, and your front foot is the right foot.
fouetté: This step is so fast your feet are in a blur! You do it to prepare for pirouettes.
grand battement: High kick!
jeté: A spring where you land on the opposite foot. Rose loves these!
pas de bourrée: Tiny little steps to the side, like a mouse.
pas de chat: A cat hop from one foot to the other.
plié: This is the first step we do in class. You have to bend your knees slowly and make sure your feet are turned right out, with your heels firmly planted on the floor for as long as possible.
port de bras: Arm movements, which Poppy is good at.
révérence: The curtsey at the end of class.
rond de jambe: This is where you make a circle with your leg.
sissonne: A scissor step.
sissonne en arrière: A scissor step going backwards. This is really hard!
sissonne en avant: A scissor step going forwards.
soubresaut: A jump off two feet, pointing your feet hard in the air.
temps levé: A step and sweep up the other leg then jump.
turnout: You have to stand with your legs and feet and hips all opened out and pointing to the side, not the front. This is the most important thing in ballet that everyone learns right from the start.
Collect all the Ballerina Dreams books
1. Poppy’s Secret Wish
Poppy desperately wants to take the ballet exam with her best friend Jasmine. But when a new girl arrives in class, she’s distracted. She’s convinced she’s failed but a little help from her friends means her wish might still come true.
2. Jasmine’s Lucky Star
Jasmine dreams of being a world-famous ballerina, but her Dad wants her to give up ballet and concentrate on schoolwork. Will she be the star of the end-of-term ballet show and convince him to change his mind?
3. Rose’s Big Decision
Rose is a talented gymnast who thinks ballet is for wimps. But when she receives ballet lessons for her birthday, she starts to change her mind. But she can’t do both ballet and gym. Which one will she choose?
4. Dancing Princess
Poppy is nervous when two important visitors come to watch her ballet class as she assumes they must be choosing dancers for a show. When told the visitors are coming again, Poppy is determined to be the best – whatever it takes.
5. Dancing with the Stars
Jasmine’s been told she’s good enough to audition for the world-famous Royal Ballet School – she’s on top of the world! But her happiness is shattered when Dad won’t allow her to audition. Will Jasmine ever follow her dream and dance with the stars?
6. Dancing Forever
There’s a boy in Rose’s ballet class! And Rose being Rose, she can’t help but muck about with him and get into trouble. Will her friends get Rose back on track in time for her exams?
7. The Christmas Nutcracker
Poppy, Jasmine and Rose are thrilled to have won parts in a professional production of
the Nutcracker. But with demanding rehearsals and a whole host of new people to work with, the girls face many challenges.
Check out more sparkly stories at
www.usborne.com/fiction
Acknowledgements
My sincerest thanks to Victoria Zafiropoulous – Miss Victoria, the Principal of Tenterden Ballet Studio – for her invaluable help, and for providing me with inspiration for the character of Miss Coralie. My thanks, also, to Rufina Hunn for her very astute help, and to Sara Matthews, the Assistant Director of the Central School of Ballet, for kindly allowing us to watch some classes. And most of all, my thanks to Megan Larkin for believing in me.
This ebook edition first published in the UK in 2015 by Usborne Publishing Ltd, Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England. www.usborne.com
Copyright © 2015, 2004 by Ann Bryant
The right of Ann Bryant to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
Cover photograph by Ray Moller.
Dancers from Central School of Ballet and Tenterden Ballet Studio.
Illustrations by Tim Benton.
The name Usborne and the devices are Trade Marks of Usborne Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or loaned or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
