Magic Ballerina 7-12

by Darcey Bussell

  “Oh, not her too!” King Rat groaned from the castle.

  “What’s going on?” Sugar asked.

  “Rosa will explain!” called Nutmeg, waving her wand again. The music changed to a sweet melody, full of longing. Nutmeg began to dance round, as if she was holding a broom in her hands.

  “Cinderella’s music!” cried Rosa. She turned to Sugar. “We’re trying to summon a character from every single ballet,” she explained. “So that we can do a dance to make the First Fairy appear!” Quickly she told Sugar everything that had happened.

  “I’ll help!” Sugar said eagerly. She waved her own wand and began to do a dance that Rosa recognised as part of the swans’ dance from Swan Lake. After a few minutes, three great white swans came flapping across the sky.

  By now Cinderella had appeared and she had started to do the Lilac Fairy’s dance from Sleeping Beauty and Nutmeg was dancing a new dance that Rosa had never seen before. Suddenly a rosy-cheeked girl in a bright costume appeared.

  “Swanhilda from the ballet Coppelia,” Sugar cried to Rosa as she twirled past, jumping into the air and summoning the Prince from The Firebird. “It’s working, Rosa! It’s really working! Everyone’s coming!”

  Rosa’s head spun with all the different music. Within minutes the area outside the castle had filled with people. They were all shouting out, asking what was going on. Rosa couldn’t get round them all fast enough to explain.

  “We’ve done it!” Sugar exclaimed. “We’ve got someone from every ballet!”

  “Although half of them don’t know why they’re here yet,” said Nutmeg, looking worried. “How are we going to tell them they all have to do a dance? They’re being so noisy!”

  “What we need is a megaphone, or something that would work as one!” said Rosa. What could they do? Her eyes fell on the enormous leaves that had fallen from the tree and an idea came to her. Hurrying over to one, she rolled it up into a cone-like shape.

  She ran up the steps and shouted through it. “Quiet, please! QUIET!”

  Gradually the noise died down. Rosa blushed as everyone turned to look at her. “I know some of you are wondering why you’re here,” she said.

  “Well, the thing is, we need everyone’s help to get all the ballets back to normal. The King’s moonstone ring is broken and to mend it we need to summon the First Fairy.” A buzz of excited chatter rose. She raised her voice again. “We need you all to do a dance and…” She broke off as she realised she didn’t know what the dance was!

  Sugar saw Rosa’s confusion and jumped up beside her, taking the megaphone. “I can show you what to do, everyone. It’s very simple. The important thing is that you all do it at the same time in a circle, and we keep doing it until the First Fairy appears.”

  She used her wand to make a lively tune play and then she ran down the steps and began to dance – three steps to the right, followed by a turn, another three steps, followed by another turn. “Copy me!” she called. “This is all you have to do!”

  Everyone began to join in.

  “Come on!” Nutmeg said, pulling Rosa into the dance.

  Rosa’s heart soared. She hadn’t been sure if she would be included, not being a character from a ballet, but there was nothing she wanted more than to dance to the music. Dancing joyfully with the others in the circle, she lost herself in the music, stepping and turning, stepping and turning until her head whirled.

  I wish the examiners could see me now, she thought.

  A new piece of music broke in on top of the first. It was different, slow and gentle, piercingly sweet. It swelled in loudness, gradually getting stronger. It gave Rosa the feeling of dawn breaking in the morning. The lively music faded underneath it and gradually everyone slowed down and stopped.

  “Look!” Rosa breathed. In the centre of the circle a golden haze was forming. A figure appeared in the middle of it and the mist cleared. A beautiful fairy, dressed all in gold with a tiara on her pale blonde hair, was standing in a perfect arabesque, balanced on one toe, her other leg held straight out behind her, her arms stretched out. She looked like a bird caught in mid-flight.

  Rosa felt like she never wanted to take her eyes off her. The fairy’s face was beautiful, calm and serene, and the air around her seemed to sparkle. Everyone watched in awe as she slowly brought her leg down until her feet were together and then she turned on her pointes and looked straight at Rosa.

  Dancing quickly with a fast-turning step, the First Fairy spun out of the centre of the circle and stopped in front of Rosa. She held out her wand and looked invitingly at her. Rosa didn’t need her to say anything. She knew what she had to do. She held the ring out in front of her.

  The fairy gracefully touched the moonstone with her wand. There was a flash of golden light. Rosa looked at it and gasped. “It’s mended!”

  The music rose and swelled. The First Fairy smiled and then she spun away round the circle, dancing faster and faster. As the music reached the final note, she jumped into the air in a grand jeté and vanished, leaving just a faint gold mist shimmering behind her.

  There was a moment’s silence and then suddenly everyone started to talk at once.

  “It was the First Fairy!”

  “She was really here!”

  “And she mended the ring!”

  “Are the ballets all right now?”

  Rosa looked around. King Rat’s guards were slowly standing up. They looked dazed and confused.

  “Marbles!” said one.

  “Hopscotch!” said another, looking at the marks on the floor.

  “Playing with dolls!” said a third, hastily throwing down the baby doll he had been cuddling. He made a big effort to snarl and look vicious. “What’s going on? I hate dolls unless I’m chewing on them to sharpen my teeth! Yuck!”

  “You’re back to normal!” King Rat shouted in delight. “Yahoo!”

  “Everything’s back to normal!” said Sugar in relief.

  The crowd of people cheered.

  “Oh, Rosa. Thank you for helping us!” said Nutmeg, hugging her friend.

  Sugar smiled at her. “We’d never have solved the problem without you, Rosa.”

  “I was sure it was impossible,” said Nutmeg.

  Rosa grinned. “Nothing’s impossible,” she said.

  “Well, apart from maybe making King Rat like dancing!” Nutmeg giggled.

  “Hmm.” A mischievous twinkle lit up Sugar’s eyes and for a moment the two sisters looked very similar. Sugar glanced to where King Rat was marching around yelling at his guards. “King Rat hasn’t put his enchantment back yet that stops anyone doing magic here, has he?”

  Nutmeg shook her head.

  “Then let me see what I can do!” Sugar waved her wand.

  A lively polka swelled through the air.

  “Oh, not MORE dancing!” King Rat said, looking around as people cheered again and started to grab partners. They began to take light galloping sideways steps, swinging each other round.

  Sugar danced over, pointed her wand at King Rat’s boots and quickly said a magic spell:

  “Boots twirl and spin, turn and prance,

  Make King Rat love to dance!”

  “What? No!” King Rat yelled in horror as there was a lilac flash and suddenly his feet started to move of their own accord. But as he began to spin round, the horror turned to surprise and his mouth turned upwards in a grin.

  “Actually, this is quite fun!” he shouted. “I’m dancing! Really dancing! Hey, wait for me!” He galloped away with great galumphing steps after the others, turning round and round, his cloak flying out behind him, his red eyes lit up with delight.

  Rosa gasped. “So King Rat likes dancing now!”

  “Not forever, unfortunately. My magic’s not strong enough for that. The spell will wear off after a bit.” Sugar giggled. “But it will be fun watching him until it does!”

  “Come on!” said Nutmeg, taking Rosa’s hands. “Let’s join in!”

  They set off with Sug
ar dancing beside them. Rosa laughed in delight as they all swept around the castle in a laughing, happy throng. This was the best adventure ever! But then her feet started to tingle. Her ballet shoes were glowing.

  “I’m about to go home!” she cried.

  And in a whirl of sparkling colours, she felt herself being whisked away!

  Rosa felt her feet hit the floor and the colours faded. She blinked. She was back in the exam room and Rebecca was dancing the set dance.

  For a moment, Rosa felt dazed. So much had been happening in Enchantia that she had completely forgotten all about the exam. But now it came flooding back. I’ve messed up, she realised as Olivia started her dance. I’m never going to pass.

  She felt a wave of despair. She wanted to give up. No, she thought, remembering what had just happened in Enchantia. Nothing’s impossible.

  Rosa took a deep breath. Maybe it was too late and she had failed already, but she had to try. She still had her set dance and character work to do. Maybe if she gave it her very best shot she still had a chance to pass.

  Olivia finished and suddenly it was Rosa’s turn. She danced forward. Usually when she danced she talked herself through the steps in her head, but she knew the steps so well from all her practising that her body seemed to take over, and this time she just danced. She spun and jumped and ended perfectly, one arm high, the other by her side, her shoulders down, her chin lifted, her body poised and graceful.

  As the music stopped she relaxed, a huge grin spreading over her face. She’d done it! Whether she passed or not she knew she had tried her very best and that was all that really mattered.

  Quickly she joined the others. Now there was just the character dance to go!

  “Oh, wow!” Olivia gasped as the door shut behind them after the exam had finished. “You were amazing, Rosa! I’ve never seen you dance so well. Your set dance and character dance were brilliant!”

  “Thanks,” Rosa said in relief. “I really messed up in the centre, though.”

  “Well, I got so much wrong at the barre,” said Asha.

  “And I forgot the steps in the character dance,” groaned Rebecca.

  “I certainly won’t have passed. It’s impossible,” said Rosa.

  “Nothing’s impossible. You should know that by now, Rosa,” Madame Za-Za said briskly, opening the door of the changing rooms. “Come along, girls.” She ushered them into the changing rooms. “Don’t worry about what you got wrong; everyone makes mistakes in an exam. No one is ever perfect. I’m sure you all did your best and that is the most important thing.”

  Two weeks later, Rosa arrived at the ballet school with Olivia. They were greeted at the door by Asha. “The exam results are up!” she exclaimed. “Quick! Come and see!”

  Rosa and Olivia both hurried down the corridor. A piece of white paper was pinned to the noticeboard outside Madame Za-Za’s office.

  Rosa’s heart pounded. She had been trying not to think about the exam. She knew she must have failed after making so many mistakes early on. She reached the notice, but the words seemed to swirl in front of her eyes as she tried to find her name. Please let me have passed, please let me have passed, she prayed.

  Olivia gave a massive squeal. “We both passed!” she said. “We did it! Look!” She pointed her finger at the paper and Rosa saw the words:

  Olivia Rowley…A (distinction)

  Rosa Maitland…A (distinction)

  She had passed! And with distinction! She could hardly believe it.

  She hugged Olivia. “Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Oh, wow!”

  Madame Za-Za came out of her office and smiled at them. “Well done, girls. I’m very proud of you both.”

  “Thank you, Madame Za-Za!” Olivia gasped.

  Madame Za-Za’s eyes met Rosa’s. “You see. As long as you never give up, nothing is impossible, Rosa,” she said softly.

  And in that moment, Rosa knew that she was right.

  1.Place your feet in 1st position, with your ankles together and toes pointing outwards. Rest your left arm on the barre and hold your right arm out to the side.

  2. Stretch over to the side, sweeping your arm over your head; keep your arm in a lovely oval shape.

  3. Rise back up, bringing your arm in front of you before sweeping it back out to the side.

  4. Swoosh your arm round in a circle in front of you until it is back to the side again. Start again and keep going until your magic is done!

  PS (If you don’t have an actual barre you could rest your hand on a wall or fence instead…remember to swap over so you can try the magic with your other arm!)

  Rosa danced across the stage, turning with every step. Her pale blue ballet dress swirled around her as she stopped and spun on the spot. She was lost in the beautiful music, feeling like she really was a dancing water nymph. Ending her spin in a demi-plié, she held her arms up gracefully. The lights on stage were very bright and she couldn’t see the faces in the audience, but she could hear the applause as it burst out!

  She grinned and held out her hands to the sides. The other girls on the stage ran forward and made a line with her. They were all dressed in different shades of green and blue. They curtseyed together, smiling happily, and then the curtains closed.

  Rosa’s best friend, Olivia, hugged her. “Wasn’t that brilliant?”

  Rosa’s eyes shone. “It was!” Her class had been performing a ballet at the local theatre about an underwater kingdom and she had been the main character, a water nymph called Ondine.

  “Come on, girls!” Madame Za-Za, their teacher, called from the side of the stage. “Off you come!”

  As they left through the wings, Madame Za-Za smiled warmly at them. “That was excellent, all of you!” She turned to smile at Rosa in particular. “Well done. I don’t think you have ever danced so well, Rosa.”

  Rosa glowed with pride as she went downstairs to the dressing rooms with Olivia. There was a TV monitor on the wall which showed what was happening on stage.

  The next class were performing the Sugar Plum Fairy’s dance from The Nutcracker. Rosa glanced at her red ballet shoes and smiled to herself. It was amazing to think that she had actually met the real Sugar Plum Fairy…

  Rosa had a secret. Her red ballet shoes were magic! Sometimes they started to sparkle and then they took her to Enchantia, a land where all the different characters from the ballets lived. Rosa had been on some brilliant adventures there. She wondered when she’d go again.

  “Hey, Rosa! Have some of these!” Looking round, Rosa saw that her friends were sharing out a big bag of sweets. Pushing the thoughts of Enchantia away, she ran over to join them.

  After the show, the girls piled out of the dressing rooms and into the theatre foyer to meet their parents. They were all chattering excitedly. Madame Za-Za had given them each a glittering hairslide as an after-show present. Rosa’s was made of sparkling red jewels and she had clipped it into her blonde hair.

  “There’s my mum and dad,” said Olivia. “See you tomorrow, Rosa.”

  She ran off. Rosa caught sight of her own mum. She was talking to a slim auburn-haired lady who had a notepad in her hands.

  “Mum!” Rosa called.

  Rosa’s mother looked around and her face lit up with a proud smile. “You were wonderful, sweetheart,” she said as Rosa hurried over.

  Rosa grinned happily. Her mum had been a fantastic ballet dancer before a car accident had left her in a wheelchair. Rosa’s dream was to be a ballerina just like her one day.

  “Rosa, this is Imogen Green,” her mum went on. “We used to dance together when we were younger, but now she works for the Royal Ballet School.”

  Rosa’s eyes widened as she looked at the red-haired lady. The Royal Ballet School! That was where her mum had trained. Everyone knew it was the best ballet school in the country.

  “Hello, Rosa.” Imogen smiled at her. “My job is to help organise the auditions for the Royal Ballet School. I am a friend of Madame Za-Za’s and she told me she had some very talent
ed young dancers in her classes. Would you be interested in auditioning?”

  “Oh, yes!” Rosa exclaimed in delight.

  “I have a list of other girls here too,” said Imogen, looking down at her notepad. “There was a girl called Olivia in your class and a few girls from the class above.”

  Oh, wow! Rosa’s head spun. She couldn’t wait to tell everyone!

  “Obviously this is just an audition and there’s no guarantee that you would get a place at the school,” Imogen went on.

  “And if you did it’s a big decision because it would mean coming to live in London and attending boarding school.”

  Boarding school! Rosa felt as if a bucket of water had just been dumped over her.

  She couldn’t do that. It was just her and her mum because her dad wasn’t around any more. She couldn’t leave her mum on her own to go to boarding school. She stared at Imogen in dismay.

  “Rosa?” her mum said, catching her expression. “Is something wrong?”

  “I…I hadn’t realised it would be boarding!” stammered Rosa.

  “Don’t you want to board?” her mum asked in surprise.

  Rosa hesitated. If I say I don’t want to go because it will leave Mum on her own, she’ll feel really guilty. “I…um…no, not really,” she lied.

  Imogen nodded understandingly. “Some girls do find the idea of boarding very difficult. And maybe you’ll find that the Royal Ballet School isn’t right for you, Rosa. But why don’t you have a think about it?

  I’ve given the forms to your mum. If you do decide to audition you need to send them off in the next few days.” She smiled. “Now, I’d better go and speak to the others. Maybe I’ll see you again soon.” She hurried off.