03x05 - Negative Patterns

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Dance Academy...

Third Years, I'd like to introduce Marcus Cain, Artistic Director of the Austin Ballet.

You crazy kids were in love?

You bat those sleepy lashes and the Academy begs you to come back?

I have friends in high places.

Christian and I could do one-on-one classes.

It'd only be 12 hours a week.

Have you stopped to think about why Saskia wants to help you?

Look, Saskia sees something special in me.

But you clearly don't, do you?

♪ She may see you

♪ I don't know what you got but I'm coming through... ♪ Patterns. When you look hard enough, you realise they're absolutely everywhere.

In every song.

In every ballet.

OK, ladies, your bourees were generally lazy in the Second Act.

I want to reiterate that absolutely no-one is to be a millimetre out of alignment for the Gala matinee.

Tara, your arabesques are still two inches lower than everybody else.

Grace, Sir Jeffrey has requested that you become familiar with Ellipses.

Does that mean what I think it means?

Congrats, babe! I'm coming on tour! Yay!

Then there are our negative patterns.

Those pesky spin cycles we find ourselves in.

You're a smart boy, making yourself indispensable.

I wouldn't keep Saskia waiting.

She gets cranky when you do that.

By now, I have a fairly good idea of my trademark patterns of self-destruction.

For instance, how I never appreciate what I've got until it's gone.

And then I miss it so much I can hardly see straight.

I'm booking a breakfast tomorrow, you, me, Sir Jeffrey.

We need to talk about your future.

Unfortunately, being aware of our negative patterns doesn't mean we have the slightest idea how to break them.

♪ Think you've got it, boy Think you know it all

♪ This world is big and bad Don't know what it's got in store

♪ You've got to fight... ♪ I'm sure we'll get it next time, as long as we're not interrupted.

You're a real team player these days, Beyonce.

We're making a music video. Ah.

Hi!

Benjamin. Oh!

What's this I hear about you being the next Nijinsky?

Really?

Uh, this stuff is like chilli on steroids.

Yeah, my back's used to it, but make sure you wash your hands.

Now, the literature says that we have to replace your trigger points on fun distractions.

What are your thoughts on archery?

T, I appreciate your unbridled support, but you have a gala to focus on. No, this is...

I'm serious. If I see your pretty face between now and then, I'm going to vomit just on principle.

Bulimia humour. Lol. Funny, yet deflective.

Mum, no, that's exceptional.

The film crew is booked for tomorrow, so I need your help recruiting dancers. We're gonna step this up!

Woo! Fun distractions, you say?

Tara, I believe it's time to leave her with a babysitter.

Yay, this is perfect. Yay...

People, please, can we just take a s*ab at normality?

Give me some boy problems to ponder.

I've got nothing. What?

Not even those sordid rumours about Saskia and Ben?

I had a gorgeous guy with a heart the size of Sydney Harbour, who I absolutely didn't deserve, and I stuffed it up. Again.

Usually this is when you break the land speed record to stalk your way back in.

This time, I am accepting he's gone and doing absolutely nothing. Breaking the pattern.

Such an irresponsible present.

I told Marcus I didn't have time to take care of an animal.

I say get rid of him. The kitten, not Marcus.

How's that?

Good. Release from your centre.

Isabelle says that Eloise, you know the girl whose place I'm taking on the tour...

Whose place you're probably taking. They say it isn't confirmed.

Right. Well, her Dad is like on a respirator, so unlikely she'll make it back.

How sad is that?

Oh, I think you missed the sissone.

Doesn't it feel like everything's working out for us?

You have Marcus and the furball and I have the Company.

Girls there are so much more on my level.

I'm proud... how far you've come this year.

Thanks, Lucy.

And that hack from the Herald has the nerve to call us dated, as if respecting the classics is akin to be being lazy.

What do you think of the repertoire, Ben?

Oh... I like the classics, sir, yeah.

That's an understatement.

We've been working on the Black Swan pas de deux and someone needs to explain to me why he isn't a fulltime member of the Company, given he's at soloist standard. He's still a student.

Well is that an excuse to deprive the dance world any longer?

Darling, I have no problem arranging an early audition after the Gala madness is over.

You'll keep that on the down low?

Of course! Yes, thank you, Sir Jeffrey.

Walk me back. Will do. I'll catch you later.

Ta. Phew...

Now, speaking of partners, have you noticed Hugo's looking a little dishevelled lately?

You don't have to audition early if you decide you don't want to.

It's the Company. First impressions count with Sir Jeffrey.

If he's underwhelmed now, it could affect your chances at the end of the year.

I'll just have to be awesome, then.

Ah, congratulations, gentlemen.

Only 40 minutes late. I had a breakfast meeting.

Hence the lipstick on your cheek.

Saskia, dance me close!

I don't even want to know what that means. What about you, Christian?

Oh, snooze button hates me.

That's fine, but do us all a favour and pull your tights up, huh?

Do you have any feedback for us, Zach?

The ones who are actually dancing?

Come on, don't be needy. Ladies, travel it. And...

Hey Wonder Boy, I can count on you tomorrow, yeah?

I mean, it's not interrupting any special time with Zach?

Hey, Zach, about my next couple of sessions...

Yeah, I was thinking maybe help me workshop the Third Year tour?

We're doing Romeo and Juliet, but a more modern version.

How would you feel about Romeo?

Wouldn't that sort of be a lead?

It's not an offer. You'd still need to get those classes caught up.

The thing is, Ollie's planning this film clip. He asked me to help.

Do you reckon that could count towards some of my catch up hours?

Second group, ready to go.

Sorry, I guess it's not like dancing with a principal. Nope.

I don't want to encroach on your space, but if it helps, I know it was totally self-absorbed to say that...

What, that Saskia would fake believe in me as a weird revenge plot just to get back at you?

Yeah. Plus she's seriously beautiful and...

You people and your sick minds. You think I'm dating Saskia too?

Not to get ahead in the Company.

I would never listen to any of those rumours, but you can date her, if you want to.

Thanks heaps, for your permission.

Don't you have a home to go to or something?

I want you to understand, this is a huge concession.

Definitely not what Miss Raine had in mind when we said we'd make up your classes.

Well, I really think it's going to help with my motivation.

Getting back to my roots.

OK...

Thank you all for giving your time today.

These guys are costing me years of parental debt, so we need to move this quickly.

Kat, if you can't keep up, just go back to make up.

Kat's the only one here with professional music video experience.

Maybe it's the chorrie that's awkward.

Maybe instead of a freeze, it should be an elbow stand?

I don't hate that. You're overruled.

Doesn't go as well with the lyrics.

Well, maybe you should try Christian's move in the run through, and make the call then.

Oh, Grace!

Oh!

I'd lock the door! You're a role model, Lucy.

We were about to come find you.

We, uh, wanted you to be the first to know.

Marcus, you put a ring on it?

Sorry, the whole 'wow proposal' thing lost effect after my Dad's third engagement.

I assume the rush is because...

Oh, no! I'm not... Then why?

You've only been dating for, like, six weeks.

Well, I was stupid enough to let her go once.

I'm far too old to make that same mistake again.

Are you all planning on moving to Texas?

You could get kitty to walk down the aisle wearing one of those Texan hats.

Oh, no!

It's all just happening now. We haven't figured out the details yet.

Yikes.

Every male in the Company just suddenly got spooked.

Really?

Hey tonight, after the Gala, what about I take you out for dinner?

It could be instructive for us to work on our connection outside the studio.

Wow, you just went all deer in the headlights.

Oh, it just sounded for a second there that you were, you know, asking me out or...

All the men in the Company date younger dancers. Why shouldn't I?

Um, because I'm me and you're you, and, well, you went out with Hugo and he's like the right age and a dance God.

What am I? Young, fresh meat just to make him jealous?

If that happened to be a by-product, would it be such a heinous crime?

Grow up. Hugo's your competition.

Everyone in the Company is. You psych out who you have to.

When someone like me gets someone like you an audition, what you say is thank you.

Moshi moshi! I've got the Corps work down as well as the solos.

Consider this dance cog fully greased.

Didn't we hear this morning from Eloise? Mmm-hmm.

Darling, worst luck. You know I would take you if I could, but the horrible money people are on at me about numbers.

But I downloaded a phrase book.

And that shows a wonderful work ethic. Do keep it up!

So you toy with people's lives for sport?

It's how it goes sometimes.

You should make room for me in the Corps regardless.

I'm the Prix champion.

I did the entire National Ballet a favour by coming back this year.

Look, I'm sorry. That's the way it is.

Belle, babe, I got completely screwed tour-wise.

Can you give us a sec? I need to debrief.

Grace, this is Eloise. Eloise's Dad just got the all-clear.

Wasn't he, like, close to death?

Yeah, we're all pretty relieved.

Oh hey, um, we've already checked with Rebecca, and she said it's cool if Elly goes on instead of you.

I know it's pathetic but the season's ending and... oh, feel free to say no.

To time off? You're doing me a favour.

Thanks, babe. So anyways, I have put a blanket ban on anything to do with karaoke, because you remember what happened last time?

Takahashi with the cheek implants!

Act 1 beginners to the stage. Act 1 beginners to the stage.

Yes?

♪ You think you got it, boy You think you know it all

♪ This world is big and bad Don't know what it's got in store

♪ You gotta fight so hard like you're savin' your life

♪ And it's started tonight ♪ Yeah-eah

♪ So turn it up ♪ Let the speakers blow

♪ Turn it up ♪ Yeah. ♪ What was that? It pulls focus.

It was just a suggestion. Don't worry.

Thanks, but we're overtime so I will actually worry about it, because it is my song, my clip. I'm not just here to get out of class.

See, I show up and I'm better than you and still, I'm the one that needs back up options. Oliver.

Dramatics. Come on, you're as sick of it as I am.

The favourites are always the ones who deserve it the least.

Couldn't agree with you more.

Act 2 beginners to the stage.

I promise, I'm not lurking, or stalking.

There are all these agendas! I'm sorry?

I'm basically a pawn in Saskia's web.

Sir Jeffrey's only auditioning me to keep her happy, and Rebecca doesn't think I'm ready, so...

You got an early audition with the Company? Ben, unbelievably amazing.

No, but I'm not going to do it.

Everyone will say that I don't deserve it, which would be accurate.

Forget that. You do deserve it, and if you dance the way you usually do, Sir Jeffrey's going to love you.

Are you OK?

Yeah, I'm just a little bit hot.

You look kind of welty.

It's burning! Aah! Hurry! Wash it!

It's all through my costume.

I'm burning everywhere. Literally everywhere.

Yes, the entire Corps. We're going to need replacement costumes.

Youchy. So blessed I'm not dancing.

There's catastrophically messed up and then there's you.

You think it was your heat cream? I wouldn't admit that too loudly.

Kind of careless, leaving it around.

If we can't hold the curtain, then we'll need something before Act 2.

Yes. Yes, I'm onto it.

Saskia, you've been working on the Black Swan? Great.

You're on with Hugo in five. Black Swan?

Sheesh, Becks. Everyone will know she's not what she used to be.

He's been running around with the Corps every night this month.

I refuse to go out there with him.

Sir Jeffrey has requested, Saskia, so we're going to have to find you a partner.

I can do it. I wasn't affected, and we've been rehearsing together.

That's not an option. But they could make history out there.

Isn't he meant to be the Nureyev to your Fonteyn?

Yes, and twice the partner you've ever been.

The only way I'm going out there is with Ben.

Give me the phone.

♪ You can't stop me now You can't stop me now

♪ I will hold you down You can't stop me now

♪ You can't stop me now You can't stop me now

♪ I'm gonna hold you down You can't stop me now... ♪

Your Mum asked me to drop these off.

She didn't want to disturb the process. Where's Christian?

Ah, bailed. It was a shock to everyone.

I'm not going to sugar-coat it. Your way's not working.

My parents, they're so happy to pay for stuff like this.

I want to repeat Third Year?

'Sure, Ollie, how can we help?'

Pretty soon, they're going to realise not so good an investment.

I think that's classed as a first-world problem.

What are you doing?

There's no time for pizza.

We're going for a take. Christian's chorrie.

Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different outcome.

Maybe I should be institutionalised, eh?

It's cool, Zach.

I'll come to class tomorrow and you can keep feeling like you're saving the world one disadvantaged student at a time.

But there's still no way I'm going to be able to make up all those classes, and I shouldn't be dancing Romeo.

Maybe you should just give up. Yeah, maybe.

Do you know how many times we've been through this?

And the thing is, you always come back, because the real problem I don't think has anything to do with dance.

Tell me, Zach, what's my real problem?

You don't respect yourself, you don't respect your talent, and you hate people who do, because deep down, I don't know, maybe you hate yourself.

Whatever it is, it started way before Sammy, so don't you blame him.

Right? You need to sort this out, otherwise it will dictate the rest of your life.

Is that it? You done?

Yeah.

Good luck, Christian.

Consider this your Company audition.

Maybe breaking your pattern is a bit like one of those magic eye paintings.

You have to look at things from the right angle.

No!

What are you doing?

I'm forever fixating on how I feel, what I need to do, when I could be focussing on what someone else might need from me.

Drop the curtain! Drop it now!

Passions are so ingrained in us, it's like they're in control and we don't even know it.

Oh, I just heard about the tour.

And you blew off a night of happy families to pretend you care?

What you don't get is that I don't need the Company and I don't need you - I don't need anyone.

Grace... what happened?

If we could just find the circuit breaker, we could stop the slightest tremor from becoming a landslide.

Let go of the need to be a star.

Go back and face our demons.

This is not some school production!

In my professional career, I have never been so humiliated.

It is abundantly clear that neither of you is ready to be part of this Company.

Breaking a pattern might get a little messy, but it could also create room for a new one to form.

One you definitely want to hold onto.