02x12 - Breaking Pointe

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Dance Academy...

You won't make it. You're not
good enough. You never will be.

This is like one of those celeb
meltdowns. We should put it online.

I'd like to dance the Red Shoes
in the Prix if that's OK.

It looks promising. We'd better
get started, if that's OK.

I thought I needed a break from
this place. I need a break from us.

A break-up.

Oh, OK, sorry.

It wasn't your fault.

It sort of was.

You are really talented, Kat,

but you're just not ready
for this contract.

In a few years, with some more
training and experience, who knows?

Katrina.
What did you say?

I want to, um,
I want to come back to the Academy.

I know I made
some really big mistakes last year.

I'm not arguing.

It's just that if you give me
a second chance,

I promise I'll be worth it.

This is the top dance school
in the country.

To get in once is a chance of a
lifetime. It doesn't happen twice.

I know
and I hear what you're saying,

but... I am gonna be the exception.

My first pair of pointe shoes
lasted a year

and when they d*ed I buried them
in the top paddock.

These days, I'm dancing so much
they're lucky to make it a week.

Morning, Miss Raine.
Katrina.

You want soft pointe shoes, because
that's when your feet look best...

See this, Lieberman? I'm literally
running rings around you.

But not so unsupportive
that you could injure yourself.

The problem is there's only
a few degrees between worn in...

worn down... and worn out.

I guess everything, like everyone,
has its own breaking point.

I have an actual job, Abigail.
I have company rehearsals.

I have preliminaries next week
and you're my choreographer.

We're rehearsing every night.
I'm a choreographer, not yours.

I'm doing you a favour.
Don't get demanding.

Can you sit here? I haven't been to
the toilet since - that's not juice.

You know you're not camping out
for tickets.

Miss Raine's
not gonna respond to a stunt.

She needs to know you're serious.

Sweetie, I know you have
a problem with criticism,

but if you can't
maintain your turn-out,

your extensions have to be lower.

It looks turned out to me.

You're cheating your line
and fishing your foot.

To the bar. I'll show you. Arabesque.

See how tight she is
in the hip rotators?

Looks pretty flexy to me,
but what would I know?

I know that's embarrassing,
but that's all you can control.

I can control it higher.
OK. How's that?

Fine, fantastic.
And this?

Never felt better.

Oh, that's enough. I thought you
were flexible. You want to go higher?

No, no, no, stop.
Saskia... Are you teaching?

Oh!

She's fine. My teacher used to
do that to me all the time.

You need to concentrate
on your rotation. Ben, you're up.

Are you OK?
Yeah, just a little bit shaky.

Any time now,
or are you hormonal as well?

I understand, Lady Charlton.

I can assure you
there's no problem with discipline.

The internet incident was a one-off.
Play it, Sam.

Katrina!

Petition to be granted
an obligation-free audition

just like any other candidate.

Reason No. , the applicant
feels deep, demonstrable regret

over her
previous lackadaisical attitude.

Yes, you have my
undivided attention. Get out now.

Reason No. , the applicant has now
clocked hours of dance employment.

And only ever been fired once.
Twice.

References.
This is ridiculous!

Oh, no, no, not you, Lady Charlton.

No, I was just talking to a bird
that's flown into my office.

Yes, it's a rather large bird.
Can I call you back?

Thank you.

Reason No. ,
the applicant is desperate.

Evidently.

There are auditions next week
for the junior school.

You can come in then
as a favour to your parents,

although judging by that display
I wouldn't get your hopes up.

I wish I could help you train,
but Saskia's been on my back.

Literally. How are you feeling?
I'm a bad friend as well.

Ollie's schedule is brutal,
hence the need for sustenance.

I eat when I'm nervous. And happy.
And cold. Bored. Ha ha ha.

Christian and I
can whip you into shape.

Thank you, everyone,
but it's not necessary.

If you remember,
I have been dancing all year.

I couldn't be more prepared
if I was, well... Prepared?

Mm-hmm.

I don't think standing there
qualifies as training.

I was visualising.

How'd that go?

It made me hungry.

I mean it. You don't have to help.

I'm sure you have
better things to do.

Remember the elastic band.

Both legs need to reach
maximum stretch at the same time.

You know, you're good at this -
teaching.

Don't try to distract me.

You're sickling. Here.

Really separate them out.

Kat?

I, um, I have to skedaddle.

We said it doesn't have to
get weird between us.

It was just one moment.

Yeah, totally, except it's, like,
a hundred different moments.

Do you remember this?

People phobic?

So, in a disastrous manoeuvre,

I've kind of had feelings for you
since the start of last year.

And you're pretending not to be, but
you're in love with my best friend.

So everyone keeps telling me.
Which I absolutely support.

It's just that
it's tough for me sometimes

and you're making it worse.

What should I be doing, then?

If I'm coming back to the Academy,
there needs to be a buffer.

I can't train with you.

I can't even be friends with you.

That's crap.
We've always been friends.

You have.

I've, um,
I've sort of been pretending.

Sammy, I need you.

Sorry, I didn't think you'd be here.
You avoiding me?

No, um... Yeah.

Grace was out, so I thought I'd get
Sammy to heat-cream my back,

but it's fine.
Hand it over.

You don't have to.

Your muscles are all in spasm.

Yeah, I strained it in coaching.
It'll be fixed by tomorrow.

Thank you.
No worries.

I come to you grovelling. You're
right, it's time to get serious.

I appreciate that, but I'm flat out.
This is your dream scenario!

You live to tell me what to do.
And you never listen.

You need a trainer who will
inspire discipline. Perfect timing.

For what?
My sister. I believe you've met.

She needs someone
who'll push her to breaking point.

I'd prefer to take my chances.

In what universe
would I agree to help Kat?

The one where I require payment
for my choreography.

You never said I had to pay.
We are flesh and blood!

It'll be mutually beneficial.
You need to stop obsessing,

you need to obsess more.

Now, I expect nothing less
than magic.

You haven't done
a classical class all year. No.

Before today, you've never partaken
in calorie control?

No.

You have no core strength

and your attitude can
only be described as... sketchy

I wouldn't go that far.
No, no, that wasn't a question.

Thank you, Anna Wintour.

Look, I'm on a deadline.
Are you gonna help me or heckle?

It's gratifying how, for years,

you've made fun of
my dedication and choices

and now you stand here
wanting my guidance.

You'll do what I say, when I say it.

You say jump, I locate a cliff.

Give me .
I was speaking metaphorically.

I have six days
to get ballet-friendly.

Can't we just do a class?

Cardio first, ballet comes later.
Come on.

That's one.

, ... Activate your pelvic floor.

Ew.

Breathe.

That looks awkward.

Thanks.

What are your legs?
Flabby, useless lumps of lard.

What are they gonna do?
Hurl me into the air.

How high are you gonna jump?
High as an eagle.

How high are you gonna jump?
As high as an eagle! Do it!

You need to do
something about that, toots.

Dr Wicks would make me take time off

and it'll give Saskia
way too much satisfaction.

Go further afield.

There's gotta be
a young, hot sports doctor

dying for your business.

You know the most sacred rule -
thou shalt not see an outside doctor.

Sure, but isn't it pointless
to jeopardise the Prix

when you probably just need
some anti-inflammatories?

Or I could acupuncture you.
We used to do it on Taffy.

She was such a loyal dog.
What was wrong with her? Arthritis?

No, bulimia.
Tragic self-esteem issues.

Alright, your left leg's tighter,
but you're very mobile.

It's usually my good side.

I'm gonna run this pin down.
Tell me if the sensation changes.

It should be pretty sharp.
Have you had any back pain before?

Sore muscles are standard
when you're a dancer.

Whenever the footy players
whinge to me,

I tell them how hardcore
you guys are.

That's a bit duller.

There?

Yeah. Do you think I need
some anti-inflammatories?

I tell you what, while you're here,
let's get you in for an MRI.

Is something wrong? Probably not.
I'd just like to have a look.

Ah, just the way you like it

and whatever crazy hoops
you want to put me through tomorrow,

I am ready.

For first year, we're looking at
basic ballet technique.

Was that crazy last time around?

No, but I'm auditioning for second
year. I've done first year.

I remember you failed.

Even if you audition successfully,
you're going to have to repeat.

But my friends
are in second year.

I thought this was about ballet
and not your social interests.

Miss Raine, when you first
let me into the Academy,

was that because I was good enough
or was that a favour to my parents?

I'll see you tomorrow, Katrina.

Hi, it's me.

What's up?

So, I know we've only
just started talking again,

but I'm about to have this scan
to do with my back.

It's gonna be fine, but...
Where are you?

It's like training a goldfish.

You were due in the studio
minutes ago.

Oh, for leg squats?
I had six days to prepare.

Don't you think that time would have
been better spent at the bar?

In terms of technique, there's
nothing I can do in six days.

Thank you for
telling me I'm hopeless.

You would be
if you were starting from scratch.

You've been dancing since before you
could walk. Your technique's there.

That's where you're wrong.
I had every opportunity

and I still never deserved
to be here.

At some point you might want
to stop inventing excuses to quit.

Yeah? Why's that?
You're not actually terrible.

So it's serious?

Don't know yet.

If it is, you can't dance.
I know.

It's just a competition.
It's not worth hurting yourself.

I know, Christian.
Sorry.

What's it feel like?

Scary.

It's like there's all of
these bricks inside of my back.

It's probably a dodgy muscle.

Give it a couple of days rest
and you'll top the preliminaries.

Thanks.

Hi.

Hey.

So at least one good thing
came out of this.

Sorry?
Is that why you called me down here?

No. Why didn't you call Sammy or...
or Kat?

Because you were the one I
thought of, who I always think of.

You can't guilt me
into getting back together with you.

I'm not trying to. It's not
gonna happen. I've told you that.

Why not?

I've got your test results, Tara,
if you'd like to come inside.

Go. I'm just being dramatic.

I'll wait here.
No, really. I'm fine on my own.

There's a cr*ck running through your
L pars interarticularis.

That's one of the bridging bones.

It's causing some instability,
which means that your muscles

are working overtime.

Now, there's a fair bit of activity
happening around the cr*ck,

which makes me think
the break happened recently.

I-I've broken my back?
But I'm still walking.

That's because you haven't done
any nerve damage.

Now, I want to keep you moving.

Obviously dancing is out
for quite awhile,

but anything low impact is good.
Do you swim?

I can control it higher.

Medically, I'm in no hurry
to get you into surgery

because you're young and fit and
it's better to see if the bone knits,

so let's get you back here
in six weeks.

No dancing between now and then.

I thought you were flexible.
You want to go higher?

Tara, should I make that appointment
with your parents?

No, that's OK,
I can set it up myself.

Sometimes you don't know
something's broken

until it's too late
to be put back together.

You can paper over the cracks,
but you know they're there,

waiting to find you out.

Nervous?

So hungry my insides
are eating themselves.

Where's Christian
on this momentous occasion?

Hey! Stop touching that.

And thank you, ladies. Follow me.

And the next group. Come in, please.
And Katrina.

You're gonna be amazing.

Good luck.
Thanks.

Don't worry.
You haven't missed anything.

What did the doctor say?

You were right.
It was just a muscle strain.