by Anayo Ordu
SETTING THE BARRE
Anayo Ordu
Setting the Barre
Copyright © 2018 Anayo Ordu
Cover design by Harvijay of Team Gigblast.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
CHAPTER ONE
“DING! DING! DING!” The bell chimed one last time for the entire school year. After ten straight months of essays, assignments, tests, and projects, junior year was finally over.
Our teachers and counselors warned us from the start that this would be the most difficult year yet. It was all about keeping grades up, staying involved in activities, and getting an SAT score high enough to be competitive for college applications in the fall.
My situation was a little different. While all those things were important, my main concern revolved around having the best summer intensive experience possible. After being denied two summers in a row, I was finally accepted to The Joplin Ballet School. This would finally be my chance to prove myself and lead me to secure a spot at Julliard. The New York City dance world is extremely connected, and this summer could definitely help my chances.
Mom and Dad have always supported me, but still want me to go to a traditional college campus. I’ve assured them my career will revolve around dance, so being at such a prestigious performing arts school will only increase my opportunities for the future.
“Finally,” Veronica sighed in relief as she grabbed her backpack, ready to escape pre-calculus forever.
She would be spending the summer with her dad in California. Her plans for the future weren’t as specific as mine. All she knew was that she wanted to pledge a top sorority, wherever she ended up for school.
“What are your plans while you’re out in Los Angeles?” I asked her.
“Nothing major. Chill by the pool, go to the beach, spend some time shopping,” she replied. “My step-sister will be home from college, so hopefully she can take me to some parties.”
I didn’t know what it felt like to have siblings of any kind. All I knew was school, dance, recitals, and repeating the process.
“Jane – Do you think I can come visit you while you’re up in New York?”
My face may have frozen a little. I loved Veronica, but knew she wouldn’t fit in with the ballet intensive kids. She already wasn’t a fan of the girls from my studio at home.
“I wish, but the schedule is so strict. I won’t have a lot of free time.”
That wasn’t a lie. Summer ballet intensives are just that – as intense as you can get. The first class of the day starts at 9AM, and the last isn’t over until 4PM. With just one hour for lunch and relaxation, the rest of the day is spent turning, leaping, stretching, and learning new choreography for the end of program recital.
I was looking forward to the social aspect of it all. Although it’s been my dream forever, I had never been to New York City. Our weekends would be spent visiting all the top landmarks, seeing Broadway shows, and living like the locals do.
She laughed and shook her head at me.
“You just be sure you let yourself have some fun, Miss Jane. You can’t take yourself so seriously all the time. It’s summer, you’re supposed to be a little reckless, find a boy to be reckless with…”
“I’ll let you take care of that for the both of us, V. You know if I can standout in this program, I’ll have a really good chance of getting my name in early for Julliard.”
“Like I said, enjoy yourself. I’ll be video chatting you for updates on all those male dancers in tight shorts!”
I hugged her and told her to have a great time in California. We normally hung out on the last day of school, but my flight was approaching. I didn’t have a single pointe shoe packed…
***
The last time I had been on a flight was over five years ago. Our summer vacation to Hawaii was a pretty fuzzy memory. This was going to be my first time being away from my parents for weeks.
“Jane, are you sure you don’t have too much in that suitcase?” my mother inquired.
“Mom, I told you, I need everything in each of these bags.”
I had a full suitcase plus a carry on. I’m the type of girl that has to be prepared for whatever happens. Better to have too much of something and be ready, than not enough at all.
“It’s going to be overweight. Watch.”
My dad was naturally a skeptic, so this comment didn’t surprise me. Little did he know I stood on the scale with the larger suitcase and subtracted my weight. It was exactly 49 pounds, just under the weight limit of 50.
I shrugged my shoulders at him, knowing I was right. I tried my best to wave them off, but they insisted on waiting until I left curbside check-in.
“Whew. That’s a heavy one. Where are you headed this summer?” the counter attendant asked me.
“New York City. I’ll be at a summer intensive for top ballet students.”
“Nice! Let’s see if all your ballet slippers and tutus can make it on the plane with you.”
He lifted up the bag and placed it on the scale. Crap. 51 pounds. All I could think was that the machine had to be rigged.
“Well sweetie, that’s a $100 fee. You have the choice to take out a few things, but I assume you need all of your dance gear.”
Before I could reach to unzip the bag, Dad was behind me with a crisp bill in his hand.
“You owe me missy. Enjoy your trip.”
He hugged me one last time, then handed the cash over to the attendant. For some reason, parents are always right about little things like that.
The trip through airport security was fast. I expected it to take much longer because of all the summer travelers. I looked around and noticed families headed to resorts, businessmen headed to meetings, and even college athletes headed home from school.
“Gate 27. American Airlines Flight departing from Houston Hobby Airport to LaGuardia in New York City.”
The airline employee spoke softly through her microphone and gave a subtle smile as I caught her eye.
I was the first person there, an hour before scheduled departure. I couldn’t help but be early for everything. It’s always been a way to cope with my anxiety.
I sat and took a brief minute to think about the summer ahead. I wasn’t sure if I should be more afraid of the bustling streets of New York City, or fitting in amongst all the prima ballerinas at my program. These girls (and guys) were going to be good. I just wanted to learn as much as possible, improve, and be ready to put my portfolio together for my Julliard application in the fall.
The night before, my mother had a long talk with me on the edge of my bed.
“Jane, I just don’t want you to stress yourself out. It’s supposed to be a fun summer for you. It’s the last one before you have to start packing up for college.”
She was right. Next summer I’d have to help plan my going away party, get a whole semester’s worth of clothes packed, shop for my dorm, and who knows what else. The thought of it all made me want to hide underneath my pillow.
“I understand. Don’t worry so much about me, I promise I’ll be fine. Plus I’ll remember to call you guys every night.”
She looked reassured enough, and gave me a long hug before leaving my room. It looked like she was wiping a few tears from her eyes on her way out.
***
“Good afternoon, passengers. We will soon be descending into New York City, LaGuardia Airport
. Conditions are fare and ideal for a beautiful summer day. Enjoy the view of the city. Flight attendants – prepare for landing.”
The pilot’s voice was deep enough to wake me from my nap. I didn’t even remember falling asleep. That’s usually my body’s natural reaction to my mind racing. A quick nap can (temporarily) solve just about anything.
I had done my research on New York City, but was still unsure of exactly what to expect. One thing that’s for sure is that it was the most beautiful city I had ever seen.
This was a fact in my mind, and I hadn’t even landed yet. We glided over the southern tip of the city. The way the buildings leveled off next to one another was unlike anything I had ever seen. Everything was so compact and close together, but it made the view from above that much more breathtaking.
The buildings continued until the very edge of land, where the water began. It had to be so peaceful, sitting and gazing out into the water as the sun gleamed on it.
I felt like I was in a movie. Sheltered girl from Texas moves to the big city to pursue her dreams. All I had to do was be way more confident and a little bit more daring. The world was literally at the tip of my fingers.
Thanks to Facebook, I had already connected with my summer roommate, Bianca. She was a dancer from Miami, who had attended The Joplin School the summer before.
It was comforting to know I’d be staying with someone who already knew what was going on. Navigating the dorms, the subways, and the city in itself would be so much easier with her by my side.
From our brief talks, Bianca appeared to be so relaxed about everything. I admired how easygoing she was, and hoped at least some of that would rub off on me.
Our flights were landing right around the same time. We agreed to share a cab from the airport to our dorm at Pace University. Thankfully, all of the Joplin students would be on the same floor. This ensured we’d avoid any awkward run-ins with the older college students. Bianca had told me they could be pretty snobby about high school kids invading their space.
I went down to baggage claim, patiently waiting for my rose gold luggage to arrive on the conveyer belt.
Before I could secure a waiting spot where I could see above heads, a loud voice boomed from behind me.
“Jane! Is that you?” the voice squealed.
Sure enough, it was Bianca. She ran up to me and hugged me for about 10 seconds.
“How’d you know it was me?”
“We’re dancers, girl. Ballerinas at that. We all have the same duck walk. You can spot it from a mile away.”
After so many years of standing in first position, your hips and feet naturally turn out. At any given moment, your heels are pressed together, toes opposite at 10 and 2 o’clock. It was the dancer’s way.
Bianca was already wheeling around her pink suitcase.
“That’s all you brought?” I asked her.
“Oh yeah. I learned the hard way last summer. The weeks go by way too fast to bring an entire wardrobe. We stay so busy, there’s not even enough time to worry about clothes or picking out an outfit. You also have to leave some space for the things you pick up while shopping! The four-story Forever 21 is so good.”
I hadn’t even thought about bringing new things back home with me. Lesson learned.
“Here. Let’s go find yours. The group chat is already blowing up with people checking into the dorms.”
“Are a lot of the dancers from last year returning?” I asked, nervous about my ability to fit in.
“So many. Don’t worry at all though. Everyone’s cool with each other. We’re just like one big family. Sometimes it gets competitive, but we just see it as motivation to make each other work harder.”
Once we got my suitcase, we rolled our things over to the taxi line. Everyone in the airport seemed so…determined. I had to get used to the intensity most New Yorkers possessed. They all had things to do, places to be, and people to see.
I’m glad I had Bianca with me, or else I wouldn’t know what to do. She informed the guy keeping things in motion that we needed one cab to the Pace University dorms in Lower Manhattan. Sedan or SUV didn’t matter – we just needed to get there as quickly as possible.
“Yes ma’am,” he said, not willing to risk disobeying her directions.
A signature taxicab yellow SUV pulled up, waving to the both of us. He immediately opened the trunk, came to get our luggage, and placed the suitcases inside. He also opened the door to the backseat so we could get inside.
I wasn’t used to men being so adamant about doing things like that back at home. I had a lot to get used to living on the East Coast for the summer.
The ride to the dorms was like landing on the flight, except it felt like ten times as much was happening. I was having a hard time processing it all.
There was so much to soak in. People were everywhere. They had shopping bags, kids, cups of coffee, dog leashes, and cell phones in their hands. Taxis were zipping through all of the streets, competing to be the first to catch the business of a pedestrian waving them down.
I was in love. Even if time stood still, the city of New York would still be fast in motion.
***
We pulled up to the dorms and saw a sea of dancers. Bianca was right – we really do just have an air about us. Between the turned out feet, excellent posture, and pushed back shoulder blades, there was no denying these were our classmates.
I was surprised to see so many boys. We only had one male dancer at my studio back home.
“Are there always this many guys?” I asked Bianca.
“There might be a few more than there were last summer. Don’t believe the hype. Male dancers can actually be players. Think about the ratio of them against girls in every single class. Their options are endless.”
I had never thought of it that way. My friend Ricky I danced with back home was gay. I had never spent time with a male dancer my age who wasn’t.
“Let me know if you see someone you like. It can get pretty catty, so we’ve got to start making moves for you early.”
I laughed and rolled my eyes at her. I insisted that I was focused on doing well in the program, not falling for some random boy I’d only have in my life for a few weeks.
“Welcome, ladies! I’m Kiara, your summer chaperone.”
Bianca had explained to me that Kiara was like the housemother for all the students over the summer. She was in her twenties, and this would be her third time keeping The Joplin summer students in order.
“Bianca, right? How has Miami been treating you?”
“Same as always. I’ve been missing the city and can’t wait to jump back into the action this summer.”
“I’m excited too. I get pretty bored in Boston when I’m not here with you guys.”
Bianca introduced me, adding in that I was a little nervous about the summer ahead. If one thing’s for sure, she never held anything back from discussion.
“Jane, this will be one of the best summers of your life,” Kiara said.
“Keep an open mind, and amazing things will happen.”
***
After signing in at the lobby desk and getting our keys, we rolled our suitcases upstairs to the third floor.
“Here we go. Let’s hope we have a better room than I did last year,” Bianca wished.
Thankfully, that looked to be the case. We had a desk and a loft twin bed on each side. Our microwave, refrigerator, and TV with premium cable were all hooked up and functioning just fine. Our bathroom was clean, with all faucets and drains working and in order. Bianca informed me this was rarely the case in college dorms.
“We really lucked out this time. This summer is going to be special. I can feel it.”
I made my way to the window and got a look at the busy city street. Suddenly, my fears and apprehensions were gone. I closed my eyes and repeated the mantra in my head.
“Amazing things will always happen when you allow them to.”
CHAPTER TWO
“BEEP! BEEP! B
EEP!” My alarm rang bright and early at 7AM. Orientation began at 8AM, with our first class following at 9AM sharp.
It’s only natural that I had a nightmare the evening before. I overslept, walked into class late, and forgot my pointe shoes. I was going to have to do tendus and turns in my shell toe Adidas sneakers. Perfect for city streetwear. Terrible for dance.
I looked over at Bianca, who was snoring loudly and smiling, all at once. When I walked over to tap her shoulder, she instinctively rolled over.
“7:20 for me,” she sleepily grunted and moved her bed cover.
Fine by me. That meant I could have the bathroom and mirror for a full twenty minutes to shower and get my hair together.
Ballerinas are the most polished artists. Every detail of a dancer is intricate and up for criticism during performance. The perfect ballet bun has to be matched with perfect lines made by our limbs. Toes always have to be pointed through the ankle, sweeping off the ground.
I redid my bun three times before I thought it was neat enough for the first day. I slipped on my tights and leotard, along with some Adidas track pants as a cover up.
My bag had everything I’d need for the day. Ballet slippers, pointe shoes, band-aids, deodorant, wipes, hairpins, snacks, and some body spray. It was going to be a long seven hours each day.
***
Orientation was the first time all the students were together at once. I walked in by Bianca’s side, as she chatted and caught up with the dancers she’d met last summer.
“This is my roommate Jane. She’s from Houston and dying to live the crazy city life!”
“Not too crazy,” I objected.
“She’s so sweet,” a girl named Tessa said, as if I wasn’t standing right next to her.
“I was just as nervous when I came up last summer. That goes away fast.”
We mingled with some others whose names I wouldn’t remember for another couple of hours. There were so many dancers. Even more nerve wrecking, everyone was out to be the best one in the room.
“Alright everyone, have a seat,” an older woman with the sleekest bun I’d ever seen instructed.
“Welcome to The Joplin Ballet School’s 2018 Summer Intensive. My name is Miss Blair, and I’m happy to welcome you all to our program.”