[Performing Arts Centre] Two to Tango

[Anouk]

70th Spring, 515AV

"We have eighteen days until our performance date!" Leon Zeaumont declared, his hands theatrically reaching out to the thin crowd of students before him. With dramatic flair, the young professor swept his hands across the panic-stricken faces of his students, before turning around in a flourish to point to the empty theatre before them. "These seats will be full of friends, family, and complete strangers all watching you perform. Wonderful, yes?" He didn't wait long enough to fully appreciate the terrified silence that followed his question. Leon clapped his hands together. "So! We must practice, practice, practice! Arrange yourselves for the opening number!"

The fourteen students sprung into nervous activity, shuffling around the stage to organize themselves into their pairs. When they were arranged, all seven couples were positioned in an inverted triangle, with the couple at the central point positioned to the rear of the stage. Anouk and her partner, Theo, stood at the second row to the right. The young Konti felt very open and visible to the empty theatre chairs in front of her. How would she feel when they were full of complete strangers?

Theo gripped Anouk's left hand, whilst his other rested on her opposite waist. He was just as nervous as her, she knew, but he tried to hide it from her. The Konti had come to appreciate this more than she knew. Leon indicated for the band below the stage to begin playing, and a rustle of drums and symbols spurred the dancers into movement.

Theo led Anouk across the stage. She tried to keep her feet nimble and timed with the spritely beat of the drum beneath her. Keep on your toes, back straight, step lightly. The lessons swirled at the back of the Konti's mind, but as soon as she obeyed one, she seemed to forget the others. How was it possible to remember all the rules and steps to a dance and to perform it successfully?

Her mind was too frazzled; Anouk found herself stepping a beat behind all the other dancers. Thankfully, they all seemed too busy to notice. Even Theo seemed distracted - when Anouk glanced up to his face, his jawline was tense and his eyes focused ahead of him.

Before they reached the opposite end of the stage, Theo's hand moved from Anouk's waist and went to her right hand, which he rasied up above her head. On their third step, the pair stopped and Anouk twisted left, continuing the turn until she stood beside her partner instead of in front of him. After two beats of the drum, Theo turned to face Anouk, who was yet again half a tick behind him.

They moved onto the waltz hold; her left hand clasped his right, her right hand went to his shoulder whilst Theo placed his left on her waist. Another beat of the drum passed before he began leading, guiding Anouk backwards, to the left, then in a half-turn to move to the rear of the stage.

It was all happening a little too fast for Anouk. She found herself lost within the drums and the steps and Theo's patient guide. He threw her a brief reassuring smile, but the Konti could tell that her partner had outshone her already, despite the two of them only rehearsing together. He was simply more musically talented than she was. And Anouk felt guilty; if anything were going to hold Theo's performance back, it would apparently be her.

[Anouk]

The dancers aligned themselves in a line along the centre of the stage, with the shorter dancers standing at the front, the taller at the back. Anouk and Theo were the final dancers in the row, being the tallest couple amongst their classmates. On each passing drumbeat, the dancers in front of them struck a pose. Just as the penultimate couple stood dramatically opposite each other, Anouk twisted around to face Theo.

Ready? He signaled with a quirk of his eyebrows.

She gave a minute nod and took a final breath. On the final drumbeat of the song and performance, Anouk lifted her left leg up to Theo's hip. Her partner held the Konti close to him, caught her leg with his right hand, and supported her as Anouk threw her head backwards in a dramatic flair. Their movements were sharp and for once, well timed. This final pose was the part of the performance that Anouk and Theo had practiced the most.

After a tick or so of silence, the dancers resumed their natural stances and the couples divorced away from each other breathing heavily and wearing exhausted smiles. Anouk straightened herself, feeling a mild dizzy spell from throwing her head backs so dramatically. "Well done." She whispered tiredly.

"That was excellent, well done everyone!" Leon applauded loudly from his seat at the front of the stalls, "you should all be proud of yourselves. Now - which performance comes next?" The professor briefly checked his line-up of performances before gesturing somewhat manically to the empty seats beside him, "it's Lucinda and Erol. Everyone else, please do come down and sit with me."

Anouk was thrilled at the invitation to sit down. Her legs felt shaky, and not just from the physical exhaustion of dancing. She had disappointed herself in her dancing, and despite Theo's smiles and Leon's praise, the artist knew she was not performing to her best. And she had only a few days to improve.

The theatre seats were uncomfortable and incredibly creaky. Anouk's chosen chair complained squeakily as soon as she sat down, causing a ripple of laughter to spread throughout her peers. After gentle sshes from Leon, the class fell silent.

"Lucina and Erol will perform their dance straight after the opening number, without a costume change. So - imagine if you will - the curtain has dropped after our first performance and you've all scurried off stage. All except Lucina and Erol." Leon gestured to the two nervous looking dancers who currently stood on the stage, "who will take their places after the curtain fall, ready to perform their ballet recital. So, let us begin!"

The professor clapped his hand twice, and the invisible band restarted. A gentle flute played a airy melody, one that carried Anouk through its many rises and tuneful falls. On stage, Luinca and Erol began to move, slowly winding around themselves.

It was then Anouk realised the truth about her position in the hierarchy of dancers on stage. Leon had told the Konti that his end of season performance would involve all of his students, from the very beginner to the very advance. She had placed herself at the former end of this spectrum - she was no fool. But some stray of hope within Anouk hoped that her fellow students would not outperform her completely. Yes, she was a beginner, but she had assumed far too little of the other dancers.

It was quite clear that Lucinda and Erol had been dancing for a very long time. Lucinda in particular moved with a grace Anouk had never seen before. The brunette twirled and stepped away from her partner before Erol lifted her up by the hips. She turned in his hold, wrapped her legs around him and allowed her head to drop down. Each movement was intricate and timed perfectly, executed so well that Anouk found herself on the edge of her seat. At the climax of the music, the two dancers clung to each other desperately, spinning around and finally breaking away at the last blow from the flute. Lucina dropped to the ground, landing in a crouching position with her back to Erol, who reached desperately out to her.

A stunned silence filled the theatre. Leon's applause slowly broke into Anouk's concentration, and she found herself clapping along with her professor. "Wonderful, wonderful!" Leon praised enthusiastically.

Theo leaned over to Anouk, his eyebrows knotted together as he whispered. "We have some serious rehearsing to do.

[Anouk]

There were three other performances before Anouk and Theo's. Luckily, none were quite as good as Lucinda and Erol, so as the Konti and her human partner climb onto the stage, she no longer felt quite so intimidated. She still wanted to do her best though, of course. Anouk was a perfectionist and that wasn't likely to change anytime soon.

As he had done for all his dancers, Leon gave the pair a brief introduction. "Anouk and Theo have been under my teaching for just the past season, and they have come along brilliantly. Their performance will be the last before the interval, but I expect you all to be standing in the sidelines cheering them on." After sitting down, he clapped for the band to begin to play.

Anouk stood opposite Theo, her back to the audience. Their dance was the tango; Leon had said the style would suit their slim bodies and long legs. A single violin began to play a long, winding note. It lasted for three beats, and on the fourth another string instrument - a viola, perhaps - joined in with a sharp, high-pitched note.

And the dance began.

Theo pushed Anouk backwards, his steps commanding and leading the Konti to the left front corner of the stage. His face and body kept close - passion was key to the tango, according to Leon - and she could feel the heat radiating off him. They came to a sharp stop, punctuating the move with a stomp of their left feet. The pair turned around; now it was Theo who showed the audience his back whilst Anouk looked at her fellow students over his right shoulder. Six pairs of pairs, plus Leon's, watched them with intense concentration. The Konti tried to ignore the creeping iciness that trickled up her spine.

On a sharp note from the violin, Theo and Anouk turned towards each other, his right hand clasped onto her left. Their arms extended upwards, slowly. At the same time, Anouk bent her left leg down and stretched her right outwards behind. Theo did the same, and the couple lowered downwards as the violin extended a high-pitched whine. At the sudden end of the note, the couple snapped up straight again and moved across the stage once more.

[Anouk]

With a powerful leading tug, Theo took Anouk back across the dance floor, coming again to a momentary pause before extending out his left arm and pulling Anouk's right arm along with it. These hands remained clasped together, though the grip between their other hands released.

Trying to keep with the beat of the lively viola, Anouk turned, her feet moving in tiny little steps that carried her away from Theo and to the left, until her arm also was also extended outwards. They held this position, two arms' width separated until the drumbeat rose beneath them, shaking the floorboards.

Then Anouk towards her partner again, in elegant skips on the tips of her toes. As she came closer, Theo lowered his right arm. On the fifth step, she gave a minute skip, lifting her left leg and hooking it over Theo's arm. Her right leg remained beneath it, stretched out behind her body to create an arc with her spine. Her arms looped around his neck, and suddenly Theo was carrying Anouk across the dance floor, spinning dramatically so the tails of her dress flared outwards.

When he came to a slow stop, Theo lowered his arm so Anouk was once again standing on both feet. They were facing each other again, but there would be no more dancing from either of them. The orchestra below were coming to a slow stop, with only a single note from the flute
blowing throughout the performing arts arena.

Their performance had come to an end.

Anouk was breathing heavily, her heart pattering timidly against her chest. She was terrified, elated, nervous. All three emotions battled their way in her mind, each trying to conquer the others.

Then her fellow students started clapping, and Anouk was dragged to the present feeling something very unexpected: pride. She and Theo shared a breathy smile before clambering down off the stage to join their peers.

"Excellent! Well done you two! Very well timed and after one or two more rehearsals it will all be perfect!" Leon was, of course, as enthusiastic as ever. The Konti blushed under his praise just as he turned to gesture to the next performers. "I believe next we have Eldain and--" Now the professor's cheeks that flushed as the name of the next young male's partner eluded him. "I'm sorry, dear. What was your name again?"

oocEldain has my permission to make as many posts as necessary next in order to gain as much experience as possible

[Eldain Dogma]

Stretching his hands up at the edge of the crowd, Eldain listened to Leon’s pep talk. It was quite astonishing for him to get this far this season. Still he needed all of his luck to perform. He felt a little bit improved, he should be. But he didn’t sure if it was good enough for a performance show. His gaze turned to Kashis who was standing next to him. The red headed girl managed to shine and was certainly one of Leon’s favorite. She was clearly talented, nothing like him.

Eldain concerned at the mention of “friends, and family”. A sliver of grimace darken his face and he abruptly reacted with sullen smile. Perhaps the best part of the performance was this, the fact that no one would recognize him. No one would see if he should fail. No one he knew, at least.

Kashis gave him a nudge with her elbow. “Come on...” He could recognize a tone of concern from her. Eldain only replied with a smile, a broken one. She knew neither his friends nor family would come. Being together at dance and singing class with him, Kashis was getting used to him. She was one of few people he considered close enough to be his “friend”.

Together, they merged with the twelve other dancers to perform the opening number. Kashis and him was at the left end of the formation, facing to each other. The usual chill of nervousness crept down his back as the entire hall went silent. His heart was beating so hard he afraid Kashis could hear it. But the Inartan was just there eyeing him with warm smile adorned to her face. She murmured smile in silence.

And the music began.

The symphony of the instruments hit Eldain’s ear like a gentle breeze of spring. They drowned in the melody of the song, giving the ethereal sound a visible body to be seen. He swayed forth, and kept his feet nimble, He was trying hard not to break their footwork… or at least her footwork. It was resulted in a somewhat stiff move. Kashis gave him a playful rise of eyebrow. How she could be so natural when dancing remains a mystery for him. One-two-three-one-two-three he counted his step as they seemed to be glided through the stage among others to a new position. He pushed her away in one hand but maintained the clutch of his left hand. At the more affectionate part came as Kashis spinned her way toward him and Eldain hold her for a tick before the momentum passed and once again swayed their way into another formation.

[Eldain Dogma]

Distracted was a good way to describe him right now. In the middle of the dance, with Kashis guided his step one after another to keeping up with the beats. She smiled to him, just like every other time they were dancing together. The ethereal sound of drum beats in live and more also in passion. Yet he hasn’t feel any passion flowing through his dance. Still counting in his mind, he moved his foot just barely in time. He has practicing footwork a lot, that way he wouldn’t messed Kashis’ move too much. But he would admit he didn’t have much idea with his hands.

Moved to new position, the beating of the drum getting faster. Forgetting to smile completely, his face curled up in discern. A proof that Eldain struggled hard not to missed any beats. He guided Kashis to performed an elegant spin, just in time, continued and tried to hold her before she spinned her way out of his right hand grasp. They reunited in a soft pull and waves of hand. There were no time to pause, as the Inartan was once again in front of him she gave him a slight visible nod. Eldain used the momentum to lift her up, and still holding the girl, moved around while Kashis mimicked a gesture of wings with her hands.

That was a terrific and impossible move Leon has taught him. At first he couldn’t even lift Kashis long enough. Not even able to move around while lifting her. The days was buried under the fading spring. His exercises did pay off.

As Kashis landed with ease and gracefulness, she welcomed his hand and both of them swirled in a romantic waltz that drove the seven pairs into lovebirds. Eldain found himself adjusting to the tempo as the music subsided in decrescendo. Such a lovely trick to lure audience to watch them closer. While the move was easier than the previous Leon’s killer move, the details was killing him. His left hand followed up Kashis’ as the girl turned around while his right hand waving up. The music guided them and finally he held her completely with both hands. Kashis rested her head up on his shoulder and Eldain leaned his head to her neck. She grasped his hands and slide it downward to her waist. A tick passed in pause before Kashis and other female dancers broke free from their position. They proceed to perform a series of harmonious moves rich in resemblance with ballet but in faster pace. At the same time, the males straighten up their back. Left hand clenched and lifted just above their chest and the right hand rested behind their back. Like a gentlemen waiting for their lover. Eldain took the moment to calm his breath, but he also managed to hide it from the audience. A dull smile adorned his lip forcefully. He was just hoping Leon didn’t looking in his direction. But he was near at the center of the stage, the chance was dim.

When the female dancers completed their part, the males sprung to action. The first step was light and ease. Eldain swung his right hand at the second beat, approaching his partner that waiting in an enticing pose. It soon developed into a series of serious footwork. He cursed. He stepped with wrong feet! Attempt to correct was also failed and he was a tick behind the other. Come on…

It was quite a luck that he could end the part in as timely as the other, although he landed with the wrong feet. For half of a tick he forgot what to do next. He was began to panic when Kashis snatched his hand and once again guide him toward their last formation.