Love Double Dutch!

by Doreen Spicer-Dannelly

  “We’re not giving up,” Melissa chimes in. “We’ll just have to think of something.”

  “Thank you, Melissa,” I say. “I’m glad someone’s staying positive.”

  “How about trying something with music first?” Tina suggests.

  “That’s a good idea!” I say, reinvigorated. Until:

  “Hey, girls,” calls Aunt Jeanie from the stoop. “Why don’t you ladies come in for some lunch and visit with Marc for a while?” She had the team at Hey, girls. I drop the ropes and join everyone inside. Okay, maybe we are doomed. Ugh! Sally’s negativity is becoming contagious. I can’t let that happen. I decide to just forget it for now and have lunch.

  Aunt Jeanie gathers everyone in the family room to eat. Marc wants us to watch some video of him and his frat brothers. Tina and Melissa are looking around like they have no idea what to expect, and neither do I. He casts a video from his phone to the TV. It’s a step contest! And it’s crazy!

  “A step contest?” Tina asks, genuinely confused. “What’s stepping?”

  “It’s kind of like synchronized dancing,” Melissa answers. “It’s an African thing.” Everyone stares at Melissa for a moment. It’s awkward. “What? My cousin dates a black guy from Morehouse,” she says with a little Egyptian move, as if it clears the air. I snicker. I can’t help it. She is so funny.

  “Well, you’re sort of right, Melissa,” says Marc’s girlfriend. “Fraternities and sororities at all colleges put on some sort of display of discipline and organization. And at some black colleges, yes, we step.”

  “And we Q’s are off the chain!” Marc says. “Ain’t that right, Gabriella?”

  “You guys are a’ight,” Gabriella kids. My uncle clears his throat, to which she says, “Okay, you guys are the best.”

  “That’s more like it,” Uncle Larry says as he and Marc bump fists. I’m guessing he’s from the same fraternity.

  “Well, come on here, girls, and check this out,” Marc says, directing our attention to the TV screen. “I’ma show y’all what stepping is.” All of us sit there and keep our eyes peeled as Marc casts another video. We watch these guys put on a show of chants and stepping routines. There’s music and lights, and the moves are strong, with stomps and lots of high energy. The guys get the audience into it. And it works. People are cheering and jumping out of their seats. The family room erupts in applause when Marc’s fraternity is done.

  “This is great!” says Tina, really into it. “That was so awesome!”

  “You were great, Marc!” I say. “You guys make college seem like so much fun.”

  “It ain’t all fun and games, li’l cuz,” Marc says with a smile. “Like Gabby said, it’s a display of discipline…mixed with a little fun. But, yes, the university experience is pretty awesome.”

  Aunt Jeanie steps over everyone to plant a kiss on her son’s cheek. I wouldn’t believe it if she wasn’t proud of anything Marc did.

  “Good grades and talented,” says Aunt Jeanie, excited.

  “Thanks, Mama, but I don’t want to take all the credit,” says Marc. “I had a secret weapon.” He looks at Gabriella. She seems surprised by what he just said.

  “Honey?” says Gabriella. “I am captain of the cheerleading squad,” she explains to us, “and I just showed him a few moves is all.” Ah! That’s where the snooty air came from: captain of the cheerleading squad.

  “Well, I wouldn’t tell my frat brothers that,” Uncle Larry insists. “As a matter of fact, I’m gonna act like I didn’t even hear that. Girls choreographing us back in the day would’ve never happened.” Wait! I suddenly have an idea.

  “Maybe you can help us with our routine,” Melissa says to Gabriella. She beat me to it! Who cares if Marc’s girlfriend is snooty? We’ll use all the help we can get.

  “Yeah, would you help us, please?” says Tina.

  “Maybe just start us off?” I say with a beggar’s face. I never thought I’d have to ask anyone to help me with anything that has to do with double Dutch, but with Melissa and Tina being new to it and Sally’s negative attitude, I have no choice.

  “Help with what?” asks Gabriella. “What are you guys talking about?” I just grab her hand and lead her outside to the driveway.

  “Double Dutch?” She laughs. “Really?” She takes another look at our awkward team.

  “Well, me and Kayla have been jumping for years,” Sally explains. “But Tina and Melissa are beginners.”

  “Good beginners, might I add,” Melissa chimes in.

  “And we’re fast learners.” Tina smiles big like she’s begging too. Gabriella crosses her arms and ponders things a moment. Then:

  “Okay, I think I might be able to give you a few pointers.” She twists her long locks into a bun and looks back at Marc standing in the door. He waves at her as if to say, Go ahead.

  “I also used to be captain of my double Dutch team outside of high school,” Gabriella boasts. “I might be a little rusty, but let’s see what we can do.”

  It’s obvious Gabriella knows what she’s doing the minute she picks up the ropes and hands the ends to me and Sally.

  “Double Dutch is not just simply jumping rope. It’s about teamwork, thinking as one team, one unit. Unity with style and flair,” Gabriella explains. “Let’s stay here.” She points two fingers back and forth between her eyes and ours. “Okay?” Sally and I nod. “Good. Now turn and keep your eyes on my feet.” I can’t believe it. This girl is going to jump! Isn’t she too old for this?

  In seconds, Gabriella smoothly jumps in the ropes as Sally and I keep our eyes glued to her feet. She does pop-ups, jumps out and back, in and out through the other side and back again. This time she slows her speed and does a couple of split jumps! Wow! I suddenly have a different respect for her. Anyone who knows and loves double Dutch like I do is my new bestie. I love her! As she jumps out, there’s silence.

  “That’s what I mean about staying here.” Gabriella connects our eyes again with her fingers.

  “Man, that was awesome!” Melissa says.

  “Thank you, sweetie,” Gabriella says as she pulls herself back together. “Now it’s your turn. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Tina pushes play on the boom box for inspiration. Gabriella and I carefully turn the ropes to show Tina and Melissa what to do while Sally does a trick, jumping on her hands, then flipping into a split jump. Wow! My li’l cousin is good. Tina takes my end so Sally and I can jump. Gabriella shows Tina and Melissa how to keep up with the moves as Sally and I try a leapfrog jump and flip, but we catch the ropes.

  “Ladies,” says Gabriella, getting our attention. “We need to get on the same page.”

  “I knew it.” Sally sulks. “We’re not going to be good enough to beat the Belles. It’s no use.”

  “First, you’ve got to stop with the defeatist attitude,” scolds Gabriella. “I don’t know one winner who ever doubted themselves.” I shoot Sally a look like, I hope that sank in that head of yours. “It’s only one minute, right? So maybe we should start with your personal strengths. Do you guys have anything special, any other physical skills that you can do individually?”

  “I’m in gymnastics, but I love to dance,” says Tina. “Salsa, like ballroom salsa.”

  “I’m a ballerina and I take gymnastics too,” says Sally, brightening.

  “I jump double Dutch every chance I get,” I say confidently.

  Melissa’s turn. “I just want to smash those b—” I quickly put my finger to my lips, signaling her to stop before she says the B-word. “Okay, I pitch softball and I also like wrestling my brothers. Oh, and I can pop-lock!” Well, at least she’s honest. Respectable. Gabriella snickers as if she doesn’t believe it.

  “She can.” I encourage Melissa. “Go ahead. Show her.” Melissa begins beatboxing with her mouth and dancing.

  “Ni
ce!” Gabriella is impressed. Melissa keeps going until Sally stops her.

  “She gets it,” Sally says. Melissa shoves Sally’s hand off her.

  “That was great. This is all good to know,” says Gabriella. She puts one hand on her hip and scratches her temple. “Okay, let me think.” She paces. I am so glad Gabriella is here helping us, because even though we have some good skills it would take us forever to figure out how to work them into our routine. She must be an expert or something, because in seconds, she puts us to work like Mr. Miyagi and the Karate Kid. She charges Melissa with mastering turning, which means she has to practice with a rope wrapped around a tree again, but this time bending her knees up and down. I don’t think she likes it, but she’s doing it. Tina is in charge of making up the dance routine we can do in the ropes.

  “They should be current dance moves. None of that cabbage-patch-running-man stuff,” Gabriella says.

  “I don’t even know what that is, but okay.” Tina is on it. Somehow I know there will be salsa dancing in there somewhere.

  And as for me and Sally, Gabriella ponders a routine for us.

  “I have an idea!” Sally says. “Maybe I can do the jumping spider? It’s the move I was supposed to do when I was with the Belles. Every double Dutch routine that ever got high scores had at least one insane move.”

  “And so you want to do the move you were afraid to do and froze on?” I ask, unconvinced.

  “Yes!” Sally replies. “I know I messed up before, but I know I can do it.” Gabriella looks at me and I shrug. I figure, if she’s ready to show her frenemies she can do the move without them, then I think we should let her do it.

  “Okay,” Gabriella decides. “Let’s try it, and we’ll add on any of the best tricks we can come up with from there.” Sally and I agree. “We can do this, ladies!” Gabriella gets excited and we all cheer! We all have our work cut out for us, and if the routine focuses on Sally and me being the main jumpers, we just might have a chance.

  After about two and half hours, four sweaty towels, and twenty glasses of iced tea, we have a routine. Yes! We’ll still need to work on it and pull everything together without stopping the ropes, but the groundwork is done. Now keeping Sally’s confidence in us as a new team hopefully won’t be a challenge. Just as we are ready to get started again, like sneaky creepy-crawlies, the Bouncing Belles roll by on their bikes.

  “Look.” Melissa calls our attention to them. The Belles have weird smirks on their faces and give fake waves. I’m not feeling their vibe.

  “Competition?” Gabriella is suspicious.

  “Yeah, they used to be my friends,” Sally says somberly. “But now they’re just…mean.”

  “Do you think they were watching us? Like, saw our routine?” Tina asks.

  “Would they copy us?” Melissa asks.

  “I doubt it,” Sally answers. “They’re too good to steal someone else’s routine.”

  “I don’t know,” I say. “If they do anything to copy us, I will kick that little one’s—”

  “You will act like a lady,” Gabriella cuts me off. “Competitors compete, not fight. Fighting is for savages. Are you savages or are you tough competitors who just put together an awesome routine and are ready to leave it all on the floor?” We nod. “I can’t hear you!” Gabriella screams.

  “Yes!” we all scream back.

  “All right then, let’s do this one more time, with lots of energy this time.” Gabriella gets us pumped again. “Hit the music, Tina!”

  Tina turns the music on, and we get back into it. Melissa’s turning skills are pretty good, but Sally keeps blaming her for stopping the ropes. Those two are making me nervous. Gabriella pays it no mind and makes us practice our routine three more times until we collapse.

  * * *

  —

  Before sunset, Marc and Gabriella say their good-byes. All of us thank Gabriella for her help. I guess she wasn’t so snooty after all. I have to stop being so quick to judge people. My mother always tells me that judging a book by its cover is easy to do; be open to the possibility that people might surprise you, she says. Check. The car begins to roll out of the driveway but comes to a screeching halt.

  “Girls!” yells Gabriella. We all run to the car window. “Remember what I said: double Dutch is about jumping two ropes but one team, as a unit. Oh, and get really cute outfits. It helps with the ‘wow’ factor.” We watch them drive off, then stare at each other.

  “Costumes? Oh my God, we forgot about costumes!” We all panic.

  “Don’t worry, girls,” says Aunt Jeanie. “One trip to the mall…and I mean one trip. How’s that sound?”

  We all jump around with excitement. The only thing that can make this moment even better is if we win the double Dutch competition…and if I see Charlie again, of course.

  It’s qualification day at the Charlotte Sports Day Camp, and the place is crawling with players and parents from all over the city. As for me and my team, we worked all day on Sunday and it was tough, but we’re ready. Melissa learned that if she keeps her eyes on our feet, she’ll turn the ropes carefully. Tina worked out a fly dance, and Sally and I got our tricks down pat. I made sure we knew our routine backward and forward. Sally is no longer “frozen” in time and seems to have put the past on ice so she can focus on her new task, beating the Belles. We’re all sore, but we look good…as good as we can with two new jumpers who really get it. As for me, I am so ready!

  In the car on the way to camp, Sally seems to be more excited than I am, but I’m skeptical. She’s been nervous and very negative about everything except picking out the coolest costumes. I just hope she doesn’t let the Belles get in her head again, because she is so good at double Dutch. I can’t believe she let those bullies tear down her confidence. Well, they won’t today. Not if I can help it. We’ve practiced too hard. There’s no way we can lose.

  Uncle Larry and Aunt Jeanie pick up Tina and Melissa so we can show up as a team. Tina has woven ribbons into her two pigtails, then intertwined them on top of her head, which looks really cool. She must have done Melissa’s hair too, because she actually looks neat and oddly girlyish. Sally and I have football-black makeup under our eyes, so we all look like we’re ready for war. And maybe there is something to showing solidarity, because when we arrive at the gym and Uncle Larry opens the door for us, everyone watches us like we’re rock stars. This moment has that “ooow” effect like that scene in a music video when everything slows down. One by one, we step out of the car—first Tina, then Melissa, then Sally, and then me. We stand there for the spectators, straightening our superlight puff jackets that read 4-D in satin and sequins that Aunt Jeanie helped sew on so we’d really look unique. The 4-D stands for “Double Deuces,” also known as the peace sign for anyone who tries to defeat us in double Dutch. We pose with the two-finger peace sign as Aunt Jeanie takes our picture. Courage and confidence are a part of any competitive sport, and we have plenty. In unison, we reach into our pockets for our shades and put them on to cover our eyes from the sun…and, uh, maybe from the imaginary cameras of the imaginary paparazzi? Oh yeah, kids are checking our style. We soak in the attention.

  And as if on cue, Charlie and his boys roll by on their skateboards! They nearly fall over themselves checking us out. I keep my cool, although I am doing backflips in my mind. Perfect timing! We look their way as we continue walking. Charlie smiles and then winks at me. What? As much as I want to stop and catch up since our artsy fight, I turn away and keep moving. I have no time for distractions. I’m in double Dutch mode.

  * * *

  —

  The gym is filled with double Dutch teams from what seems like all over North Carolina. All I can see is Carolina blue everywhere, on every team’s outfits including ours. I guess it’s part of the pride here. Cool. Parents and kids are in the stands watching. It feels more like a party with a DJ included. Sudde
nly I have a vision of my parents in the audience, but just as I start to smile from the obvious daydream, a loud whistle snaps me back to reality. And before we take our places, we drop our written program at the judges’ table and Sally hustles over to give an extra copy to the DJ just in case.

  “This is awesome!” Melissa says excitedly. “I had no idea this was so friggin’ popular.”

  “Me neither,” admits Tina. “This is like some underground hip-hop-type stuff. I love it.” I look at her peculiarly. What does a Latina know about underground hip-hop? Isn’t that for city kids to know and country kids to find out? I guess she has.

  “I have to go to the bathroom,” Sally blurts out.

  “You went to the bathroom three times before we left. Are you just nervous?” I ask.

  “What if I mess up? What if the Belles laugh at me again?” Sally says.

  “Look at me, Sally,” I say as I put my hands on her shoulders and look right into her eyes. She looks away. “Look at me!” She does. “You’re not going to do anything but go out there and have fun. We’ve practiced our routine, and even with new double Dutchers on our team, we got this!”

  “Yeah, Sally,” Melissa says. “Even if we don’t win. We’re good. But if they laugh at you—or any of us—I’ll punch them right in the nose.”

  “Okay, Melissa.” I have to stop her. “There won’t be any need for that. We’ll do just fine if we stick to the routine.”

  “But how do you know?” asks Sally.

  “Because I know!” I insist. “Look, I never said this to you before, but I think you are incredible at double Dutch, and you’re probably an even better ballerina. I couldn’t be that graceful if I tried. But once you lock into something you love doing, you are fierce, li’l cuz! Those Belles, those bullies, just caught you on a bad day at that last competition. Maybe you just weren’t sure of yourself, I don’t know. But today you’re even better than before, and I think as a team, we’re really good. So stop worrying!”