Let the Dance Begin

by Lynda Waterhouse

  Shell’s eyes flashed. ‘When I get to the dance school I’m going to enjoy myself. Maybe hook up with a surf boy’

  ‘No way!’ Lexie’s eyes widened in horror. ‘Surf boys are wild. They can ruin your reputation. I saw a surf boy once and he wasn’t even wearing a shirt!’

  Shell giggled. ‘They might have something interesting to say. They get to travel all over the place.’

  Cassie kept quiet about her friendship with Rubus. She knew that most female sand sprites were wary of surf boys – but that was only because they did not know any.

  ‘Dance school would be a bit of freedom after being stuck at the palace, and I’m going to grab it if I get the chance,’ Shell insisted.

  ‘I just want to learn how to dance,’ Lexie replied solemnly.

  ‘What do you want?’ Shell turned to Cassie.

  Answers,’ Cassie said without thinking, and then she blushed. ‘I mean, I want to learn how to do all the dance steps.’

  ‘Me too.’ Lexie grinned. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all got into the dance school. My dream is to be chosen to perform the dune dances and become the prima dune dancer.’

  ‘Dream on,’ Shell laughed.

  ‘Let’s promise that if we get in we’ll look out for each other,’ Cassie said. She had always longed to have some friends of her own age. She beamed with happiness at the thought that these two sprites could be her friends.

  The three girls stood up, held hands, formed a circle and squeezed hands three times. Then they took five steps anti-clockwise, spread their fingers wide and touched the person on the right with each finger, performing the Friendship Promise.

  ‘Day and night,

  Loyal and true

  I will always believe the best of you

  I’ll share my time

  I’ll stick like glue

  Never a flicker of doubt for you

  I’ll watch your back

  I’ll sift your sand

  If you fall I’ll take your hand

  No question

  No need for answers

  With your friendship I’ll take a chance

  Do what’s fun

  Do what’s right

  Because

  You’re a true friend of this sand sprite.’

  When they’d finished they all sat down together on the bench.

  ‘This is a great chance for us,’ Shell said. ‘And now that we are friends, can I suggest that when we get into Sandringham we don’t keep harping on about the past. We won’t talk about our past or where we come from or about our homes. Let’s concentrate on each other and the future.’

  Lexie nodded in agreement. ‘No looking back!’

  They both turned to Cassie. She thought about her Aunt Euphorbia and her life at Mite Cove and agreed, ‘No looking back!’ After all, she was only hoping to find out something new about her mother.

  The door opened again and the voice boomed, NEXT!’

  ‘Wish me luck!’ Lexie stood up, and turned and waved before walking into the room.

  ‘She’s got grace and good muscle tone. Lexie will be offered a place,’ Shell said confidently.

  ‘You seem to know a lot about dancing for someone who claims they’re only at the auditions because they want to escape the palace,’ Cassie noted.

  At the palace I get a lot of time to study people. Besides, I can’t help it if I’m naturally clever!’ Shell’s blue eyes twinkled with fun.

  ‘Is the Supreme Sand Sprite Sandrine as scary as sprites say?’ Cassie asked.

  Shell laughed. ‘She is impossible in the morning before her first cup of sage tea.’

  ‘My Aunt Euphorbia’s just the same. She can be grumpy for hours if it isn’t brewed properly,’ Cassie replied.

  What is it about sage tea?’ Shell grinned. ‘Even the smell of it makes me gag. Sandrine will not make any important decision without drinking a cup.’

  ‘I suppose she does have a lot of hard decisions to make, like stopping sprites from dancing in public – and making them work at repairing the dunes. There has been so much work to be done repairing Silica City. Ruling over the sand sprites these last seven years can’t have been easy’ Cassie said, putting the box containing her dancing shoes on the bench. She began to stretch in the way that she had seen the others do before they went in for their audition.

  ‘Being responsible for thousands of lives is incredibly tough. Sandrine has had to make some tough choices.’ Shell looked serious for a moment, then stood up and began to stretch her legs too. ‘I didn’t expect to feel this nervous. I can’t stop thinking that if I don’t get in I’ll be stuck at the palace for ever. There’s so much I want to do and see. Things are changing. Once the dance school is open again then I’m certain other things will follow’

  ‘What have you heard?’ said Cassie, finishing her warm-up exercises.

  Shell looked at her. ‘Nothing specific. I’m only a lowly servant. Nobody tells me anything.’

  ‘What’s Anagallis like? Do you ever get to see Sandrine’s daughter?’

  Shell laughed. ‘All the time.’

  ‘Is she as bad as people say?’

  Shell groaned. ‘Much, much worse.’

  Cassie laughed. ‘I’m glad. It is delicious to hear about someone who doesn’t behave. People are always coming to my aunt with tales about me. “That girl threw a pebble at my window and pulled a face” or, “I heard Cassie burp twice and she didn’t cover her mouth”. Sometimes it feels like I can’t do anything right!’

  Shell took a deep breath. ‘Both of us just have to get in, and I mean that in a totally non-gushing way’

  Cassie nodded. ‘Our futures depend upon it.’

  ‘This has come loose,’ said Shell, pulling a strand of Cassie’s hair. ‘Let me do it. You want to look your best.’

  They both sat down again and nobody spoke for a while. Cassie chewed the end of her fingernail and asked, ‘What do you think they will be looking for in the audition?’

  ‘Apart from the seven steps, you mean?’ Shell asked.

  ‘Sort of,’ Cassie said.

  ‘Earlier I saw them bringing in the shell headdress,’ Shell replied. ‘So I guess we’ll have to wear it and try to be inspired by the sounds we hear. They will be looking at how deeply you feel and how well you communicate those feelings.’

  Cassie bit her lip. ‘I hope I don’t show myself up! I took a bit of a risk coming here. My aunt doesn’t approve of dancing.’

  ‘She doesn’t know you’re here? Did you sneak away too?’

  ‘Yes,’ Cassie said, nodding. ‘You did as well?’

  Shell grinned. ‘I did! That’s why I was late. Once I’ve been offered a place I’m hoping that Sandrine will let me go. It would be embarrassing if she didn’t let someone who works at the palace have a place, don’t you think?’ Shell sat down beside her. ‘It must be nearly your turn by now. They only seem to take a few turns of the small sand timer to make up their minds if you’re out or you’re in. I’ve got a good feeling about you, Cassie.’

  ‘Nothing is certain,’ Cassie murmured, wishing she had Shell’s confidence.

  Cassie’s heart began to pulse loudly as the door of the audition room slowly began to open. She closed her eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths to prepare herself, when she heard the sound of footsteps as a voice boomed across the room.

  ‘CASSANDRA MARRAMGRASS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!’

  Chapter Five

  ‘The wings of a sand sprite will only come alive

  when she dances with all her heart.’

  The Sands of Time

  ‘NEXT!’ The bossy voice from the audition room summoned Cassie as Aunt Euphorbia strode towards her.

  ‘How many times do I have to tell you that dancing will only lead to heartbreak?’

  ‘I’m sorry’ Cassie said softly.

  ‘And you’ve taken your mother’s dancing slippers!’ Euphorbia’s face was purple with fury.

  ‘Yes, I did. I’m so
rry’ Cassie felt that it was no time for any more lies.

  ‘I see,’ Euphorbia said as she slowly raised her hand.

  ‘I am sorry. Truly I am.’ Tears came into Cassie’s eyes. ‘I’m really sorry to be such a disappointment to you.’

  ‘Is that what you think?’ Euphorbia’s voice cracked. ‘Oh, Cassie.’

  ‘Please let me at least audition!’ Cassie pleaded.

  ‘Excuse me.’ A voice cut into their conversation and Cassie felt a sharp dig in her ribs. ‘Do you mind if I go in front of you, only I have been waiting an awfully long time.’ Shell performed the curtsey of respect.

  Instinctively Euphorbia curtseyed in reply. That gave Shell the time to grab Cassie and push her towards the door of the audition room.

  ‘Go on,’ Shell hissed as she spun round on her heel and pretended to trip up, blocking Euphorbia’s way and catapulting Cassie through the door.

  The bossy voice belonged to a small, flushed sand sprite who prodded at Cassie and said, ‘Hurry up. They don’t like to be kept waiting.’

  At the other end of the room was a table where two judges were sitting. One of them had a kind face and violet eyes. She smiled at Cassie. ‘I am Madame Rosa Rugosa, the Principal of Sandringham Dance School. I want you to do your best and try not to be nervous.’

  Cassie tried to smile back at her but found her face was frozen. She glanced at the other judge. She had six white braids that glistened on each side of her head. Cassie’s heart thumped as she recognised her immediately. It was Sandrine, the Supreme Sand Sprite. It was said that her braids had turned pure white on the Night of the Great Sandstorm. Cassie felt her legs begin to wobble. She hadn’t expected to find herself face to face with the Supreme Sand Sprite! Cassie immediately thought of Shell and the trouble she’d be in when Sandrine recognised her.

  Sandrine pointed a long elegant finger at Cassie. ‘Come along! Step forward. What is your name?’

  Cassie bowed low and stretched her arm out as her aunt had taught her to do in front of royalty. She was aware of eyes watching her all the time.

  ‘Cassandra,’ she said.

  ‘It has been a long day, and we have seen a lot of really good dancers, even more terrible ones and some that are an absolute disgrace!’ Sandrine said crossly.

  Madame Rosa continued. ‘Tell me the names of the basic steps.’

  Cassie nodded. ‘The Sand Stretch, the Sand Plié, the Sunrise, the Dune Bug Jump, the Sand Glide, the Dart and T–T–Tap …’

  Sandrine sighed impatiently and tapped her nails on the table.

  ‘Surely you mean the Dart and Turn?’ Madame Rosa corrected her.

  ‘Oh yes, the Dart and Turn,’ Cassie answered. ‘And the seventh step is the Dune Arabe!’

  ‘Dune Arabesque! Really if you can’t be bothered to learn the names properly …’ Sandrine tutted.

  ‘I tried, but the exercises book that I had was ripped so I had to try and fill in the gaps as best I could,’ Cassie explained. ‘The instructions that I had only said The dancer must stand on one leg while … So I thought about all the things I could do with my body’ Cassie realised what a feeble excuse it sounded even as she said it. Every other sand sprite would have had someone they could ask.

  ‘Put on your dance shoes and show us how you did that,’ Madame Rosa said.

  Cassie’s hands shook as she tied on the slippers. She went through the seven steps, adding the bits that she and Rubus had created to fill in the missing gaps, imagining that she was back on the beach with Rubus and that they were dancing together. She went through each of the steps in turn, from the Sand Stretch to what she now knew was called the Dune Arabesque. She stood firmly on one leg and waggled her other arm and leg about.

  Sandrine snorted as Cassie performed the step. ‘Well, I must say I have never seen anything like that before!’

  ‘It shows imagination and initiative,’ Madame Rosa said. ‘Now we have seen the seven basic steps – albeit interesting versions – it is time for the free interpretation using the shell headdress.’

  ‘I think I’ve seen enough free interpretation already’ Sandrine said sourly.

  The little sand sprite handed Cassie the shell headdress. It was heavy, made up of rows of tiny shells with two large shells that fitted around the ears.

  ‘You have three minutes to respond to the sounds and vibrations you can pick up from the headdress. Do you have any questions?’ Madame Rosa asked, her voice sounding muffled through the headdress.

  Cassie shook her head.

  ‘Then begin,’ Madame Rosa commanded, turning over a small sand timer on the table.

  Cassie took a deep breath and concentrated.

  At first, she couldn’t hear anything apart from the beating of her heart as she moved into the centre of the room. And then slowly, first of all in her right ear and then her left, came sounds like whispers which created feelings in her … As the feelings came upon her she translated them into dance steps.

  Her mother smiling and promising to teach her to dance.

  The pain of her mother’s disappearance during the Great Sandstorm.

  Waiting, waiting endlessly waiting. The loss of her father, the brave sand farer, disappearing into the eye of the storm, sacrificing his life in order to save other sand sprites from the storm.

  Her Aunt Euphorbia and their life together at Mite Cove.

  Then her thoughts turned to the future.

  To a possible future at the sand factory. Sifting and resifting sand for the rest of her life.

  Back to the pain and darkness of being alone.

  But the strongest feeling inside her was the need to find out what had happened to her mother.

  Then a surprising feeling entered her body. Suddenly, more important than anything else, was the desire to be a sand dancer.

  To be the finest dancer. The one chosen above all others to perform the Triple Silica Jump!

  To become the best dancer.

  To be a force of nature.

  To one day become the prima dune dancer!

  Cassie felt her wings vibrate when Madame Rosa clapped her hands as the last grains of sand slipped from the timer. The small sand sprite helped Cassie take the headdress off and signalled for her to sit down on a nearby stool.

  Cassie bowed to the judges.

  Madame Rosa looked up at her. ‘You have potential.’

  ‘There is something wild and strong-willed about her. Something Marramgrass!’ Sandrine considered.

  Cassie couldn’t help herself. She replied proudly, ‘That is because I am Cassandra Marramgrass, daughter of Marina.’

  There was a stunned silence. Cassie couldn’t believe what she’d done. There was no way that she would get to the dance school now! Sandrine, who had been jealous of her mother, who had sent her away … Why had she been so stupid?

  Suddenly Sandrine banged her fist on the table. ‘I knew it. From the moment you walked in there was something about you. Walk over there, turn round and spin.’

  Cassie, confused, did as she was told.

  Madame Rosa wrote something and then she looked up at her and said, ‘Tell me, which Rule in The Sands of Time is the most important one to you?’

  Cassie chewed her lip and said, ‘There are so many Rules it’s hard to decide.’

  ‘Six hundred and twenty-two Rules to be exact,’ Sandrine said.

  ‘My favourite Rule is, Honour and care for the dunes as a mother would for her child.’

  A smile softened Sandrine’s expression. ‘That is my favourite too,’ she murmured. ‘And which Rule do you find hardest to keep?’

  ‘A sand dancer should behave with decorum at all times, remain in the background and wait to be given her due,’ Cassie quickly answered.

  Sandrine sighed. ‘There are reasons for Rules, you know. Good reasons.’

  Cassie felt her face go hot.

  ‘The material is raw, but offer a place if you think you can make something of her,’ Sandrine said with a wave of her hand.


  Madame Rosa Rugosa said in a serious voice, ‘Cassandra Marramgrass, you have been awarded a place at Sandringham Dance School. Term to commence by the next lunar quarter.’

  Cassie bowed again and left the room by a different door, indicated by the small sand sprite. As it closed, she took off the dance slippers, exhausted – emotionally and physically. She could hardly take in the fact that she had a place at the dance school and a chance to find out about her mother. Surely Euphorbia would not be so cruel as to refuse to let her go. A smile slipped across her face. But then, even Euphorbia wouldn’t be able to refuse an order from the Supreme Sand Sprite herself!

  Chapter Six

  ‘A sand sprite can never leave the past behind

  – it clings like sand trapped between the toes.’

  The Sands of Time

  It was the evening before Cassie was due to leave for Sandringham Dance School. Cassie whirled her braids around. Sand dancers always wore their hair in braids, and that morning her aunt had taught her the special way the Marramgrass family did their braids, with an extratight twist and special arrangement of tiny shells.

  Euphorbia had been very prickly with Cassie since the auditions. Whenever Cassie had tried to explain to her why she had gone, Euphorbia had raised her hand and refused to listen. Not that she would have told her the real reason – that she wanted to find out about her mother. That was a secret between herself and Rubus. But today, Euphorbia seemed resigned to her going.

  Once they’d cleared away the remains of dinner, she handed Cassie a parcel saying, ‘This is for you.’

  Cassie was surprised. She had certainly not been expecting a gift.

  ‘You had better see if it fits,’ Euphorbia continued in a snippy tone.

  Cassie opened the package and took out a dance practice dress. The fabric was so light that it almost slipped through her fingers. The bodice was a salmon pink and the skirt was carefully split into strips. Each strip was embroidered with dune flowers and grasses.

  It was the most beautiful dress that Cassie had ever seen.

  ‘I never expected anything like this,’ Cassie gasped, slipping it on. ‘It must have taken you hours to sew on all these tiny flowers and grasses.’