01x06 - Perfection

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Dance Academy...

When Mia went on exchange...

Oh, this is Mia,
your imaginary girlfriend?

Are your hands always this clammy?

I'm allergic to you.

Carbs after 3:00? I'd rather
eat a deep-fried vending machine.

So you met Kat.

The staff know that if
you're friends with her,

then you're not really
taking dancing seriously.

- Who's that?
- Ethan Karamakov.

Are he and Kat together?

Half brother. The better half.

- Jump! Jump! Jump!
- One, two...

- Jump! Jump!
- Tara!

My enemy in primary school
was Stephanie Maxwell.

She had this long, shiny ponytail

and would tease me because
all I had was tangles.

Uh-huh. Auntie Beth did? Really?

I cried about it to Mum, who said
true beauty is in the imperfections.

She'd obviously never
spent time at the Academy.

Hey, Mum, I'm going
to have to call you back.

To be accepted here,

you have to be in the top 5%
of dance students everywhere.

Over the next three years
some will leave because of injury,

others because they're
just not good enough.

A few will get tired of working
so hard and just want to be normal.

Only two girls can expect
contracts with the company.

And it's once in a generation

that someone will
become a prima ballerina,

which, if you work it out,

is like 0.001%
of all girls who do ballet,

so it's statistically impossible.

Yet all of us are convinced
that we are the exception.

Guys, the company's back.

Three, four, five, six...

That's not even possible.

Hey, you guys know
it's after 9:00, yeah?

I personally don't care,

but you're always worrying
about being late, so...

I'd like you all to make welcome
a special guest teacher,

who over the next few days
has generously agreed

to give up what spare time she has.

Principal of the National Ballet
and world-acclaimed ballerina...

Natasha Willis.

I expect you all
to make the most of it.

Darling...

I've been looking
for you all morning.

Hi, Mum.

So I got this weird message
from Mia and then nothing.

It's not like her to go AWOL.

Who? Oh, your 'girlfriend'.

Right. OK, look, Sammy.

There comes a time

when our imaginary friends
don't want to play with us anymore.

She's on exchange.

Tara, you saw Mia's photo. Tell her.

Your mother is Natasha Willis?

Interesting non-sequitur.
No, we were actually talking...

Why did you keep this a secret?

I didn't. Heaps of people know.

Yeah.
But she's a ballet legend.

You know I have her
photos in my locker.

I just thought
you were being ironic.

What? You seriously didn't...

Wow. I could have sworn
you were just being cool.

I'm never cool. You know that.

Right.

But to have a mum
who actually gets what we do.

She could, like, watch you
practise, give you pointers.

Mm-hm. All we do is share
and massage each other's bunions.

- Hey!
- Hi. Hey.

So I've been summoned tonight.

I assume it's...
Shared pain. Uh-huh.

We have this opening night thing.

You guys wouldn't
want to come, would you?

Could be brutal. Stuffy VIPs,
hours of hanging around backstage...

Actually, I'd totally understand...

I love you!
If you want to pass.

OK!

Yeah, yeah. OK.

This is supposed
to be a walkway. Excuse me.

Should we invite Abigail?
I'm sure she'd want to go.

Oh, did you bump your head, poppet?

Sammy!

Guys, meet Mia.

You're real.

Today is officially weird.

And you know those people you
have an immediate connection with?

Jacket or no jacket?
What do you wear to a premiere?

Sorry. Ignore her.
Hot Swedish guy in the kibbutz?

Right, so we'd spend hours
talking about everything

and sneak out in the middle
of the night to pick grapefruit.

Oh, loving it. Juice running
down his Viking arms. Oh!

Yeah, but none of it mattered

because I couldn't stop thinking
about Sammy for one single second,

so I had to come home early.

Crazy, I know.

Hi. You guys just
hanging out in my room?

No. Actually,
we're off to the theatre.

You're excused for catch-up time.
Great.

Oh, unless you want to postpone.
I mean, it is backstage.

She's just flown all the way
from Israel, Romeo.

Exactly. You're probably jet lagged.

See ya, Mia.

Great to meet you guys.
You too.

Wait.

This is a life-changing moment.

Is it over?

Thank you.

Missed you, kiddo.
Aw.

- You look fantastic.
- So do you.

Just analyse the story for a second.

The dude falls in love with a swan.

Tell me that's not creepy.

OK, I'm going to head back
to the green room.

I take it that you're staying?

OK.

OK, so this is the kibbutz
where we lived.

You can't really see it but it's
actually on the Jordanian border

so all that separated us
was this barbed wire fence.

What?

I've been here obsessing
about pirouettes

and you've actually
been doing stuff.

I missed you.

Yeah, right. With all these
ballet girls running round?

I'm sure they kept you company.

Abigail, do you want the couch?
'Cause we can move.

Who are you? You don't go here.

How can you tell?

I'll leave anything
dance-related to this one.

He's amazing, don't you think?

Wrong pipeway.

Oh, would you like
some pizza, Abigail?

Come on. Help us out
before we explode.

She doesn't do carbs after 3:00.

Apparently.

That looked good.

I was just... Really?

Kat will be wanting backup by now.

The first time I performed
it was 12 weeks after Kat was born.

Oh, my gosh.
'Bye, darling.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Thanks so much for coming.

And, listen, go easy.
You know reviews terrify me.

- Goodbye. Thank you.
- We should go too.

She's my mum. Truffle?

I'm glad that's over.

So you must be the famous Tara
I've been hearing all about.

It's an honour
to meet you, Miss Willis.

Tonight was incredible.

Oh, really? Did you think?

Darling, can you pass
me the...? Thanks.

Well, I love meeting Kat's friends.

You didn't want
to bring Abigail too?

Well, I would have
if it was four years ago

and we were actually still friends.

But, hey, bonus points
for name recall, Mum.

I'm always in so much
trouble with her.

Me too.

Now, tomorrow...

I know you're far too busy to spend
time with your decrepit mother,

but we haven't done
anything together in ages.

Well, my wardrobe could use some
credit card action and I guess...

I was more thinking an early dinner.

I have a matinee in the afternoon
which I thought...

Oh, I just remembered
that we have... a thing on.

We have a thing on.

Well, if you get an opening,
I'll leave your names on the door.

Oh, that would be fantastic.

Sorry, Mum.

So you guys got along?

How could you not?

Mia is smart, she is funny
and she is way too hot for you.

Yeah, she's perfect, isn't she?

But theoretically, what's perfect
when you get down to it?

Are you sure you want Lieberman?
Because I can show you around.

Positive.

Hey, how was the ballet? I feel bad
Sammy missed out 'cause of me.

No. No, no, don't.

As a present to the reunited
lovebirds, I got you matinee tickets.

Oh, thanks, Kat. That's so sweet.

Oh, stop it.
Hey!

When you die, I'm having your feet.

It's a genetic gift.
Mum and I are both double-jointed.

You ready? Watch this.
OK.

Normal.
Mm-hm.

Abnormal.
Eugh!

Bones aren't meant to go that way.

What?

La, la, la, la.

Something's different.

You got a new training bra, right?

You look like someone.

I think it's sweet
you're trying to copy Natasha.

It's a shame it doesn't
do much for your bone structure.

I'm not trying to look like anyone.
Is it illegal to want a change?

First Ethan, then your mother.

Isn't it adorable
how your best friend

has a crush on your entire family?

Ballon, everyone. Light and shade.

Imagine yourselves
more bird than human,

energy connecting you
up through the sky.

Is something funny, darling?
The rest of us are trying to work.

Isn't that right, Tara?

Good. Excellent.

Lovely... lightness.

Sorry. I'll get out of your way.

Actually, I was looking for you.

You were?

I heard you had tickets
to this afternoon's performance.

Hmm.

I wouldn't usually, you know, ask,

but for some reason
I haven't been able to source any,

which is really irritating
because it's 'Swan Lake'

and that's obviously
something I have to see.

So?

Yes. We can absolutely
go to the ballet together.

Great.

Meet you in the common room at 3:00.
OK.

Hi. Yeah, sorry. I didn't hear it.

Listen, about those tickets.
They've... they've fallen through.

Yeah, I know. It sucks.

Yeah, what can you do?

OK. Alright, 'bye.

Jacket or...

no jacket?

Can nobody dress
themselves around here?

Sorry, I'm just a little...

Aw! You and Mia still get nervous.

Yeah.

You know, if I wasn't girl-crushing
on her, I'd be jealous.

Kat, where have you been?

Sorry. Was I supposed
to give you my coordinates?

Mind if I go to the Opera House?

We didn't actually
have a thing, did we?

'Cause Natasha did
leave our names at the door.

So you thought you'd, what,
go and see if she'll adopt you?

You know, why don't you rub her and
see if some of her magic comes off?

What?

"What?" It's fine, Tara.

Just don't ask my permission because
you're going to do it anyway.

I don't get what the problem is.

Natasha only wants
to spend time with you.

Is that a fact?

Yes, and if I was lucky enough
to have a mother like yours,

I would make the most of it.

Stop embarrassing yourself, Tara.

Wear the jacket, Sammy.

What's with her?

Oh, you seriously can't see it?

I'm sorry I'm late.
I had a wardrobe malfunction.

Obviously not for you
because you look...

Are we ready?
Where's Mia?

Hmm?
Your girlfriend.

Oh. No, it's just us two today.

I think she's coming down
with something.

Nothing contagious. I'm not sick.
It's just a mint blockage.

But it's great of you
to be concerned.

Sammy, you are
seriously going to love me.

There wasn't a ticket
left on the planet

but Dad knows this guy
who pulls strings and...

You look nice, Abigail.
You going to the ballet as well?

Together?

Silly me.
Mia, I didn't mean...

If they're going to waste...

Hi, Natasha.

You look incredible.

Um, thanks for what
you said in class today,

you know, about feeling like a bird.

Do you often picture that?

Because I know when I'm dancing, I...

Five minutes.
Really feel like I'm flying.

I can't deal with this right now.

Could you?
Come with me, love.

Don't worry. The principals
just get a bit twitchy.

Yeah, they have to focus
on themselves before a performance.

Before a performance,
after a performance...

I've not met one yet who isn't
just a little bit self-absorbed.

I suppose they have to be.

But Kat would have told you that.

Yeah. She did mention something.

What's worse than dog poo?

Maggots in the dog poo.

Right, so they're squelched
between my toes and...

Burrowing into your skin...

which causes some
horrible parasitic disease

that makes you vomit incessantly.

Then that's what I am.

Worse.

You know, before I went away,
everyone said...

said that we were
perfect together.

I know.

So is Abigail more perfect for you...
No, she's...

She's kind of the opposite.

But.

But.

Oh, I don't know
what to do about Kat.

She has potential but such
a bad attitude about her dancing.

Did you see that girl before?

The new best friend

and the worst-trained dancer
in the entire Academy.

It's like she's trying to annoy me.

I just wish she'd realise
how lucky she is.

Hey, Mum. Do you have time to talk?

Nothing much. I dyed my hair.

How could you do that?

You should know that I'm going
with Mia in the divorce.

Hey, Kat.

Sorry about yesterday.
I was being insensitive...

And self-absorbed?

That too.
Cool. Thanks for clearing it up.

Tara, darling.
Where did you run off to?

I was looking forward
to showing you around.

I'd like to give someone
the benefit of my experience.

OK, leaving you to your lovefest.

Sorry, Natasha. I had things to do.

Things?
Yeah, hair appointment.

It's going to take forever
to come out, but I guess I have time.

Mmm, mermaid chic.

I don't know. Maybe if we
added a few highlights...

Around here
we worship perfection.

It's what we chase
in every moment of every class.

But sometimes 'perfect'
isn't what we want...

and sometimes it can make us
selfish and let other people down.

Sure, I want to be in the top 0.001%.

But there's got to be another way

because that's not my idea
of perfection, not even close.