01x02 - Week Zero

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Dance Academy...

Welcome to the National
Academy of Dance.

I'm Abigail.
Oh, I'm Tara.

- So you met Kat?
- Good luck.

- Who's that?
- Ethan Karamakov.

You could learn
something by watching Tara.

It was surprisingly good.

An allegation has been made,

and if it's true, we'll have no choice
but to cancel your audition.

Tara bunked in with me last night.

Then I'd like to see the solo

that Miss Raine
has been telling me about.

Go on.

I know you don't think
you're ready, but you are.

I can't take care of you forever.

It's time.

So I got in... to Dance Academy

and life is about
to become spectacular.

The only downside is leaving home.

Mine is pretty special.

There's only 300 people in the town

so every one of us
is known for something.

You might be a footballer
or the fastest shearer or...

Hey, ballerina!

Me.

I've never been the new kid before

and suddenly it's like
the slate has been wiped clean

and I've no longer
got a history, just a future.

Oi!
Sorry. Sorry.

It's official.

From this moment on
I'm living my dream

and I can be whoever I want to be.

You made it!

I was literally doing cartwheels
when I heard they let you in.

I mean, of course you belong here.

So straightaway I got us
assigned as room-mates.

What's wrong?

Did you want to room
with someone else?

No, no. I kind of got a message
from Kat about rooming with her and...

But this is so great.

Better than great.

This is going to be the best year
in history!

Oh, um...

Sorry about that.
Administrative error. Sorry. Sorry.

Next, please.

Yeah.

Last name?
Lieberman.

I've already put you in a room.

Get out of there.
I know, I know.

Do you want to be with someone else?
No, no. It's not that.

Miss Histead, one of the toilets
is clogged.

I don't think the girls
should be flushing their tampons.

Oh, thank you, Bonnie.

Look, this is not a hotel. If I
switch rooms for you, I have to...

I know, I know.
I wouldn't want to put you out.

Someone stole my suitcase, miss.

Look, why don't you do me a favour?

Go back and give them
another chance.

But I don't think...

Now.
..you understand.

You can't see without those, right?

Great.

Oh, no. No, no.

Gotta be kidding.

- I'm not kidding.
- I danced every day of the holidays.

I didn't want to start
the year off stiff.

Besides, it's only
165 days till exams

and I really want to win
the scholarship this year.

Hey, Sophie.

Yeah, so my cousin, his mate,
said he ran into her over New Year's.

Yeah, word is she's got some tattoos
in some very interesting places.

Really? Like what places?

Use your imagination, man,
or is that affected by your eyesight?

Suni is seriously deluded

if she thinks she's taking
my spot at the barre.

Ooh, there's Kat.
I want to go say hi.

I told you. She's anthr*x
to your reputation.

Suit yourself.

Hey, Tara-tiara.
Oh, I've missed you.

Hey, what are you doing
talking to Abigail?

I thought after audition week...
Hold it.

I don't know what's with you two,
but it's the first day of a new year

and I just want to be
friends with everyone.

Honey, I want a unicorn, but they
keep telling me it's not possible.

Hey, didn't that hurt?

Uh, surprisingly little.

Welcome to first year.

While most of your friends at home
are being ordinary teenagers,

you all have chosen a different
path, an extraordinary one.

This will be your home
for the next three years.

We will train six days a week,

working harder than many people
work in a lifetime.

This year,

the Academy has decided
to broaden the curriculum

and introduce you to more styles
of dance, not just ballet.

Over the coming days
you'll be assessed in jazz...

contemporary...

character...

and hip-hop.

These results will be posted
at the end of the week.

How you place may as well be
your identity while at the Academy.

I can't believe we get
to do this every day now.

- Get used to it!
- Girls.

Tomorrow I want you
to come into repertoire

knowing the Kitri solo
from 'Don Quixote'.

Yes! I already know that dance.

Samuel, Tara,
please see me before you go.

What do you mean I have to do
pointe? Boys don't do pointe.

They do when their ankles are weak.

But I'll be a laughing stock.
MORE of a one.

A laughing stock
with stronger ankles.

There's always
a silver lining, Samuel.

Now, Tara.

Miss Raine, thanks
for assigning us the Kitri solo.

You won't be taking
repertoire class tomorrow.

We've decided your technique
isn't ready for pointe work.

But I've been en pointe for years.
At my old studio...

At your old studio
they trained you poorly,

so tomorrow,
and until I say otherwise,

you're to go back to basics
and work at the barre.

Miss Raine, please.

It's not up for discussion, Tara.

You know those moments when you
see yourself, like, accidentally,

and go, "That's me!"?

It's not some movie you're watching
or happening to someone else.

This is, like, your life.

Hey, Gloria. The usual.

Gloria, is it? These muffins
are labelled as 97% fat-free.

But were you there
when they were made?

Do you personally know
that saturated fats

weren't accidentally slipped in?

Hey, how was your...

Are you alright?

Chickens on rollerblades?!

It's Orientation Week.
People are crazy, pulling pranks.

I'm Ethan.

Yeah, I know. We met.

Audition week.
Ln the dressing room.

And then the party.

I'm Tara.

Right. Well, hey, enjoy your lunch.

Yeah, that's mine, twinkletoes.
You can put your pointe shoes in there.

'Twinkletoes'.
That's a good call, Sean.

Oi, Samboy.

Hi?

Kat, I told you.
Lt has to be a girl.

Can't you just think
of him as 'Samantha'?

- No. No, don't. Really.
- Sorry.

O Week requirement.

You're going to have
to find someone else.

Oh. Well, we tried.

Yeah.
OK, 'bye.

Oh, adorable.

You didn't tell me you were
Patchewalling's 'best ballerina'.

Three years running.

Why the face?

Alright, so I'm obviously
blowing this way out of proportion,

but Miss Raine's
kind of taken these guys hostage.

She hasn't?! Wow!

I mean, I've heard of them doing that
in the junior school, but not here.

That's really going backwards.

Hey, T, have you got a minute?

I thought we'd go to the Pilates
studio, do some crunches.

Raincheck. I think I'd pass out
if I crunched, anyway.

I don't want to get in trouble
for being out of the dorms.

Relax. It's not even past curfew.

There they are.

You've come. But have you
chosen wisely?

Um, I think so.
Chosen what?

During O Week, there
is one sacred tradition.

Each year, we ask two first-year
girls to display great courage.

We dare you to jump from there...

into there.

Tonight.

Awesome.

Kat, no way.
We could break our necks.

They've measured the water. It's OK.
Look, it happens every year.

Seriously, the water's deep.
We'll be fine.

Well, what do we get for doing it,
and why do we have to be naked?

Infamy. And underwear is not naked.

Stop making excuses
and start stripping.

Wish I'd worn better undies.

Alright, let's get this over with.

Higher than you think, isn't it?

Yeah.

There wouldn't be sharks in this
part of the harbour, would there?

Just 'cause I've got this fear
of sharks... and heights.

You know, Tara,
I'm not feeling so good.

Hey, hey, hey. You're fine.

Just think of it as leaping
into the unknown.

Only don't look down.

We're about to jump down, Tara.

First we get to fly.

Girls, if you're going to jump,
you'd better do it quick.

- Jump! Jump!
- Together on three.

Jump! Jump!

- One.
- Jump! Jump! Jump!

Two.

Tara!

That was so much fun.

OK, let's do it again.

Do you have a desire
to become a quadriplegic?

Um, I guess it'd get me
out of class. I'm joking!

There could've been rocks down there.
You don't know what's under there.

I got pulled off that balcony, OK?

Really? So I have you to thank
for leading my sister astray.

Yeah, that probably
was pretty stupid.

I'm going to have
to keep my eye on you, Tara.

Miss Raine!

Can I take those for you?
Wow, that's a lot of paperwork.

Um, I know you think I'm behind
the other girls here, but...

And you're right.

And I'm not crash-hot in technique
class or contemporary or jazz,

but if you let me show you

what I can do when
I'm really dancing en pointe...

I told you that was not an option.

Tara, if you want to start off
the year on the right foot,

I'd suggest examining
who your friends are.

Girls like Abigail
will keep you focused.

Katrina? You'll be lucky
to make it through the semester.

Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?
I could really use some advice.

Why don't you ask Kat?

Look, I've tried
to show you the way here.

I know you have.
Please, Abby, Miss Raine hates me.

Tell me what to do.

Trust me. She's written you off
as the worst dancer in the year.

It's up to you to prove she's wrong.

Good morning, ladies. Let me
see what you've been working on.

Groups of four.

What do you think you're doing?

Dancing.

As well as anyone.

If you believe that,
you must be delusional.

But I know...
Your feet were sloppy.

You lost your turnout
and almost dislocated your knee,

not to mention your ankles,

there was a complete
lack of coordination

between your upper body
and your arms...

Shall I continue?
But I was just trying to...

If you're going to stand there and argue
with me or, worse still, cry,

you can get out of my class.

Right now!

She was out of line. I had no idea
she would react like that.

It's not just Miss Raine. It's me.

I don't make sense in this place.

- At home I'm...
- Special?

I'm the dancer.

And here I'm not
even ordinary. I'm worse.

Don't b*at yourself up too much.
Not everyone makes it here.

Hey. Hey! Don't even think about it.

What?
I'm a guy, OK?

You can't just come in here
and get undressed in front of me.

Oh, and I'm never
buying you tampons.

That's... that's good to know, Sammy.

In fact, as soon as this
whole room situation's cleared up,

I'm going to be spending more time
with the boys, doing guy stuff.

So you might want to get
yourself some new friends.

OK.

Twinkletoes. So you gonna play
the girl part or the boy part today?

- Where are your pointe shoes?
- He's such a loser.

Hey, Sean. Boys.

Even if Sammy does do the girl part,

he's more man than
all you guys put together.

- Tara's such a sweetie.
- I really do feel for her.

Can't wait for you to tell us why.

Obviously they had a quota
of country kids to fill,

which is the only reason they
accepted her in the first place.

But once they saw how far behind
she was, they had to ask her to leave.

I mean, it wouldn't
be fair to the rest of us,

being dragged down like that.

I wouldn't say
she was dragging anybody down.

- She danced her solo pretty well.
- Yeah.

And what would you know?

And do you HAVE to hang out
in the girls' dressing room?

I mean, how much of a freak
do you want to be?

Abigail, my mum taught me
that if you can't say anything nice,

don't say anything at all.

Tara, I thought you'd be packing.

Why? I'm not going anywhere.
One bad class?

You don't honestly think that
would be enough to make me quit?

Well, if you're not leaving,
I'll be making an official complaint.

I don't see why my training needs to
be compromised by some country hick

who smells like a sheep
and thinks she has...

Pointe shoe fight.
Greatest thing I have ever seen!

I'm sorry. You're my teacher
and I have to trust you.

Tara.

You have unusually good feet.
They're just not ready yet.

I'll give these back when they are.

So this is O Week, week zero,
and I figured out my place.

The thing about being at the bottom
is there's nowhere else to go but up.

Mum, topped every class
except for hip-hop,

but like that counts.

It was you, wasn't it?

You tried to sabotage me
in audition week.

I don't get it.
You're the best dancer here.

Why do you hate me so much?

I've decided to listen
to Miss Raine about dancing,

but pick my own friends.

Coming to this place
is a little like New Year's Eve.

You make all these resolutions
about who you're going to be

and then break every one of them.

Because no matter where you are,

even if it's thousands
of kilometres from home,

you'll always be yourself

and sometimes that's
a pretty awesome thing.