"Previously on Dance Academy..." "Come and work as my assistant." "It says he's withdrawing his financial support." "Do you remember in the interview when you promised coordination?" "Samuel!" "I do hope those outside work commitments aren't continuing now that term has resumed." "Who's got time in the Academy schedule?" "Um, excuse me, are you Saskia Duncan?" "I hope so." "I saw you in The Firebird." "You were amazing." "You should come tonight as well..." "watch side stage." "Take some deep breaths." "Come on." "It'll be alright." "à" "I used to have posters of my favourite dancers all over my bedroom walls." "I'd study them for hours." "I thought I knew them... like they were my friends, only more perfect." "Then I came to the Academy and met some of my idols in real life." "It's only up close that you realise they're just people." "Which isn't so bad, either." "Because if they're human, there's the slightest chance that you might grow up to be on a poster too." "Second year." "I'd like you to welcome Saskia Duncan." "I'm sure most of you know her by reputation as being the Company's youngest ever principal dancer." "Hi, guys." "Saskia's recovering from an injury, but over the next few months has agreed to take you for repertoire class." "Calm down, training bra." "I'll leave you in her very capable hands." "Thank you." "OK, guys." "You should know, for your own safety," "I haven't done this before so..." "yeah." "Flying by the seat of my pants." "Did you get that subtext?" "'I'm not just your teacher." "I'm also your friend.'" "I don't care who she is, as long as she prefers me to Tara." "Would you like to be called Saskia or Miss Duncan, Miss?" "Saskia's fine." "Um, on behalf of everyone," "I'd just like to say how great it is that you're teaching us." "Oh, thank you." "Sycophant." "Hypocrite." "And stop there, please." "Well, I reckon that was much better." "But you know, I was thinking, that lift would be much more dynamic if we segued into the floor sequence." "When you have choreographed more of your own work, you can interrupt rehearsals." "I was about to say..." "There is a type of applause that I particularly dislike... the applause that, when for just a moment, the audience realises that the dancers are doing something they actually understand." "Like, 'Oh look..." "He's riding a bicycle." "Bravo.'" "I resent that applause because it means that the rest of the work lacks clarity and intent." "My choreography has clarity and intent, but as yet, the execution does not." "So think about what we're trying to convey and then, please, commit to it." "Once again, from the lift." "If you feel you have something to contribute," "I'd prefer it if you could approach me privately first." "Why?" "You're not interested in anything I have to say anyway." "OK!" "Five, six, seven, eight." "$16?" "How is it even possible to just have $16?" "And like, even if I want to withdraw it, it's too small an amount for the ATM to process, so..." "Katrina." "I didn't realise you were still enrolled." "Oh no, no, it's the superior cuisine here, Miss Raine." "It's just such a hard habit to break." "Mr Lieberman?" "I was speaking to the bursar about the status of your tuition fees." "They're conspicuously absent." "No, I know, I know." "I rang Bubbeh Lieberman last night." "My gran, you know..." "'Bubbeh, the money." "They're waiting!" "'" "And yep, it's definitely happening." "Tomorrow, then." "It's like a web of lies." "I know." "Saskia, hi." "Can I get you a coffee?" "Yeah, sure." "OK." "Ah, Saskia, hi." "Do you need anything?" "I already got her a latte." "Why don't you both sit down?" "So, um, how are you?" "What happened was so awful." "Saskia doesn't want to talk about that, Tara." "How about you talk to me about repertoire class?" "Any tips?" "Things you want to see improved?" "I was chatting over lunch with Tara and Andrea..." "Abigail." "Abigail, about the Prix de Fonteyn selection process, and I've decided to let you out of class for the rest of the day so you can start thinking about your solos." "Take it from me, this competition can be career defining." "Now go to the DVD library, and be original." "I will throw these crutches at you if I have to sit through ten Auroras." "And tomorrow morning, I want to see what you come up with." "Just choose one, Abs, and then we're going to the beach." "Do you reckon you could bag me something?" "Just for once I can make it to work on time." "Yeah, definitely." "Hey, I'm giving it one more minute, and then I'm going to get this..." "Like a lioness protecting her cubs." "Bypassing any research?" "I already have an idea." "Been in my head for ages." "Victoria." "The Red Shoes." "Also known as the solo Saskia danced when she represented Australia at the Prix de Fonteyn." "Take these." "And stop there, please." "I don't know why this is still feeling so underwhelming." "Once more, please." "Ethan, if you could?" "Thank you." "Um, I guess we may as well finish up now." "Look, I'm sorry I can't give you any more shifts." "We're dishpig rich at the moment." "It is a popular career choice, isn't it?" "But my best waitress is deserting us to discover her sense of superiority in Goa, so if you like waiting tables." "Jess, I dream about waiting tables." "That's what I was put on this earth to do." "Waiting and then dancing." "The pay is better, and there are tips." "I don't suppose it's occurred to you how fawning it looks, picking the solo that made Saskia Duncan famous." "That's not why I've chosen it." "Oh right, sorry." "Because it speaks to you on an emotional level." "Hey, Grace, can I borrow you for a sec?" "In private." "Oh, share with the room, Ethan." "You're amongst friends." "OK." "Showcase is coming up." "Agents are in the audience." "Great exposure for emerging choreographers." "I don't choreograph." "No, I'm trying to do something myself, actually." "Look, you were great at the launch, and I need a dancer, so..." "Sorry, but yeah, I don't think I'm right for your piece." "Why not?" "Disinterest." "But, um, ask one of these guys." "Abigail." "Thanks." "If it's good, can I use it in a repertoire?" "OK, plates are shaking." "Stop that." "Yeah, got it." "Get your thumb out of the chorizo." "It's so hot." "Burning me now." "OK." "They'll see you approaching with their meals." "You will smile and say, 'The paella and the chorizo.'" "Can you remember that?" "I can't even remember my own name at this point." "Go." "Sammy, go!" "I started walking, but it all went... everything would have gone everywhere." "Sammy, I..." "I don't think this is going to work out." "OK, Abigail, um, stop trying to be so technical." "Maybe show me how you feel." "That's not quite what I meant." "Do you even know what you're doing?" "Well, obviously it's still a work in progress, but I think that it's about frustration and disillusionment and..." "Frustration and disillusionment?" "Could you show me the steps for that?" "Brother dearest!" "What are you doing here?" "It's inspiring." "Can't you tell?" "Right!" "Well look, I'm famished and Natasha's cooking, so who votes greasy drive-thru?" "We're still working." "Oh, together?" "You should have told me you were hard up for a new muse." "Look, I'm trying to do something new here, Kat?" "OK?" "OK!" "Where are you going?" "Kat's right." "You should look for a new dancer." "Someone meek and compliant." "Oh, and FYI, your choice of 'disillusionment' music gives new meaning to the word bland." "OK, cool." "Let's go eat then." "Oh, my hero." "How long have you been here for?" "A while." "I know you want to impress Saskia, but..." "Great." "So you think that I'm sucking up too?" "I don't care if you are." "I just want her to think that I'm good." "You are good." "Well, maybe I was last year, but you know," "Abigail just keeps getting better and better and Grace is just extraordinary." "How about you work on something a little less full-on?" "Something you can get right by tomorrow?" "So you don't think I'm up to it?" "No, I..." "I think it's tomorrow." "Exactly." "So either stay and give me feedback, or go and let me practise." "Look at us all together for dinner." "Aren't we adorable?" "What I find especially adorable is how my assistant let the dancers go home early." "So you had to make your own macchiato today, Dad?" "Pa, brother, work is not on the approved list of polite dining conversation." "Is it OK if I miss rehearsal in the morning?" "I'm working on a solo for Showcase." "Actually, no." "One of the principles of a job is you get paid for turning up." "It seems a bit like a waste of the Company's money when all I do is make suggestions you ignore." "I keep an open mind." "I only ignore notes that are inadequately thought out or incredibly juvenile." "Abigail!" "Hold up!" "Hi." "Whoa..." "OK, before you say anything," "I've got a clearer idea of what I want out of the solo piece, and I'm rethinking the music so that last piece is gone." "If you want me to be like Tara, I can't." "I can't dance like her, and I don't want to." "I want you... not Tara or Grace." "You." "No-one else." "Why?" "Because this piece needs to be angry and messed up, and more than a little frightening." "Frankly, no-one does that as good as you." "So, who wants to impress me by going first?" "Abigail?" "What have you been working on?" "Sorry, I'm afraid I'm just going to need a little more time to find the perfect solo." "OK, sure." "Next class, then." "Grace?" "Ah, Lilac Fairy." "Boring, I know." "And extremely difficult." "I've done it before." "I'll be dancing the part of the Ugly Stepsister from Cinderella." "Thanks for that." "I would have chosen you a better one, but this is just funnier." "Sammy, it was good enough for Robert Helpmann." "Do your worst." "Who's next?" "I'm going to be dancing Victoria from The Red Shoes." "Well, that's one I'm definitely familiar with." "I can't wait to see what you've done with it." "Wow..." "Tara." "That was kinda..." "Well, it was kind of a mess, wasn't it?" "I mean, full marks for attempting something so demanding, but... wow!" "I'm going to need a minute to shake that one out of my head." "Thank you, Saskia." "Hey." "You were right." "I should have listened." "No." "I was wrong." "And so was Saskia." "You were incredible." "I really thought The Red Shoes would suit me, but I guess I should start working on another solo." "Something simpler." "It did suit you." "And just because she's your idol doesn't make her right." "I hope you realise how lucky you are to have me." "I don't mind it." "Yeah, it's good." "It just needs to be fuller." "Maybe we can push that jete a little further?" "OK." "Ethan." "I thought I made it clear that I expected you at rehearsals this morning." "And I told you I needed to work on my solo for Showcase with Abigail." "Abigail, could you give us a moment?" "Do you have such a sense of entitlement that you think you don't even need to turn up?" "Do you know how badly this reflects on me?" "How many strings I had to pull for you to get this job?" "How's Saskia, Dad?" "What?" "You know, I get it." "She's your soulmate, right?" "Just like my mum was until Natasha came along." "Interesting how your soulmates keep getting 15 years younger." "Ethan, I don't know what you have assumed, but you're wrong." "There is nothing going on there or anywhere." "For Kat's sake, I want to believe you." "This family thing means a lot to her." "I know that." "If you mess it up..." "You don't think very much of me, do you, Ethan?" "That's what this is all about." "It's not about your sister, or Saskia." "You think I'm the monster that's keeping you down." "You want to be a hot-shot choreographer and you want to be it right this second." "But you're not good enough." "You're not ready yet and I'm not going to let you go out there in public and fall flat on your face." "You're a Karamakov." "Do you understand?" "People will be watching you." "How are you so convinced that I'm going to fail?" "Huh?" "Maybe I'll be good." "Maybe I'll even be as good as you." "Last chance, Sammy." "Our budget can't cover any more breakages." "I got it." "Um, can you turn that up?" "I'm a dancer." "I work better with music." "There you go." "Enjoy." "Dad got to Gran first, and he talked her out of paying my fees." "How many hours have you been working?" "A lot." "But don't worry, I can work more, because I've arranged for some extra shifts here." "Look, that's not what I meant." "Sammy, you can't support yourself, pay your fees and keep up with your Academy schedule." "I'm fine." "It's just if you give me a bit more time," "I'll have enough money to pay for this semester." "And after that?" "If I really push myself, I thought there might be a chance" "I could try for a scholarship next semester." "I know I'm not top of the year, OK?" "And obviously I have to really ace my exams." "But it's not much of a plan, but it's all I've got, so..." "Well then, you'll probably need some extra coaching." "So you're ditching me for a boy house in Bondi?" "Where nobody ever cleans the toilet?" "You know, everything I have comes from him." "My job, my car, this house." "He's not going to respect me if I don't do something on my own." "And I won't respect myself." "You know, for a while I thought things were looking up around here." "I guess our family isn't meant to be adorable." "Come here." "You and me?" "Always." "You're still here." "Just thinking about my solo." "Sweetie, I'm sorry you're upset." "Come here." "You said what you felt." "You're the teacher." "You should know." "I understand why you'd want to take on something as artistically demanding as Red Shoes." "Of course I do." "But you don't have the depth, or the life experiences yet to take on the big emotional ones." "There is potential in there, Tara Webster." "Just..." "Don't let anyone see you attempt that piece again." "OK." "Saskia Duncan became a soloist at 19, and a legend in the ballet world." "I'd give anything to be her." "The thing is, I'm not." "I'm me." "And if I try too hard to copy her path, I might miss my own." "Now, stop." "See if you can segue that lift down onto the floor." "Be more dynamic." "Anything to add?" "Not yet." "You can be inspired by the people in the posters." "But you count on the people around you who know you," "who are there when you need them, to help you through."