"When I was young, I wasn't so clear on the whole gravity thing, and my imagination got me in a lot of trouble." "But there was this one moment when time stopped and everything made sense." "Then I landed and broke my wrist." "But from that day on" "I've always known that in another life I could fly, and that's why in this life I dance." "Tara." "Sorry." "Go on!" "Aunty Bev just called." "The post's on its way." "Go." "Right now, in the back of a van, there's a letter that could change my life..." "Move!" "Because, see, I don't just dance." "I want to be a principal dancer and three weeks ago I auditioned for the top school in the country... the National Academy of Dance." "It was my year, my one shot... and I thought I was ready for anything." "I didn't have a clue." "You think you're funny, don't you?" "Oh, I'll wipe that smile right off..." "Excuse me." "Dressing rooms?" "Um..." "Are you auditioning as well?" "Isn't it exciting?" "I just peed a little in my pants." "OK, so you are..." "You're here." "Just go straight down that corridor, turn left, and it's the second door on your left." "Thank you." "Don't mention it." "Don't let me stop you." "I have pepper spray in my bag and I'm not afraid to use it!" "Well, I was just standing here, minding my own business." "In the girls' dressing room?" "!" "Pretty sure those are urinals in there." "Unless you can go standing up?" "You might need this." "Can you turn around, please?" "So is it an attention thing?" "What?" "You know, stripping in front of strangers." "'Cause that's cool." "I mean, I'm sure they have support groups." "If you're looking, I swear I'll hurt you." "Sorry, guys." "I'll come back later." "Oh!" "No, we weren't..." "Wait!" "That wasn't anything." "I mean, obviously it was something, but it wasn't what..." "Hey, no judgement." "Please can you take me to the girls' dressing room?" "It's an emergency." "Come on." "So, audition week, huh?" "Is it that obvious?" "No." "Well, you do have that whole wide-eyed Bambi thing going on and I'm pretty sure this top is inside-out." "But, hey, it's a good look." "Put it back on, Ethan." "This is you." "Thanks." "Good luck." "Welcome to the National Academy of Dance, one of the most elite training institutions in the world." "You have all been chosen... from amongst thousands of dancers." "Sorry." "However, we only have room in first year for just a few." "It will be your job over the next few days to make sure you're among them." "OK, can the boys finish warming up and follow me next door?" "Girls, you're staying here with Miss Raine." "Patrick, can I have a word?" "This young man didn't bring any tights." "Hey, did you find the dressing rooms OK?" "Fine, thanks." "Come on." "Dance!" "Um..." "So you met Kat?" "We were all at junior school together." "Kat's..." "lots of fun." "Um, yeah." "OK." "Cool." "But the staff know that if you're friends with her, then you're not really taking dancing seriously." "Bad impression to make in audition week." "Got it." "Nice leotard." "Oh, thanks." "My mum made it." "I'm Abigail." "This is Georgia." "I'm Tara Webster." "You and I are room-mates." "Oh, yay." "So, I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have this thing." "Abigail always stands at the front of the barre." "Oh." "Yeah, yeah." "Of course." "Sorry." "This is going to be such a great week." "I can feel it." "Développé." "And sustain your turnout to the end, girls." "This is about proper placement, not height." "Good." "It's Abigail, isn't it?" "Does that look like a nice line to you?" "Forget the flourishes." "Concentrate on your technique." "Hey, 'oops' about this morning." "I'm really crap at giving directions." "Tara." "Hey, I've never done these before." "Really?" "How long have you been dancing?" "I need air." "But it's after 10:00." "You'd be breaking curfew." "Seriously?" "I'm not allowed outside?" "Yeah, Mum." "The girls here are amazing." "Some of them are stronger than I am, but that's, you know..." "that's to be expected." "Uh-huh." "It's definitely everything I thought it would be." "Can't turn." "Low extensions." "Terrible feet." "Breasts." "Who's that?" "Ethan Karamakov." "He's going in to third year." "Are he and Kat together?" "Half-brother." "The better half." "Every year, girls come into this studio thinking that wanting to dance is enough to make them dancers." "It isn't." "Does that hurt?" "Should it?" "Get your head out of the clouds and start thinking critically." "Hey, Doc!" "I think he's anorexic." "Katrina..." "You have to face your physical limitations." "Not everyone is born a dancer." "Don't force it." "You'll damage your knee." "I'm not." "This is natural." "And prepare yourselves for a lifetime of hard work, sacrifice... and, more often than not, disappointment." "Ow!" "Don't crowd." "Don't crowd." "Where does it hurt?" "My achilles." "If it's snapped, she's out." "Back to the beginning." "Thank you, Miss Raine." "Thank you." "Thank you, Miss Raine." "Thank you." "Miss Raine?" "Hi." "Number 45, Tara Webster." "Do you think Georgia's going to be OK?" "I'd be more focused on my own future if I were you." "Right." "See, I don't know what's wrong with me this week." "It's probably nerves." "I'm not usually this bad." "Webster, isn't it?" "You're 15?" "Your technique is what we'd expect of a 12-year-old." "Physically, you have potential, which I assume is why you're here, but so do a lot of other girls." "I don't think you're ready." "Problem shoulder blades." "Weak ankles." "Behind technically." "At least you can catch up." "I need to be genetically reprogrammed." "Great." "You are coming with me." "What?" "Where?" "Third-years are having a party on the company rooftop." "But I'm not really in a party mood." "Negative, bunhead." "What have you got to lose?" "But can I go like this?" "Um, no." "Come on!" "Have you met Christian?" "He's auditioning as well." "Training bra." "Didn't recognise you." "What did he just call you?" "Nothing." "Hey, Christian!" "Ooh, sorry." "Hi." "Kat invited me, but I'm just going to go." "No, stick around." "I'm Ethan." " I know." " Hey, who's your friend?" "Oh, no way!" "You're HER." "Who?" "This is the newbie who got undressed in our changing rooms." " It wasn't like that." " Brilliant story." "When I heard..." "Kat." "I was like, "Wow, you are practically famous."" "But I would never, ever deliberately do something like that." "All newbies should be more like you." "Bonus points for enthusiasm." "Um, I'm just gonna go." "What did I ever do to you?" "!" "Nice, Kat." "What?" "I am never leaving this room again." "It wasn't meant to be this way." "What way was it meant to be?" "I don't know." "Like a dream come true." "It's everybody's dream." "No-one's going to hand it to you." "If you want to stand out, you have to prove that you're special." "I would if I knew how." "I can show you." "In the last week we've been assessing your technique in the classroom." "Tomorrow, for your final audition, we're looking to see how you perform a real dance, how you tell a story." "Hey, sorry about last night." "It got a little bit hectic." "The ballet is Karamakov's 'The Ugly Duckling', and the solo you'll be doing is when the duck discovers she is actually a swan." "First group, get ready to do a run-through." "Front row." "She'll see me." "That's the idea." "On the rare occasion I get nervous, I picture myself on stage." "You should probably imagine yourself somewhere." "Failing that, follow me." "Webster, isn't it?" "You altered the choreography." "Why?" "Um, I don't remember." "Abigail." "There was a coldness now." "I want to see what's beyond the steps." "You could learn something by watching Tara." "It was surprisingly good." "Next group, get ready." "I was looking for you." "Great class." "I need my leotard back." "OK." "But do you still want to practise later?" "Guess not." "Hi, sweetheart." "I guess you're not there." "I've been thinking about what you said about not being strong enough." "Seems to me you've already forgotten where you come from." "Think of me putting a crop in during a drought year." "It takes courage to back yourself." "But then, you know that." "Anyway, I feel like a goose talking into a machine." "'Night, princess." "Good luck tomorrow." "I overslept." "I'm not an alarm clock." "Number 45, come with me." "But I'm meant to be last." "We'd like to see you now." "Thank you so much for everything." "Break a leg." "Hello, Tara." "We have some questions." "You are aware it's against school rules to leave the boarding house after hours without permission?" "You must understand that we're responsible to your parents, and, of course, there is a serious safety issue which could impact on the entire academy." "Tara, an allegation has been made, and if it's true, we'll have no choice but to cancel your audition." "They're talking about breaking curfew." "Why would they be asking her about that?" "Hey, everybody, call off the witch hunt." "You have something to contribute, Katrina?" "No, she doesn't." "Tara, don't be silly." "Well, Abigail was snoring last night." "Seriously, that girl needs to do something about her nasal passages." "Your point?" "My point is, Tara bunked in with me last night." "Really?" "Would I lie, sir?" "Miss Webster?" "Um..." "I was in Kat's room last night." "Excellent." "Then I'd like to see the solo that Miss Raine has been telling me about." "Don't mention it." "Have you warmed up?" "Sorry?" "Are you ready?" "Um..." "Somehow I forgot everything then... all the things I didn't know, how there's way more to surviving in the Academy than just ballet." "I forgot about my audition and what would come next." "I forgot everything but dancing... because in that moment" "I remembered that just to dance is all that matters, and no-one can take that away from me." "I'm ready for the Dance Academy." "At least, I think I am."