The Clara Puppet
It was September 14, a Saturday. There was a light breeze and the sun was shining down in Aleksandra Rayne’s mom’s car. They were on our way to the auditions for the Nutcracker. Her heart was set on the role of the Clara Puppet! Aleksandra had been rehearsing it for weeks. She hoped to get the role! This role was for girls en pointe. She had been en pointe for only three months and one day! Aleksandra was overwhelmed! Some people said she wouldn’t be ready, but Aleksandra knew she was.
Aleksandra and her mom arrived at C.A.S ballet thirty minutes before hand. She was nerves! Lots of the girls were older than her! Aleksandra was only ten, most of the girls were 11 and 12!
A sweet lady called the dancers into the dance classroom. There was big mirrors at the front of the room. The walls were a cold white much different than RBTS which had salmon/pink walls and gold trim. At AABT ballet it had white walls and black trim. the cold pale light shone on the girls faces. Aleksandra looked around and saw some of her friends from ballet. She waited at the barre for the panel of judges.They had us do warm ups at the barre. The ballerinas did plies, tundos, frappe, and Grande jete. Then they did some stretches to strengthen their bodies. Then it was time to audition for the roles.
“ When I call your number come and stand in a straight line!” Ms. Carol, the artist director yelled. Aleksandra look down at her number. 23,23,23! she said in her head.
“ All girls en pointe may put on their pointe shoes!” The sweet lady named Ariel said.
She grabbed her mesh bag and hurried over to the other side of the room. Aleksandra grabbed her protecting toe padding out of her bag. First she put on her jelly- like stuff pulled it between the big toes and the second toes. Then Aleksandra put on a small skin-toned pouch over all of her toes on each foot. Lastly she slipped on the pointe shoes and tied her ribbons. Aleksandr was ready to dance!!!! She did a couple of pointe warm ups and did some turns while Aleksandra waited for Ms.Carol to call them up.
“Girls en pointe! Center Stage!” Ms. Carol yelled.
Aleksandra walked as quietly as she could, but the box of her pointe shoes kept
clunking down!
“Allright girls,” the sweet lady said “Let’s pieke jete in to first arabuesce. Then
beurre and pretend like you’re scared.”
Her heart was pumping very fast! Aleksandra was now going to audition for the
Clara Puppet! She could do it well or fail. Sink or swim!! Fly or Fall!
Aleksandra did the best she could. At the end of the audition Ms.Carol came over to
her.
“ Hello sweetie, I thought your audition was beautiful!! I think you would make a
wonderful Clara Puppet!” Ms. Carol said kindly. “Thank you.” Aleksandra replied. When her mom’s car pulled up, she jump in and told her the good news. “Good for you!” Her mom said.
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It has been a week since the Nutcracker auditions, and the moment Aleksandra had been waiting for is finally here! Today the Ann Arbor Ballet theatre will post the cast
list and She’d know what she’d play. Her family decided that they’d would check the results and the go to Kerry town. Either to rejoice or to help Aleksandra feel better. They drove up to the studio, Aleksandra jumped out of the car (with her mom) and ran to the window were the cast list was posted. Aleksandra felt a swarm of butterflies inside her stomach. She peaked at the paper and saw.......................
“You did it!” Her mom whispered to Aleksandra. She looked at the place where her mom was pointing. I MADE IT! Cast 1 Clara puppet. ME! Aleksandra was so so so so happy! Finally her wish!
She hopped in the car and told her family the good news. After that they went to Kerry town, got ice cream and went to dinner. She was so happy, but she didn’t Know what would happen next?
The following weeks were tough.Even though Aleksandra had the dance down pat it was still very tough. For some reason she kept messing up at practice while at home she was flawless! Maybe Aleksandra was just nerves. **********************************************************************
“Alright girls!” Ms.Carol shouted. “Let’s start again.”
Aleksandr was feeling great. Everything was going perfect,even Ms.Carol said so! The group started the dance again. Her toes burned with pain but, she knew she could do it again. As Aleksandra went en pointe she lost balance and tumbled off pointe. The pain shot up in her ankle. She bit her lip and closed her eyes to fight back the tears. Aleksandra had felt that pain before, and she knew that she just twisted her ankle. But as any dancer knows you just keep on dancing.
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When Aleksandra arrived home it was dinner. She stumbled her way to the dinner table. During their dinner, Aleksandra told her family about her ankle.
“I was doing great, Perfect!” Aleksandra explained. “But then I lost balance and fell! That’s how I twisted my ankle.”
“Well Ali.” her mom said. “Maybe you could skip rehersal next week and then if you are better you could dance in the show.”
“What!!!!” Aleksandra yelled. Then full of fury she dropped her fork, and stormed upstairs to her room.
That night Aleksandra had a wild dream. She dreamed that it was the day of the performance. All was well until she got to the hard turns. Aleksandra lost balance and fell on her back side. Aleksandra finally got back on her feet but when she did she saw the Mouse Queen. The queen leapt over to where she was. She pushed Aleksandra on the floor. She coward toward Aleksandra and then she showed Aleksandra her the big fangs. And the worst thing ever happened. The Mouse Queen bit her! Aleksandra screamed! Then blinked back into the world. She tumbled down the stairs and limped to the kitchen. Would this bad dream ever end.
One month later
It has been a month since Aleksandra twisted her ankle. During those 3 weeks
she sat out and watch the other dancers dance the puppet dance. As she watched she became more hungry to dance than ever. After the ankle problem she was up and ready to dance. To her mom was very happy to see Aleksandra dancing even better from watching. Before long she was dancing even better than the cast two Clara puppet! Sooner than ever it was time for the big performance!
It is the night of the big performance! Hair stuff and makeup was all over the bathroom floor.
“Everything has to be perfect!” Aleksandra told her mom, as she curled her hair. As she finished her makeup she heard the doorbell. As soon as it chimed she dropped the rosey red lip shimmer and ran. At the door Olivia, Leah, Juno and Caroline were at the front door. The shimmering door light made their faces a yellowish gleam. Aleksandra grabbed her winter coat and pulled it over her shoulders. Then Ali took the dance bag out of her mom’s hand and ran to the car.
The ride was very crowded with five girls and Aleksandra’s mom. As they pulled up to the backstage entrance, Aleksandra felt the excitement rush through her blood. Finally Aleksandra would be dance Clara Puppet! The lights, The makeup, the costumes, and best of all the shining faces of the audience.
“Puppets! Puppets! It’s time”Ms.Vikki the backstage lady yelled. Aleksandra slipped her pointe ribbons into a knot and jumped up. All the puppets trampled up the stairs eager to dance. In the back stage they all warmed up and marked our dance.
As the stage lights hit them, Aleksandra was ready. As she finished her dance she could hear the cheering . Finally all her hard work had paid off. And the outcome was beautiful.