by Anayo Ordu
Everyone cheered and shouted, happy to be in the best city in the world, perfecting their passion.
“Some of you are new to us, while others have been here several years in a row.”
A girl stood up and twirled a piece of her hair, holding up the number 6 in the air with her fingers.
“Yes Amanda, this is your sixth year with us. I expect you to be a role model and great support for our newer students.”
Amanda slightly rolled her eyes and had a seat, disappointed her moment for attention was being cut short.
“That being said, this will be one of the most difficult, but most rewarding summers of your life. You’re going to work hard, but you’re going to have a lot of fun as well.”
Miss Blair went on to explain what our daily routine would be like. Basically, we were going to dance, eat, sleep and repeat. I felt at ease being reminded that weekends and some evenings were going to be for trips around the city, and visits to New York’s greatest attractions.
The program would end with our recital, where parents and family were invited to witness all the great work we did over the summer.
“What questions do we have?” Miss Blair looked around the room, waiting.
Everyone seemed too nervous to be the person to ask something first.
“You all will warm up quicker than you think,” she explained.
“Now that we’ve passed out schedules, you are dismissed to your first class.”
***
I walked to the next studio a few doors down. Just my luck, Bianca was assigned to another group. My safety net was gone. It was time to fly on my own.
Thankfully, I immediately saw Tessa, Bianca’s friend from last summer. As soon as we caught eyes, she motioned for me to come over and claim a spot by her.
It didn’t help my nerves that Miss Blair, our program lead, was teaching the very first class I’d have each day. I thought about how class with her would either make or break my chances of getting a great recommendation for Julliard.
“Alright, dancers. We are going to start our first class quite simply. I want to see what kind of training you’ve had. I can tell simply by looking at your technique when it comes to the basics. Everyone grab a spot at one of the barres.”
The barre is every ballerina’s safe space. It’s where we were all introduced to our passion when we were just toddlers.
“Here’s what we’ll do. Our pianist is going to give us some accompaniment. All you have to do is follow my verbal directions to the beat of the music.”
Easy enough. I placed my arm on the barre, stood in first position, and pulled my shoulder blades back.
“Tendu, close. Tendu, close. Relevé, back to first. Relevé, back to first,” she chanted to the beat of the piano.
Our warm-ups continued. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see how everyone else was doing. Miss Blair was walking around the room, adjusting shoulders and arms as needed.
“Very nice, Jane,” she said as she passed by me.
I exhaled a sigh of relief louder than I should have.
“It’s so funny to watch the amateurs freak out about everything,” Amanda whispered just loudly enough for me to hear.
It didn’t take more than half an hour of class to find out who the mean girl of the intensive would be.
“Okay, now we’re going to move to our across the floor exercises,” Miss Blair cued.
“Let’s start with jetés, alternating between left and right legs forward.”
I felt better about going across the floor, knowing leaps were my thing. I spent so much time stretching when I first started dancing. It didn’t take long before my legs started to hyperextend. Before I knew it, even my left leg was just as flexible and strong as my right one.
Of the twenty-five girls in the class, there were four boys in the room. This was a shock to me, as I had only danced with one in all the years at my studio back home.
“Gentlemen, why don’t you start a line over here,” Miss Blair instructed.
They all smiled and walked over to her side of the room. I had noticed all except one in the orientation that morning.
“Go ahead, Armani.”
He was the tallest of the bunch, and had to be over six feet. He had a strong build like the football boys at my school, but had a gracefulness about him that was hard to explain.
His leaps were beautiful. Even though he weighed more than the girls (and guys), he still managed to soar through the sky, landing without a sound – toe, ball, heel.
Maybe I was admiring in silence a little too intently.
“Has she never seen a male dancer before?” I heard Amanda say loud enough for all to hear.
Class continued for the next two hours, with small breaks in-between. It was only 11AM, and I was exhausted. I wondered how Bianca’s session was going. Thank God it was time for lunch.
***
Our group rushed to the cafeteria once we got the final cue from Miss Blair. I had only visited my cousin in her college dorm once in elementary school. Aside from that, I really had no clue what to expect.
Bianca had told me that the Pace Dining Hall was miraculously one of the better ones in the city. To keep up with the times, they had vegan and farm to table options available.
Some dancers are lucky enough to have the metabolism to eat whatever they want, with no consequence. I would have to save my indulging for the weekends, when I wouldn’t be in a skin-tight leotard.
I went to the vegan line with Tessa, who also wanted something fresh (and not so heavy) for the longest first day ever.
“What’s up with that Amanda girl?” I asked her.
“Don’t even give her the attention,” she exclaimed. “Amanda knows she’s an amazing dancer, but she also knows her attitude is trash. The instructors even talk to her about it. They remind her no company or Broadway show is going to want to work with her in the future if she doesn’t fix it now.”
I nodded my head.
“Plus, you’re the new girl. She always gives the fresh faces a hard time like that. You’re way talented though. Ignore her and put her in her place by showing off what you can do.”
Bianca waved us over to the table she was sitting at.
“Hey babes, how was Miss Blair this morning? I know she is going to crack my body in half later this afternoon.”
“I loved her class,” I told her. “It’s tough, but the work will all be worth it.”
“Yeah. We’re lucky to have her for technique session, along with the large performance group,” Tessa added. “She’s a legend.”
Our table filled up pretty fast. Somehow, I ended up wedged between Amanda and Armani. Could my life be any more uncomfortable?
“Hey, I’m Armani,” he reached out his hand to shake mine.
“Jane,” I smiled back at him.
Amanda looked disgusted as ever between us.
“Don’t be so cruel, Amanda. There’s room for all the talented and gorgeous girls here at Joplin,” he said to her, never taking his eyes off of me.
“Who said I was concerned?” she snapped back. She rolled her eyes, continuing to eat her lunch in silence.
“Where are you from, Jane?” Armani asked me.
“Houston,” I responded, mouth half-full. Why was he talking to me so much? I really just wanted to eat my caesar salad in peace.
“That’s cool. I’m from Los Angeles, but can’t wait to move out here.”
“Do you want to go to a conservatory after graduation?” I asked.
“Columbia is my dream school. I hope I get accepted,” he proclaimed. “But, if I do dance, it’s only going to be for a minor or to get some scholarship money. I really want a degree in Architecture.”
That was surprising to hear. I figured everybody at the program this summer wanted to dance long-term. We were so close to leaving high school. It only made sense to always come back to Joplin as part of a plan to become a professional dancer.
“Yeah Jane, all of us are
n’t going to dance forever,” Bianca added. “I could see myself coming back for college, but maybe as a dual major in something else. I don’t necessarily want to beat up my body for a living.”
I never thought of it that way. Dancers did have a timeline, with some “aging out” of opportunities before they even left their twenties.
“You’ve got a while to think about it, girl. Don’t try to decide your entire life at the age of seventeen.”
***
The day continued on as usual. We had another afternoon session, followed by our large group performance class. This is where we would prepare for the end of intensive summer recital.
It was inspiring and intimidating to see that much talent in one room. Miss Blair explained that this year’s production would be based on the story of Cinderella. Everyone would have a role, and of course two lucky students would get to play Cinderella and Prince Charming.
I knew I wouldn’t get a principal role. The other girls had been in the program for years. I didn’t even want to think about having that many eyes on me.
A role in the ensemble would suit me just fine. Maybe I could try to be one of the evil stepsisters.
***
After an early dinner in the dining hall, it was finally time to make our way back to the dorms. I immediately got into the shower, collapsing onto my bed in a towel. I was too tired to even put clothes on.
“The first day got you good Southern Belle!” Bianca teased. “Your body will adjust, I promise.”
“I loved it. It was just…a lot for one day.”
“Well, it’s going to get even busier. Wait until we start having rehearsals for the show and going on our excursions. Kiara is the best. She’s part of the reason why I come back to Joplin every summer,” she explained.
“I’m excited. Oh, wait. I need to call my parents.”
I promised my mother and father I’d be in touch every night. They wanted to know how I was doing socially, if I was safe, and ensure I wasn’t having (too much) anxiety about the whole summer.
I told them all about Miss Blair, Kiara, and how all the students were such talented dancers. I explained to them that there was a high number of guys in the program, and how that’s the norm in the real world of ballet.
“I’m happy for you Jane,” my mom beamed. “We’re so proud of you. Have fun and do your best.”
“But, don’t take yourself too seriously,” my dad added. “Remember it’s okay to make a mistake, or to not be perfect at something.”
Before I could see, Bianca had snuck up behind me and was making bunny ears on top of my head.
“This is my roommate Bianca. She’s from Miami, and is one of the girls who comes back to Joplin every summer.”
“Heeeeeeyyy mom and dad!” she yelled.
My parents laughed, glad to see I was staying with someone who wouldn’t feed into my worry and panic.
“I’ll video chat you guys again tomorrow. Love you, and Goodnight.”
Bianca and I iced our legs and watched TV for a couple of hours. Just as we were about to hit the lights, a knock came on the door.
“It must be Kiara. You know she has to do a room check for everyone to make sure we’re not sneaking around Manhattan,” Bianca hissed. “Otherwise, I’d be out down by NYU every night!”
She answered the door.
“Oh, hey!” she sounded more delighted than she should.
“Is Jane here?” a male voice asked.
Bianca peered her head behind the door.
“It’s Armani!” she whispered loud and with excitement.
He came inside with a bottle of Vitamin Water.
“I just wanted to make sure you had a good first day. I saw you drinking one of these at lunch. The vending machine spit out an extra for me. Here you go.”
He tossed me the bottle and smiled.
“I really appreciate that, Armani.”
“Cool. I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Sleep tight.”
Bianca ushered him out the door, and practically screamed as soon as it shut.
“Jane, he likes you.”
“What? He just brought me some fruit flavored water. What does that have to do with anything?”
She rolled her eyes at me.
“I’m the new girl. He’s just being nice.”
“Yeah. We’ll see how nice you’ll be in return…”
She turned off the lights. I closed my eyes, wondering about what would happen tomorrow, and the rest of the summer.
CHAPTER THREE
The first week of the intensive was finally done. Bianca was right. After five straight days of dancing, eating, and sleeping, my body had successfully adjusted.
I love dance, but found myself happy the weekends would be reserved for taking a break. It’s something I never gave myself enough time to do.
Our first Saturday trip would be for two things. Kiara wanted us all to witness The Pride Parade. Then, we’d head down to Brooklyn to spend the day at Coney Island.
“Okay, there are a lot of you,” she said as she scanned and counted heads in the subway station. “Stay with your buddy, and make sure no one gets lost.”
I thought I had experienced all the heat and humidity I could in Houston. New York proved me wrong in an instant. Most of the subway stations were built below the ground. Combine the broken air conditioners with rising temperatures, body heat galore, and you had yourself a mist of hot air that was unfathomable.
“I hate the subway so much,” Amanda complained. “I would just take an Uber everywhere, but apparently that’s taking away from the city experience.”
Tessa and Bianca looked at her and laughed.
“You can’t be a diva prima ballerina when you’re still in summer camp,” Tessa joked as she slid her MetroCard through the turnstile.
Even if you knew nothing about the city, you could tell it was Pride weekend. Everyone was adorned in rainbow clothing, glitter, body paint, and crazy accessories.
It was refreshing to see people so open-minded and supportive of the LGBT community. This wasn’t necessarily the case back home in Texas. I can remember getting weird stares while shopping at the mall with Ricky. What I loved most about him was that he’s unapologetically himself, 24/7.
I smiled as a stranger handed me a rainbow string of beads. He continued to give them to the other dancers, too.
The subway ride would only be a few stops, but the car was packed. I didn’t mind. It was fun to gaze at all the outfits and read t-shirts from the Pride supporters. They say you’re supposed to look at the ground, ceiling, anything but other people when you’re on the subway.
Shy as I am, I never thought to follow that rule. There’s still something to be said about making eye contact with people and giving them a friendly smile. You never know how it may impact their day.
We got off the train, and walked up the stairs to the top of the subway station. Stepping into the hot sun from the shielded underground cave felt better than I expected.
Kiara led us over to a spot large enough for all of us to cram in together. Thankfully there was a large tree nearby, shading us from the blazing sun.
The parade was already in motion by the time we arrived. I thought some of the outfits we saw in the subway were crazy. The people riding through the parade absolutely took the cake.
There were floats representing just about every organization in New York City. Theaters, dry cleaning businesses, doctor’s offices, and more all signed up to show their support. Even little kids wore face paint and jumped and cheered at the action.
“I can’t wait to move out here. I’m going to stay forever,” Leo quietly said.
I had assumed of the boys in the program, Leo was definitely a gay male dancer. Sometimes it’s easy to pick up on things about people just by staying around them for a little bit. Just like Ricky, he was totally comfortable with who he was and who he would become as an adult.
We watched and caught little gifts from the floats for about an hour. I
couldn’t imagine how long you’d have to sit in order to see the entire parade. Lucky for us, we had one more trip to make for the day.
***
We hopped back on the Subway, taking the Q train to Coney Island. This was the first time we had been on the subway long enough to see the car go above ground.
It was cool to see another aspect of the city. There were some really nice brownstones in Brooklyn. Kiara told us how this was the area where many families settled down. I was surprised to see just how many lush trees covered the neighborhood. Definitely not something you see a lot of in Lower Manhattan, where we were staying.
Once we got off the train, it was easy to see Coney Island got most of its traffic during the summer months. Bodies were squished together, holding ice cream in hopes of staying cool. After bearing the heat to watch the parade for an hour, it was time to get something to eat.
Kiara said she refused to let us leave without having a meal from Nathan’s Famous. This was Coney Island’s most well-known restaurant, famous for hosting an annual hot dog eating contest.
Thank God it was the weekend. I was never obsessed with my weight, but decided a healthy “on and off” would keep my energy up for dance during the week. In the dining hall I had salads, zucchini pasta, and tons of fruit. This weekend, a Nathan’s Famous cheeseburger was calling my name.
“This is the best burger I’ve ever had,” I barely got the words out as I gnawed into my sandwich.
“This is just your first one here. You’ve still got to try Shake Shack, Raoul’s, plus all the little hole in the walls,” Bianca reminded me.
I washed down my cheeseburger with a sweet glass of fresh lemonade. It reminded me of the kind my mom makes at home – fresh in our huge pitcher.
***
We spent about an hour walking around, looking at all there was to see. Vendors were selling Coney Island merchandise, performers were dancing and singing for tips. New York had so much culture, no matter what borough or neighborhood you were in.
“Kiara – Now that our food’s settled, we can go ride The Cyclone, right?” Tessa asked excitedly.