03x13 - Not for Nothing

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Dance Academy...

You need to go on stage as Persephone.

And if you dance it the way I know you can your future is written in the stars.

Tara, you OK? You OK?

You're going to be fine. Tara?

I've been up all night.

Unfortunately the contracts need to go out today so this is the last opportunity.

I can't hate her.

How am I supposed to compete with her if I can't even muster up a shred...

Dance for a different reason.

So often change is incremental, tiny turning points you don't even notice.

Then there are other events - sudden, monumental, defining - that change you forever.

And in that split second after you've thrown the dice, it could go one way but you desperately want it to go another,

where your future is suspended in limbo,

do you beg?

Do you bargain?

Wish? Pray? thr*aten?

Do you fight or let go?

Is it only in limbo that you finally know yourself and what you're capable of?

When Tara fell, the other side of her defective vertebra snapped and slipped forward. How long will it take, recovery?

Last year when I broke it I was out for eight weeks and if I'm lucky enough to get a contract I'll have to start work soon.

Let's focus on getting you back on your feet.

It's an open operation, which means they'll go through Tara's abdomen and insert a wire cage which will replace the disc.

Grace.

Sorry. Um, that all sounds - is it January I start?

I've got this Christmas in Vietnam fantasy plan.

Actually, what I was leading to...

We've decided not to offer you a contract this time.

Obviously you are a tremendous talent but my philosophy is that a harmonious environment is more conducive to creating good work than the quality of the individual dancers.

You're saying I don't play nicely with others, or that you don't want to work with me.

Or both.

She's the pre-champion.

Rumours about none of us getting contracts - gaining credibility.

You sure you don't have any questions?

Alright, then.

We'll get you nicely to sleep.

You'll see us in a few hours.

Want to count us in from 10?

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,

4, 3...

Aren't you late for class?

You can't wear that.

I don't really know what I'm doing.

Well, you should.

It's your subconscious.

Come on.

Why did you tell the doctor you didn't have any questions?

I'd call it a fairly big one.

What if the surgery doesn't work and you can never dance again?

Because it has to work. I can't have come all this way for nothing.

Really? You sure about that?

We're all big fans.

You have the technical facility and the courage of a leading man.

Leading man. Wow.

If you say so.

The difficulty is we already have several dancers of your type in the company.

I want to push things to be more individualistic.

My type's totally fluid.

I can be whoever you want me to be.

I'm really very sorry, Ben.

Tara, those arabesques are still too low.

If your back is straining, please sit this out.

I'm fine. Sorry, Rebecca.

So, I'm in the company. I get a contract.

How would I know? I don't have access to the future.

But, yes, in this version of reality you're dancing.

It's not all unicorns and clovers, is it?

That looks youchy.

And for what?

You didn't even like being in the corps.

Constant criticism. Never being good enough.

I bet part of you will be relieved if you can't dance again.

But this is all I've ever wanted.

You agree. The sacrifice is worth it.

How's our BP looking?

Is she becoming... ..hypertensive?

I don't like the swelling.

You've got to get me that audition with Marcus.

Ben, you're scrambling.

Austin didn't even make your top five.

And you're right. It's a bloodbath.

Four years. All for... ..absolutely nothing.

Reed, care to share with the group?

You're not going to get the gigs you want with ballet.

So?

Come on. I wasn't even this worked up on my own interview day.

They changed it to this afternoon. Grab the other end.

Does this make it official?

You running the centre.

I told my wife to blame you.

How I'm going to fit it in with everything else I do not know. It's worth it.

At least it's going to be. If you start the kids off with hip hop and drip-feed them ballet later.

I wouldn't recognise a pop from a lock.

Let alone those armchair things you do.

That was good.

But keep your feet underneath your bum at all times. Ready?

Yep. Yep.

No, I know.

They can't even give us a prognosis on her walking until the swelling goes down.

We've been telling everyone at home young Kat's in a movie.

Uh, I got pretty lucky.

Sorry, Neil, excuse me for a second.

How is she?

Any news?

The update is she might be in a wheelchair.

And you're here to... what? Gloat about getting a contract?

I didn't get a contract.

Last night Tara said she missed us being friends.

I thought I wanted something like this to happen but I didn't.

At all.

Can I go again?

It's been a big day.

Big year.

I can do it better.

Every ballet school puts their company up on a pedestal as though they're the only place worth anything.

They don't prepare you for this.

You're allowed to feel disappointed.

What sort of complications?

She's stable. But it's a very delicate operation.

It's going to take some more time.

How much more time?

I'm sorry. I've got to go. I've got a performance. I'm so sorry.

OK.

Will there be any additional risk? No additional risk.

She does have...

Kat. Stable means she's going to be OK.

This isn't a Sammy situation. OK?

Come on.

I'll take you over.

Maybe we're just looking at this the wrong way.

I mean, the company is an organisation in turmoil, poised to explode with an inexperienced director at the helm.

And besides, corps de ballet - is it just me or are we soloist standard?

I'd say principals.

We should make a pact. Now.

If either of us gets in... we still say no.

Not to interrupt.

We're ready for you, Oliver.

Just back row of the corps for two seasons and if I get one whiff of ego out of you...

I'll be a prop with a pulse if you ask me to.

Exhibit B for your consideration.

You've always pretzelled yourself over the ballet versus life equation.

This is what happens if you remove dancing altogether.

What? We're all unemployed and hanging out on the hill?

No pressure.

No competition.

As many crushes as your little heart fancies.

Plus, we could stay together next year.

I don't know. Even then I think I still need a dream to define me.

Kind of knew you'd say that.

The National Academy's performance of Coppelia will commence in 10 minutes.

You don't normally cope this well with rejection.

I'm waiting for it to hit me.

Or maybe it already has and I just don't care.

'Cause you can go anywhere and dance with any company.

Not dance, find something I actually care about.

Hey, my best friend's having spinal surgery and I keep hoping someone's going to say, 'Kat, you don't have to dance tonight.'

To date, this is the high point of my dancing life and I'll take any horrific excuse not to do it.

You could also be like me.

You never really wanted this in the first place, you just decided you should want it.

Christian, you got to go.

It's cool.

Trust me. This is not an appointment you can be late for.

You're kidding, right?

You're kidding. Ha.

I told you, didn't I?

I want you to keep it.

I can't. It's a contract. You've got to sign it.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

You are not walking away. Not this time.

I want to work here. I want to teach.

So do ten years in the company then be a teacher.

I finally know what I want to do.

And I want to start doing it.

So... dance double to the rescue.

Something like that.

So, come on. He loved you, right?

I honestly couldn't tell.

But I like Marcus. Austin could be good.

And running over here I just kept thinking...

You've been my best friend this whole year I don't want to spend the next one without you.

I can't go.

To Austin.

I've got so much stuff to work out.

I can help.

I'm good with stuff so...

My MO is making someone my whole world and then hating them for it.

I don't want to hate you.

Thank you for doing this.

I understand in the circumstances but I am...

Kat did me an amazing favour.

I figured if I was saying goodbye to ballet I wanted to make it a good one.

Grace.

Abigail, it's OK. Really.

I'm sorry but I do have a dinner that I have to get to.

I just worked so hard.

Why would you take me here?

Because, trust me.

When the bad stuff happens you can't let it drag you down.

You can't let it change you.

That's not the real reason.

This is a cheap stunt, I'm not going to let you manipulate me.

Tell me. Why do you think we're here?

Because...

because I can't see him.

Even now, and I so want to see him.

I know he's gone.

Sammy d*ed.

He didn't get his dream.

He didn't even get the possibility of finding a new one.

And I'm alive.

Hi.

Coppelia?

T, don't worry about that. I'm where I want to be.

You're the lead.

It didn't matter so much in the end.

I'll explain later. I've got to go get your Mum and Dad.

My toes, are they...

So even though I'd decided I wouldn't feel sorry for myself rehab wasn't a walk in the park.

In fact, I'd never take walking in a park for granted again.

Much less dancing.

I'm going to fight as hard as I can to get back to where I was.

But if that doesn't happen and I never dance professionally I know I'll still be OK.

Abby, call that 100%?

Where's your turnout?

Kat Karamakov testing for the role of waitress number two.

I'm sorry. Pretend that didn't happen.

I came to the academy to be the best ballerina I could be but what I took away was courage, to stop and wonder at the blank page, the open road, to dream big but also wide, allowing room for new dreams, unexpected ones.

Because the point never was achieving the dream, it was having one and pouring everything into it.

Hang on a sec. I think he's still teaching a class.

Jayden, how am I supposed to correct you if you don't pull up your tights?

It's funny, I have no idea what happens next.

But I'm excited about finding my own way to make it count, the way Sammy did.

He would have loved this space where anyone can dream and dance.

I now declare it officially open.

It's not a book yet and I'm pretty sure it won't get published but it's about us and the academy.

OK, guys. This place is about dancing.

So, how about we do some?

Been a while. Tell me about it.

I can't believe - how did you all organise this?

This is a thank you dance.

Better late than never.

Come on. This was your idea.

I only did my first class a month ago.

We'll take it slow.

We'll figure it out together.

When I was young, I wasn't so clear on the whole gravity thing.

And my imagination got me in a lot of trouble.

But I remember there was this one moment where time stopped and everything made sense.

From then on, I've always known that in another life I could fly.

And that's why in this life I dance.