01x13 - Family

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Dance Academy...

It's over. Dad's pulling
me out of the Academy.

I think I have a boyfriend.

Principal of the National Ballet...
Natasha Willis.

Darling! I've been looking
for you all morning.

Hi, Mum.

They won't let me dance and there's
no way I'll win the scholarship.

You have to promise me
you won't tell anyone.

- Abigail!
- Someone get the doctor.

Lately, all I see in the mirror
is a collage of different body parts.

I'm not a person.

I'm a hip that needs
to be turned out,

an arm which could
be better supported,

and so I've started playing this game

where I try to catch
my reflection by surprise

to see if I recognise
the girl staring back at me.

Are you sure, Mrs Armstrong?

I know, I know, but
it's the end of semester,

and, you know, everyone's really
worried about Abigail and...

OK. OK, thank you. Bye-bye.

Thanks for nothing.

She still won't put you through?
No.

I think family's
probably the best mirror...

Hey!

Because they know you
better than anyone

and you can always count
on them to stay the same.

Hey, darling, how are you? Hi.
Good.

Darling.

Hi, Mum.

Is Dad coming?
He got stuck at the surgery.

My solo tomorrow's probably
the one he should be seeing.

Yeah, that's right.

Is that chocolate?!

This is the longest
I've been away from my parents.

Dad!

I wonder what they'll see.

Hi.

I wonder how they'll
think I've changed.

You look gorgeous.

I can't believe you guys are here.

Your father has been beside himself.

Oh, I might have
mentioned it once or twice.

Well, you know it's
just classes, right?

It's not actually a performance.

Um, Mum, Dad, this is Ethan.

Hi.
Wow.

Crazy. You two have
the exact same smile.

Well, it's delightful
to meet you, Ethan.

Neil, heard so much about you.

'Mr Webster'. Funny, I didn't
hear about you till this morning.

Well, I don't want
to interrupt the reunion.

See you at lunch?

What?

I'm almost 16, Dad.
And how old's he?

She's allowed to have
boyfriends, Neil.

I don't recall
giving her permission.

Dad, what happened to your tooth?
Tractor belt.

For weeks I've been
asking him to get it fixed.

But will he listen to me? No.

I'm not entering any
beauty pageants, am I?

It can wait until
we finish shearing.

I love you, but you cannot
open your mouth while you're here.

I'm serious. People are going
to think we're hicks.

Katrina, interesting
what happens when you try.

I'm afraid even without a partner,
that still looks sloppy.

Yes, you're actually
starting to work together.

Go, Tara Banana!

Neil, shh.

Fan club?

It was meant to be a fair trade.

Decent exam marks for
a non-dancing holiday of my choice.

Now she's got us doing some weird
mother-daughter interview thing.

I swear, all this good
behaviour has given me a rash.

Lamington?

T, they're bonding.

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

And she insisted
all summer that we...

Tara, I'm talking to Kat's mum about
the movies of her we used to watch.

Remember?
Not completely. Lamington?

She would scream if I tried
to put on anything else

and demanded that
we all call her 'Natasha'.

We've got an appointment
in town later on

so we're going to miss
your afternoon classes.

I'm glad Sydney's pulled out
the weather for you.

Mmm.

Your father wanted to take you
and your friends out to tea.

Do you think that's alright?
Yeah, sounds great.

It's actually been horrible lately,
just raining non-stop.

Interesting to hear rain
described as 'horrible'.

I don't think he meant it like that.

That roll, Evan.

Where do you think the wheat
comes from if it doesn't rain?

Hadn't really thought about it, sir.

Do you think it just magically
appears in the supermarket?

I think we left
the thermos in the car.

We could order drinks here. I mean,
we're sitting at their tables.

I don't think anyone's
going to mind, sweetheart.

We know all about your city prices.

Imagine what you could do
with that extra $6.

Oi! What do you think you're doing?

I'm talking to you, son.

You've got a leak.

That right?

Weren't you just dancing
with my daughter?

So?

So I didn't think a ballet boy
would be interested in cars.

Didn't think a ballet girl's
father would own something decent.

No, your folks are great.

I mean, your Dad obviously
wants to disembowel me.

- But minor details aside...
- You think YOU have problems?!

If I didn't relish the image
of Natasha in a caravan,

I would tell her
to stuff that holiday...

Hi, Mum. It's good to see you.

Tara, I wanted to invite you
and your parents for dinner tonight.

Bon Cafard?
Oh, thanks, but...

I think they wanted to take us out.
But we can always combine, right?

Well, they did, but then something
came up and now they're busy.

Shame. Still, you should come.

Let's put a comb through this hair.
We have a meeting with the stylist.

You have to save me.

Hey, you didn't have to ditch
your parents on my behalf.

Trust me, Dad would complain
about the small portion sizes

and Mum would go on
about how much it costs.

It's just easier if I
do something with them...

Tomorrow? You guys don't mind,
do you, that I'm cancelling?

No, princess.

I had my heart set on the steakhouse
but if you're all too tired...

Tara!

Yeah. Yeah, we really are.
Thanks, Dad.

Abigail?

You look nice, darling.

We decided to go out after all.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Um, I can do that.

Our meeting today was at the bank.

We're trying to refinance
one of the loans,

but they're not taking
risks at the moment.

So, what? Are we losing the farm?

Oh, no.

Look, if wool prices go up we should
be fine, but every cent's tight.

I can get a job on Sundays, I think.

I don't know if that's
going to cover it, sweetie.

Then what can I do to help?

Look, I'd be lying if I said
having you here wasn't expensive.

With the boarding fees and the shoes
and the leotards, it all adds up.

No.
Let me finish.

No, Mum, this is me.
This is my dream.

I know it is, sweetie,
and I want you to have that.

But I'm just...

I'm just trying to juggle
a few dreams right now.

Look, would it honestly
be the end of the world

if you deferred until next year,
just until we can work things out?

What does Dad say?

Your dad doesn't want you to know.

He's so proud of you.
It's all he talks about.

You can't ask me to do this, Mum.

I'm not asking you to do anything,
honey, except... consider it.

- We look like sisters.
- I know.

Natasha, when I saw
you dance Aurora,

I couldn't believe
you had a 15-year-old at home.

So, Kat, did you see
your mum in that role?

Yeah, I always watch her.
I love watching her.

It just amazes me, Natasha,
how you juggle everything.

Lars Pedersen told me that you're
booked for the European Gala.

Um...

Let's reset, yeah?

Let's reset.

I mean, that's practically
like dancing to royalty.

You can't tell me that
you can come home after that

and clean the bathrooms?

No, but nothing's confirmed yet.

Sorry, silly me.
When's the gala again?

It's in a couple
of weeks, isn't it?

You'll be going to see
your mum, won't you, Kat?

Yeah.

Yes, luckily for me it's right at
the same time as my school holidays.

Mum always makes sure
that I have the BEST ones.

I remember once
in Singapore when I was 10,

she got so caught up
in the tour she was doing

that she actually flew
out of the country,

completely forgetting
that I was back in the hotel room.

Let's reset, yeah?

Thank you, Sammy.

We now have Tara Webster doing
a variation of 'The Ugly Duckling'.

His loss. You were amazing.

k*ll it. Roast the duck.

Was it gruesome?
What?

Oh, I just skipped my solo.

I all of a sudden
couldn't be bothered.

No-one said anything.

Well, I need some retail therapy
and Natasha needs to see the bill,

so feel like giving
this little baby a work-out?

You know what, Kat?

A lot of people would give anything
to be here and have what you have.

It's getting really old
how you just take it for granted.

Tara Banana! Come help your old dad.

The city boy doesn't know
how to find the alternator.

I'll just... be back in a sec.

Hey.

It's clean.

Your dad was telling me
about the property.

Sounds...
It is.

They're actually ugly,
aren't they?

All those ballets go on
about them being so beautiful.

But up close...

Weird necks.

That was absolutely sensational,
wasn't it, Ari?

The last bit didn't suck.

He was never going to come, was he?

He was absolutely going to try.

It's just going to take some time.

Ballpark estimate?

'Bye.

'Bye.

Mrs Armstrong.

Yes, I know she's resting and I know
you don't want her taking calls,

but would you please
tell her that I...

that I called?

Hi.

What are you watching?

Good choice.

You don't have to...
Shhh.

It's a good movie.

It's not the steakhouse,

but with this tooth
that may not be such a bad thing.

Dad, this is fine. Do you know
how much they charge at those places?

Yeah, it's not like home, is it?

Actually, that's something I've been
meaning to talk to you guys about.

Having you here has
kind of made me realise

how much I'm missing everything.

What? You love it here.

What's the matter, princess?
Is someone giving you a hard time?

- No, Neil, I'm sure...
- No, it's nothing like that.

I guess I just loved
the idea of this place.

But being here all the time...
it isn't me,

and if I go home it's not like
I have to stop dancing altogether.

I can still do it
a couple of times a week.

I'm not sure what
to think about this.

Tough, because I've made up my mind.

Miss Raine?

Tara, I was going
to look for you today.

I have something you might like.

I said I'd give them back to you
when you were ready.

Thank you...

for everything,
but I've come to let you know

that I'm not going
to be here next semester.

I'm going home. Some things
are just more important.

Than ballet?

Well, if you believe that,
you obviously don't belong here.

I know I need this place
to become a professional

but I don't really need it to dance,

and if I truly love it,
that should be enough.

And besides, I don't think
I'd be a very good dancer

if I didn't like myself as a person.

Thank you.

So the holiday's off,
but on the other hand,

shopkeepers are going
to erect a statue in my honour.

You know we can keep
our stuff here over the break.

You guys can come stay
over the holidays.

Well, I think it's crap.
Yeah, newsflash. We all do.

Correction. I think Tara's crap.
What?

You told me to stand up to my dad

and now he's probably
never going to talk to me again,

which is fine because I belong here,
so why is it so difficult for you?

Sammy.

Sammy, come back.
Just leave him.

Hey, results just got posted.

It's not like we have
anything better to do.

Hey, you did good, you know.

Yeah?
Yeah.

I'd give up this place
for your family any day.

Come with me.
How'd you go?

Who cares?!

Look, you got it.

The first-year scholarship.

Full fees, boarding expenses.

It's not a gift.
You'll earn every cent.

Every week you'll be doing
private classes with me,

working harder than
you ever thought possible.

But you're telling me I can stay?

It would seem so.

I can stay!

Yes!

All this for three weeks?

You guys don't mind
it's not permanent, do you?

I know you miss me.

Mind? I'm putting the billiards
table in your bedroom.

Don't ruin it.

Tara?

Honey, you know I never
wanted you to give up...

First grown-up thing
I've ever had to do.

Oh, help.
The women are blubbering.

Hey, Sean!
Yo.

Can you take a picture of us?
Yeah.

Alright. OK, ready?

OK, big smiles.

And three, two... Cheese!

There you go. Alright.
Hey, see you next semester.

Thank you.

Can we borrow her for a couple
more hours? It's an emergency.

Sure.

It was supposed
to be a going-away present.

I wanted
to get you a card, but...

This can't be safe.

The trick is, Sammy,
not to look down.

Everybody knows that.

Families are different
to when my parents grew up.

It's like there are
no set rules anymore.

It doesn't matter what your DNA says.
When someone's family, you just know.

They're the people who turn up
when you least expect it...

who hold your hand
without being asked.

The thing about family is that
it doesn't matter where you are.

When you're with them, you're home.

I have two now...
two families, two homes...

and I know what it's like
to be on top of the world.