03x04 - Short Cut Clause

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Dance Academy.

Do you wanna get out of here?

Pact or no pact, you know I'm still shipping Benster.

I'm still waiting for you.

I have managed to lure back one of the Company's leading lights. Ah!

Speak of the devil!

Devil? That's a bit unfair.

All's well in Kat Land? See ya.

I'm the driver of my own destiny.

I'm in the express lane to fulfilment.

We dance 60 hours a week.

If this is the express lane, it's seriously congested.

OK, so I'm eternally grateful I scored a fill-in role with the Company but you know what I'd find helpful?

One of those training montages you get in movies.

You know, where the character starts off hopeless but they lay a cool soundtrack down...

..and all the hard work happens in entertaining, bite-sized chunks.

Suddenly, time's passed and the character's life is transformed.

I could fast-forward through this year, edit myself getting into the Company.

Becoming a soloist, even a principal.

And yes, it sort of means wishing my life away.

But if someone offered a magical shortcut, wouldn't I be a masochist not to take it?

What let down. Our pas de deux was your ego.

Sorry, dust mites. And complete lack of support!

Support? I'm carrying you out there, pumpkin.

Go ice your ankle. Look at you.

You're not even the tiniest bit worn down?

Nope.

Come with me. It's not sweaty, much.

Real dancing. It's exactly what I needed.

It's good to be prepared. Scouts taught me that.

You're expecting to get bumped up to soloist?

Oh, there's a chance it could happen.

Sure. Salmonella could sweep the Company or there's always mass alien abduction.

A tiny, tiny lentil-sized chance.

Sorry. Sorry, my bad.

No, it's not bad. It's, um...

We're both tired. Things get blurred when you're tired.

Totally.

So, starting over?

♪ 'Cause ladies are obsessed

♪ They're blowing up my phone They won't leave me alone

♪ I'm so well known But I'm so hard, hard as a rock

♪ I'm a chick magnet You're chicken pox

♪ You're chicken pox You're chicken pox

♪ You're chicken pox... ♪ This is so hot, it's...

A highly contagious, blistering illness.

Right. In fact, I do believe it was born to go viral.

How have we not hung out before?

I totally upheld.

There was a kiss brewing but I stuck strong to No Boy Pact.

Was it strength or something else?

I'm offended by that suggestion because that would make me pathetic.

On this we agree.

I'm a lot of things but I'm not pathetic.

I'm evolved. I'm an upholder.

Anyway, boring. Enough about me.

No, surely not.

So how's things with you?

What sort of things? Life. Dancing.

That piece of rockmelon you've been pushing around your plate for the past 20 minutes. Do you want it?

I'm actually at capacity.

Although I just remembered, you may lose your appetite once you feast your eyes on this.

♪ You're chicken pox Chicken pox? Chicken pox. Chicken pox.

♪ Chicken Pox

♪ But I am hard, hard as a rock

♪ I'm a chick magnet You're chicken pox, uh!

♪ You're chicken pox. ♪ How did you get my song?

♪ You're chicken pox! ♪ OK, guys, enough's enough, yeah?

♪ Yo! Yo! Check my flow! ♪ That was a work in progress.

Ah, Abigail. The miracles of modern medicine.

Gout made way for acute boredom-icitis.

But I probably shouldn't overextend.

Weight over the supporting leg.

Come on, guys, give me some focus.

It's not just this morning. I don't think I've seen her eat in ages.

And? What, do you want to know if my eating disorder radar was tingling?

Kat dreams in steak burgers. I share a room with her. She's fine.

Yeah, but don't you think she's been different lately?

Hey, I really like the Chicken Pox song.

And lunge. Much better, Christian.

I told him my computer was off limits.

Christian's more of a henchman than a criminal mastermind.

You?

Hi. Sorry to interrupt. Could I possibly borrow Ben?

Uh... We won't be a sec.

Sure.

You know, aside from the fact that my song was a work in progress...

Yet you made a film clip for it.

..we toasted that we'd both spend this year exploring other options.

So how are yours shaping up? Oh, well, let's see.

Um, after I don't get into the Company, I'm looking forward to a fulfilling career as a commercial dancer.

Commercial dancing? You have no idea.

You would be laughed off your first podium.

Says who?

Oliver! Is this some kind of dance-off challenge?

Well, she said she noticed me in the Corps and I've improved heaps since last year.

Dangle, awesome. Stop calling me that.

I'll stop when Tara stops dangling you.

Ah, it's the dangler herself.

Celebratory protein shake? What did Saskia want?

Only to give our Benster some private coaching.

You can't go. What?

She's the star principal of the Company.

It's a no-brainer even for Dangle. She's a terrible teacher.

She uses the back breaking method, remember?

You don't think I should do it?

You're asking like she's your girlfriend.

If Tara doesn't want to be with you, then you can't expect her to make your life decisions.

Do whatever you think is right, Ben.

Oh, I need a safe house. You're eating! The crunchy ones. Unusual.

I know. The chewy ones reign supreme but sometimes you just gotta make do.

This. This is what we need.

Confectionary posing as health food?

No, you, me, no stressing about the Company, boys, any of it.

Well, pull up a pillow. I will be but a moment.

Ugh, rotten dotcom.

Must have been that dodgy tandoori chicken I ate at lunch.

Not the muesli bars?

Is there anything I can do?

Um, raincheck girl time. I think I have to get horizontal.

How well do you know Act 2 pas de deux?

Five weeks in the Corps, you totally know it.

Yeah. Um, look, thanks so much for thinking of me but...

Tara.

I know it's awkward because you guys are friends.

Yeah, kind of. It's a little tricky.

I totally get that, I do. Last year got messed up.

I mean you were there. You know.

I didn't quite embrace my inner teacher the way I wanted to.

But you're really talented.

Really freakishly talented and I'd hate to see you overlooked.

Is that a possibility to...

How about we just do one session together and see how it goes?

No pressure either way. Yeah, I guess. Yeah.

Since I'm here.

Sorry.

Relax.

I've been to a couple of classes.

Diversifying your brand?

Feel free to sit this one out. Advanced might be too much for you.

Thanks. These people aren't even trained.

That guy's still wearing his pyjamas.

Don't point. That's his trademark.

Commercial dance is all about bringing your own thing.

Well, my thing is 15 years of formal ballet training. OK if I bring that?

OK, guys, you ready? Yeah!

♪ You wanna ooze it!

♪ And clip it and don't forget to... ♪ Bring it! ♪ One, two, three, four and five!

Here we go and one, two, three, four!

Five, six, seven, eight!

And one, two, three, four.

And five and six and seven, eight.

And one, two, three, four.

Five, six, seven, eight!

And one, two, three and four and five and six and seven, eight.

I see we've got a ballerina in our midst.

Up the back, pretty ballerina. OK.

And those lifts? Totally different experience.

I've never partnered like that, ever. Some dancers just click.

I had a suspicion we might. Why?

I'm a Third Year wannabe and you're Saskia Duncan.

You're not a wannabe, Ben, you're a student and that's a good thing.

You're like brand-new clay. So you want to mould me?

Sorry, that sounds terrible.

It's just finding the perfect partner can be a lifelong mission and they can come from anywhere.

Some of the ballet greats didn't become legends until they found theirs -

Fonteyn, Nureyev, Gelsey Kirkland, Baryshnikov.

What, and you think we could be one of those partnerships?

No idea. Who can tell?

Put it this way, working with me might at least fast-track your time in the Corps.

Payback, was it? For leaking your genius music?

Oh, and it worked so well. Well, thanks for the dance slap.

I was really craving another fix.

You realise your 'thing' isn't 15 years of training anymore.

It's quitting. You're a quitter.

And what's your thing? Rapping about the ladies wanting to get wit' you?

Even though, news flash, everyone knows you're into boys.

My thing is to give this year absolutely everything.

Because if I don't then I'll just be another middle class brat who can't do fractions. And you'll be...

Yes? An uptight ice queen posing as a slacker.

I'd like to get rid of these knots.

It's not happening with all the extra work you're doing.

It doesn't hurt too much. I just use the heat cream.

Good. Keep listening to your body. Persistent pain - time to stop.

Also, I wanted to ask you. I have this friend.

Well, more of a friend of a friend outside the academy.

Anyway, she doesn't eat in public anymore and then I think she might eat a lot secretly.

Bingeing. Does she purge? Vomit or over-exercise?

I know what you're thinking but it's a ballet school.

You have a big lunch and then you have to put on a leotard and it crosses your mind. You think about purging?

I haven't done it, though, and I would never, ever do it. It...

It's just, even if she's crossed that line a few times, I don't want to make it a big deal because...

You want it to go away? It might.

But it might get a lot worse.

Hi. We really need to talk.

Hang on, preshface. Nearly done.

I know what you're doing. You're sick and we can't ignore it any longer.

Yeah? I had food poisoning. It's gone now.

Stop lying. You've got bulimia, Kat.

What do you mean, I've got it?

What, like I caught it off a toilet seat?

It's serious. You can get stomach ulcers, lose your teeth.

It damages your immune system.

This isn't you. You're not this person. You're smarter than this.

Right. Smart enough to know this isn't about me.

You're jealous. You're miserable in the Company, completely out of your depth and for the first time ever, I'm not just the funny sidekick. I'm fit. I don't have back issues.

I don't have any issues. And you can't stand that.

Looks like Tara's gone the full cliche and got herself an eating disorder.

Shame it hasn't helped drop the kilos.

Oh, honey. Don't feel alone, seriously.

I used to stealth puke all over the Academy.

Seriously, she clogged so many showers.

No, no, no, I'm researching. It's not me.

Please. Grace, rule number one - no attitude, just acceptance.

You can't force someone out of the denial stage.

Wait, you can't?

I was so touchy, the girls were terrified to even use words like 'fat' or 'skinny' around me.

Remember how I started ordering full cow smoothies?

You were so great, Vesh.

So just know, we're here for you, babe, unconditionally.

No... Grace.

Hey, Abs, how do we feel about planking...

Hey, you OK? Go away, Christian.

OK, guys, come on in, don't be shy.

We're a judgement free zone here at beginners.

I can see some new and...

I see some familiar faces here today.

OK, you know what you wanna do?

♪ You wanna ooze it and clip it and don't forget to...

♪ Bring it! ♪ Five, six, seven, eight! Alright and go!

Perfect.

OK, go again.

Hi? Hey. Sorry, it's Kat.

I think she needs you.

Oh, um, no, thanks for letting me know.

Excuse me, Sir Jeffrey?

My back's been twinging and Dr Wicks said not to overdo it.

You're not gracing us with your nasal explosions?

Sorry, I should be fine for tomorrow.

Oh, goodness no. I wouldn't dream of you over-exerting yourself.

Maria? Darling, apologies, you're needed tonight in the Corps.

Tara, wait up!

You can't bail on a performance because I trained with Saskia.

I'm not. You said it was my call.

Now you're blaming me for taking up a massive opportunity.

Have you thought about why Saskia wants to help you out of all the dancers in the Company?

Because she thinks I'm good?

Not to get back at me for trying to have her fired?

Saskia sees something in me, something special.

You clearly don't, do you? Look, I've really got to go.

I guess shortcuts come with strings attached.

You might sell your soul to the devil without realising it.

OK, from the top! Six, seven, eight, one!

Or miss out on all the trying, failing, clawing your way out of the mud that's supposed to make you who you are.

Montages look good in movies but they skim over the surface.

Thanks.

Important stuff can't be solved with a quick fix.

Kat?

All those horrible things I said before.

What I should have said was, I love you.

It's just scary. You're Kat.

I hate that you've been going through this alone.

Yeah, I'm Kat, the one who eats her feelings. It's a big joke, right?

Now, no matter how much I eat, I never feel better.

It's like there's a hole that I can't fill.

Sammy-shaped hole?

Of course.

Maybe it's something else too.

Since I got back this year, it's like I don't know how to fit.

We'll work it out, I promise.

Sure, a shortcut will get you there sooner but the ride might be a lot bumpier.

I'm the driver of my own destiny.

Day by day, I know I'm on the right path.