Born to Dance by Jean Ure

Author:Jean Ure [Ure, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2016-12-18T16:00:00+00:00

One Friday when we were in the gym the door opened and Miss Lucas appeared.

“No, no!” She waved a hand. “Carry on, don’t mind me.”

“We were just warming up,” I said.

“Quite right! I’ll just sit quietly and watch.”

Behind her back Caitlyn pulled an agonised face. I didn’t mind Miss Lucas watching, I never mind anybody watching me, but I could see it was embarrassing Caitlyn. She still wasn’t really sure of herself.

“Actually,” I said, “we were just about to start rehearsing.”

“Oh, good!” Miss Lucas settled herself comfortably on one of the benches. “That was what I was hoping. I don’t mean to pry; I was just wondering how you were getting on?”

“Shall we show you?”

“If you would! That would be splendid.”

I ran over to start the CD player. “Ready?” I said to Caitlyn.

She shook her head, vehemently, and hoisted herself up on to the horse. “You do it!”

I could have insisted, but I didn’t want her doing anything she wasn’t comfortable with. She might rise to the occasion – but, then again, she might not. I didn’t really know her well enough yet to be certain, and I was scared it might destroy her confidence.

“Oh!” cried Miss Lucas, as the music began. “Albinoni’s Adagio!” She clapped her hands. “An excellent choice!”

I reflected once again that if it hadn’t been for Caitlyn I might still be using the first piece I’d chosen, all spiky and jazzy. I couldn’t help wondering what Miss Lucas would have made of that.

As I reached the end of the sequence and sank down, frail and exhausted – I could be frail and exhausted! Dancers have to act as well as dance – Miss Lucas stood up and clasped her hands to her bosom. “Oh, Maddy,” she said, “that was quite wonderful! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much! Do you know, I was originally going to suggest some music that might be suitable? I’m so glad I didn’t! I might have known I could trust you.”

I said, “Well, but Caitlyn has helped. We’ve been working on it together.”

“Wonderful! My thanks to both of you. I can’t tell you how happy I am! Caitlyn, I shall make sure your name appears in the programme … choreography by Madeleine O’Brien and Caitlyn Hughes.”

I could see Caitlyn opening her mouth to protest. “Oh, but I really didn’t—”

Quickly, I cut in. “Caitlyn’s my understudy. She can dance it as well as I can. So if I go and fall under a bus—”

“Oh, Maddy, please!” Miss Lucas looked horrified. “Don’t joke about such things!”

“Well, you never know,” I said. “That’s how Mum got her first solo.”

“Someone fell under a bus?” said Caitlyn, sounding shocked.

“No, they fell down some steps and broke their ankle.”

Miss Lucas clicked her tongue, disapprovingly. “That’s not going to happen here. But I’ll tell you what, next year you must both do something. It’s so nice, Maddy, that you’ve found a fellow dancer. I know last year you weren’t very— well!” She put a finger to her lips.

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