Mackenzie

Chloe   Maddie

Paige   Brooke   Nia   Kendall   Melanie

"We are not doing a group routine this week. Each and every dancer will be doing a solo. It's every man for himself." Miss Abby announces, "This is your chance to shine, and for one time only, you all get to help out with costumes." The moms weren't happy, "This is your chance to go for that Tony, Christi. You're gonna come to me, show me what you have, and I can veto it, or I can accept it. I don't want to see anything from any other studios. I want to see you come up with something original."

The moms leave and we all spread apart.

First up was Kenzie, and the rest of us sat by the side watching her.

"It's finally solo week." Maddie says, "I love solo week."

"Me too." I agree, "I finally do something."

"Yay!" Chloe exclaims.

After Kenzie, it was Maddie, and after her was Kendall. After her, it was finally me.

"Your solo is acro-jazz." Miss Abby tells me, "It is called 'Love Myself'."

I start off in the middle of the studio with my arms crossed. The song starts and a I go into a walking handstand. I get up, run, and do a straddle jump. I stop moving and raise my arms. 

"When it goes 'Hey, I love myself', do eight side aerials." Miss Abby tells me, "I'll be counting it."

I start doing the side aerials to the left side of the studio as Miss Abby counts.

"Five, six, seven, eight, up!"

I stop and do a toe jump, after that I start doing side aerials to go back right where I started. I do another toe jump. I do some turns and after that a back walkover. At the end, I do a last side aerial, roll onto the floor, get on my knees, and do a heart with my hands.

•One Day To Competition•

Mommy's idea for my costume was a white dance bra, a pink skirt, and she was going to put pink glitter over the bra, I still don't know why she's thinking so much about my costume, because I'm doing a solo just for the show. Let's just say that the youngest competing age is six, and I'm five.

I was watching Maddie as she went over her solo with Gia, Miss Abby was at the front desk, the moms were all working with the costumes, and it was just one day until the competition, also known as the rush day.

"The competition's canceled." Kenzie walks over to me.

"What do you mean?" I ask, "We're not going?"

"Miss Abby's looking for another competition." Kenzie tells me and sits down.

"Mel, let's work with your solo." Gia tells me and I walk to the middle of the studio.

I start off in the middle of the studio with my arms crossed. The song starts and I go into a walking handstand. I get up, run, and do a straddle jump. I stop moving and raise my arms. I start doing the side aerials to the left side of the studio. I stop and do a toe jump, after that I start doing side aerials to go back right where I started. I do some turns and after that a back walkover. At the end, I do a last side aerial, roll onto the floor, get on my knees, and do a heart with my hands.

Miss Abby enters the studio with the moms and the rest of the girls and we all look at her.

"Ladies, uh, we are going to a competition this weekend." MIss Abby announces, "There's a competition is Clute, Texas, just outside of Galveston. I want the girls to practice tonight, I'm keeping them here until the dances are finished and perfect. The show must go on."

Gia goes over each one of our solos twice, one with Miss Abby and one without her, and she decided if we were dismissed for the night. I was the third dismissed, right after Maddie and Paige.

•Competition Day•

We were all in the dressing room and I was writing on the board with a blue marker. I write 'Melanie was here', or at least I tried to. After my big fail, I change into my costume. Mommy brushes my hair, and styles it into a perfect bun.

I wouldn't be so nervous to dance in a gym floor if I didn't have to do so many side aerials. But I'm scared I might slip.

We all go seat on the bleachers.

"Welcome now to the floor from the Abby Lee Dance Company, Brooke." The Announcer says and we all cheer as Brooke walks to the center of the floor.

It's like a dream 
This moment in time
But it's real and not just in my mind

Thought I knew who I was 
Then I looked into your eyes
Now I see a bigger part of me
Now the world has opened up it's door
I'm so much more than I ever was before

"Now on the floor from Abby Lee Dance Company, this is Miss Mackenzie." The Announcer says as Kenzie walks to the center of the floor.

Today I woke up and realized
That there's this boy I really like
And then I thought I should ask him out
To the dance

So I put a note in his locker
Right when he was playing soccer
And then he got it, got it
Read it and got back to me

We all clap as she walks off and I get off the bleachers. 

"Next on the floor, from the Abby Lee Dance Company, this is Miss Melanie." The Announcer says as I walk up to the center of the floor.

Yeah
When I get chills at night
I feel it deep inside without you, yeah
Know how to satisfy
Keeping that tempo right without you, yeah

Pictures in my mind on replay
I'm gonna touch the pain away
I know how to scream my own name
Scream my name

Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(Hey)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(I love me)
Can't help myself, no, I don't need anybody else
Anytime, day or night
(I love me)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(Hey)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(I love me)
Can't help myself, no, I don't need anybody else
Anytime that I like
(I love me)

I'll take it nice and slow
Feeling good on my own without you, yeah
Got me speaking in tongues
The beautiful, it comes without you, yeah

I'm gonna put my body first
And love me so hard 'til it hurts
I know how to scream out the words
Scream the words

Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(Hey)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(I love me)
Can't help myself, no, I don't need anybody else
Anytime, day or night
(I love me)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(Hey)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(I love me)
Can't help myself, no, I don't need anybody else
Anytime that I like
(I love me)

Ah, la la la, la la la la la
Ah, la la la, la la la la la
Ah, la la la, la la la la la
Anytime that I like
(I love)

I know how to scream my own name
Scream my name

Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(Hey)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(I love me)
Can't help myself, no, I don't need anybody else
Anytime, day or night
(I love me)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
(Hey)
Gonna love myself, no, I don't need anybody else
Can't help myself, no, I don't need anybody else
Anytime that I like
(I love me)

Ah, la la la, la la la la la
Ah, la la la, la la la la la
Ah, la la la, la la la la la
Anytime that I like
(I love me)

~~~

Drama drama, from Kendall's costume to Nia freaking out, to Maddie slipping and hurting herself, this competition was not what I expected. On the bright side, Paige was amazing! I think this is the best she's ever danced, now we just need to wait for awards.

"And now, our junior solo awards," The Announcer says, "In third place, from the Abby Lee Dance Company, Maddie. In second place, also from the Abby Lee Dance Company, Chloe." There's silence for a moment, "And our junior champion, Paige!"

Paige goes receive her award.

She won first place for the first time!