it's nationals week! i'm so excited and i hope i have a solo
|Pyramid|
"alright let's go!" Abby calls for us
we walk into the studio for pyramid
"this is nationals week" Abby says and we cheer
"this year fifteen victories out of twenty five competitions now thats ten competitions that the group did not win the odds are not betting odds i'm not gonna go to the rescue track and go oh yeah i'm gonna bet on that pony ..no? that horse should be taken out back and shot you wanna win you wanna be the best" Abby says
"word on the street that one other team will be performing aswell"
"we're gonna beat those BDAS" mom says
"saturday is our opening of the ALDC LA" Abby says
we all clap
"obviously it's not going to be finished we have a lot to do" Abby says
"this is huge this is not a little dance studio in a strip mall" Jess says
"on the bottom of the pyramid JoJo, i'm correcting you over and over and over on the same thing you're not getting what i'm telling you is wrong." Abby says
"next Mackenzie, you're little to dance next to these people you need to make adjustments whatever it is."
"next Kendall, it was good well a true dancer always strives for perfection that's what you need to do"
"and then next we have Kalani, third.."
"next we have Maddie, i know it was difficult to tug of war with a parasol and let somebody else win who didn't even exist who was make believe but you did it."
"and then we have Kayla, you looked exquisite in the group number and your ballet training shined through"
i smile
"and on top of the pyramid this week congratulations Nia, you were the overall highscore winning soloist"
we all clap and cheer for Nia
"congratulations on the win"
"now solos..Maddie i think it goes without saying you will be performing a solo at nationals" Abby says
i give Maddie a smile and we all clap
"the name of your routine is Someone Special you see someone special show everybody just how special you are"
"my next solo is going to Kayla"
i beam and everyone claps
"you have been stellar this whole season and i want you to defend that national title you have..your routine is entitled Iris it's a gorgeous lyrical piece"
i smile and nod
"i have one more solo and i think going into last week i assumed that solo would go to Kalani"
"we all assumed that however going into the solo you said whoever comes out on top gets the solo" Jill says
"no i said might" Abby says
"well" Jill says
"that's not i don't think anyone's interpretation of what you said was the might" Holly says
"i think it should go to Nia." Jill says
"no." Abby says
"it was head to head that was the challenge the entire time." Holly says
"when you're knocked out you're knocked out like i took it for what it was worth" Jess says
"i agree with that but in this instance i dont agree because it was a competition judged by kids as Kalanis mom i do feel like it was not a fair battle is far as a kid judging" Kira says
"last week we weren't dismissing it when we knew we were going in the competition regardless i think honestly Abby." Holly starts
Kira starts to but in and Holly cuts her off
"Abby honestly she's the only person on this team who's never done a solo at nationals." Holly says
"Nias doing the solo" Abby says
we all clap for Nia
"it's called No Matter What alright" Abby says
"the group routine takes place in a hospital waiting room we have done amazingly well with our group routines at nationals."
"we've won everytime" Kenzie says
"you better knock on some wood." Abby says
and we all knock on the wooden floor
"alright so spread apart let's go" Abby says
|Group Rehearsals|
"come on let's do the group dance..the waiting room so imagine it's your family your loved ones were brought in by an ambulance from a car accident so imagine waiting to hear the news..is it happy news? or is it the worst humanly possible news" Abby says
we learn the group routine and i really love it you really get to experiment with emotions
Abby then has to leave early for the studio
|Two Days To Nationals|
today we are back at the rehearsal space as Abby is working on the studio
"good morning!" Gia comes downstairs
"can i take the girls up?"
"yes" we say
"okay i'm gonna start with solos today" Gia says
"yay!" i squeal
"so where's Abby?" mom asks
"she's not here yet she has a bunch of stuff to do today running here doing that so..alright come on guys" Gia says
we walk up stairs and we stretch
|Solo Rehearsals|
we learn my solo and it's to the song Iris by Natalie Taylor and it's a gorgeous piece
"i want this big turn sequence in it" Gia says and she gives me this big turn sequence
"okay then you'll roll reach up push and lay down" Gia says
"gorgeous let's go from the top" Gia says
we go from the top and i make sure everyone is flawless
i finish the solo and Gia claps
"gorgeous." Gia says
"okay so you've had a solo every year at nationals and you've won twice?" Gia asks
"yes" i nod
"Chloe won one year then it was Maddie" Gia says
i nod
"so you need to prove to Abby that you can win two years in a row and plus Maddie is the most famous twelve year old you need to show that you aren't just Maddies sister." Gia says
i nod
"i want you to leave that competition with a crown on your head." Gia says
"yes." i smile
"great." Gia high fives me
|Group Rehearsals|
Abby comes in and we do the group dance for her
i really wanna take on the role of waiting on the news like Abby said a car accident so i really try to show my anxiety growing throw out the dance
"i need to see more emotion from everyone" Abby calls out
"so Maddie let me see what you have what emotion you're going to give me."
"can i say something..do you remember when you found out the first person you ever knew died what you did?" mom asks
"yeah" Maddie says
"Mrs Miller" mom says
Maddie starts to cry and she hugs Abby and i try not to cry
"it's just hard to think about it." Maddie says
"think about it that's what you have to do that's what actors do they got back in sometime or they're life and it's what makes them cry not the lines right then and there." Abby says
we do the end and i'm in the chair lent over and i have my hands praying while i lean my mouth on my hand
Maddie starts to hyperventilate and she runs off
|One Day To Nationals|
|ALDC LA Opening|
we are at the new studio for its grand opening and i slip on my jacket
and the studio looks great
"alright! game faces on places!" Abby yells
i go to my station and it's this big banner with my face on it! for autographs of course
"Maddie quick take my photo" i say
"fine hurry do a pose!" Maddie says
i get in a middle splits and i smile
"there" Maddie says
"thank you" i say
Abby opens the doors and the fans come in
and there's so many people
we take photos with fans
"Kayla you are such a good dancer" a fan says
"thank you so much!" i say
we also teach some master classes and it was a good time!
|Nationals|
we arrive at nationals and i'm so excited!
we head to the dressing room and Maddie helps me get our makeup out
mom helps me with my hair and she puts in my headpiece
while i do my makeup
"costumes behind the curtain Gia said" mom says
"okay thank you" i say
i go behind the curtain and i get my costume and it's stunning
Kaylas solo costume with the clip at the back of the bun:
i come out from the curtain
"oh that's gorgeous honey" mom says
"i love it..i think it's my favourite one so far" i say
i start to stretch and warm up
Maddie runs through her dance
and i'm pretty sure im against Ava and Maddie so i'm pretty nervous
speaking of which Jeanette and Ava walks into our dressing room
"sorry i didn't mean to interrupt" Jeanette says
"well only an idiot would open a door when they heard music playing" Abby says
"well i didn't hear music or else i wouldn't of opened the door so" Jeanette says
"we just gotta get moving thanks" Abby says
Abby turns her attention to me
"go over your dance Kayla" Abby says
i get up and i walk to the middle of the room
Jeanette and Ava then leave
Gia starts my music and i go over my dance
we head backstage for solos and i'm so nervous
"good luck Nia" i say before Nia goes onstage
Nia enters for her solo and i hope she does well
she's been here since day one and has never got a solo at nationals
she starts off so strong but then her song starts to skip
"oh no." i whisper
Nia keeps carrying on and i hope this doesn't effect her performance
Nia finishes her solo and exits the stage
Ava enters next and she is an incredible dancer i really hope my routines enough to beat her
she is nailing this whole thing
Ava finishes her routine and exits the stage
"you didn't dance last year so you need to prove to Abby that you can still go out and nail the whole thing" i whisper
"yeah" Maddie says
"good luck i love you" i say and i hug Maddie
"love you" Maddie says
Maddie enters for her solo
her music starts and she starts her solo and she is absolutely rocking it
everything she's doing is absolutely flawless
Maddie finishes her routine and exits the stage
i give her a huge hug
"please welcome to the stage Kayla with Iris" the announcer says
i enter the stage and i go to my starting position and my music starts and i start my routine
i make sure my technique is flawless and my emotion is off the charts because i need to win
i get up to my big turn sequence and i go into a leap after and at the end i role to the ground and i reach up and i push
then i fall to the ground
the crowd cheers and i get up and exit the stage
"that was phenomenal" Maddie hugs me
"thanks" i say
we head back to the dressing room and mom hugs me and Maddie
"you girls rocked it i know Sia would be proud of you and i know the whole cast of descendants would be proud of you" mom says
"not like they watch the show" i say
"you never know honey" mom says
"i don't think Doves cup of tea is moms fighting and children crying" Kenzie says
"exactly" i say
Abby comes in and me and Maddie run to hug her
"you girls where fabulous" Abby says
"thank you" me and Maddie say
we get ready for the group routine
Kaylas group costume:
we go through the routine
"okay guys this is it season five it's been a rocky road it's never an easy path that we take to get here but maybe everything that we go through maybe it makes us stronger for the next time, we go out there we do what The Abby Lee Dance Company is known for thats coming to nationals and winning got it? yes? alight let's go" Abby says
we head backstage for the group
BDA enter for their group first and are amazing dancers
and i'm worried
they finish their routine and exit the stage
"we can do this" i whisper
i shake the nerves off
"and now please welcome The Waiting Room." the announcers says
we enter the stage and we all sit down on the chairs
our music starts and we start the routine
i make sure my emotion is shining through
and my moves are fluent and everything is just flawless
we all sit on the chairs and Kalani walks across them on the beat
we carry on with the routine and i make sure i look like i'm near crying
we finish on the chairs and i look down like i'm praying and Maddie finishes the routine
she runs offstage and the crowd cheers
we exit the stage and i hug the girls
"i love you guys!" Kalani says
|Awards|
for Nias division
Nia got second place!
"now to our class division category" the announcer says
i take Maddies hand
the guys starts messing up the award and i look to Maddie confused
"alright third place Someone Special Maddie"
i look to Maddie shocked and she gets up to her her award
Kalani takes my hand
"second place Iris Kayla"
hahahahahaha..funny
what,
i put on a smile and i get my award
"and in first place The Myth Of The Mermaid Ava"
Ava gets up to get her award
we sit back down
i'm devastated
this was meant to be my big win
"and in our overall small group category"
"in second place The Waiting Room Abby Lee Dance Company"
i look to Maddie and Kalani gets our award
what is happening?!
"first place 2015 national champions Moving Target Broadway Dance Academy"
i clap for the other team
Abby sun gals for us to leave so we start to stand up and go off the stage
"you can't leave" a guy says
we all leave and go back to the dressing room and get our stuff
we get in the car
"that was a total joke, you both should've gotten higher" mom says
"i thought my dance was really good" i say
"it was the crown was yours or Maddies" mom says
this sucked not a good way to end my season.