Rhythm and Blues Read Online Free PDF

Technically, I knew I’d hit everything, but my critiques in competitions always mention that I need to display more emotion and feeling in my movement and face. But for someone like Ellie, who maybe is just off technical perfection, the emotion isn’t a problem.
    So I was really looking for that in all the girls – even in their floor and standing exercises, right up to their travelling steps and the short routine.
    With the standing warm-up exercises, there were a lot of body, arm and leg swings, contractions and releases, and warming up of the feet. I studied everyone, comparing them to how I would or would not have done the exercises. I was pleased when Miss Caroline calledout that someone needed to extend more, or adjust this, or roll through that, and I’d had the same thought in my head.
    One thing bothered me, though.
    Paige was in the front row and she didn’t really have any idea what was going on. She chucked a panicky look to the mirror each time the girls shifted into a new exercise, and copied them, always a beat behind.
    Her actual movements were fine – turnout was solid, her feet pointed where they were meant to, and she created some pretty lines with her arms. But all of that meant nothing if she couldn’t remember what came next. Marks for memory were a big part of exams, too.
    The three girls finished their last standing exercise and Miss Caroline nodded.
    â€˜Not bad, girls,’ she said. ‘What do you think, Riley?’
    â€˜Well,’ I said, and cleared my throat. I glanced at Paige, standing on the spot wringing her hands. I wondered if I should say anything. I knew she got upset and embarrassed easily.
    But it wouldn’t be very fair if I had criticisms for everyone but my best friends. I didn’t want to be accused of playing favourites.
    â€˜Um, Paige,’ I said, and shifted in my seat.
    She looked up at me in surprise. I noticed Ellie look up too, from where she was stretching on the floor.
    â€˜You need to know what you’re doing,’ I said, as professionally as I could. ‘In every single exercise you just watched what the other girls did and followed them. You need to learn the steps yourself. Plus, in the exams, we won’t be performing to the mirror, like now, and you’ll be up the front, so you won’t actually haveanyone to copy. Maybe you should practise at home so you can remember the order of things on your own.’
    Paige was silent. I saw the dimple in her cheek deepen as she bit the side of her mouth, thinking. Then she looked down at her toes. ‘Sorry,’ she whispered. ‘Okay.’

    â€˜Your lines were nice, though,’ I added, to soften what I said.
    Paige nodded. Miss Caroline didn’t say anything. She just shuffled the girls over to the side for the travelling exercises. I did notice that she put a hand on Paige’s shoulder and whispered something to her, at the end of which Paige broke out into a smile and stopped looking like I’d thrown a rotten egg in her direction.
    Gosh. I’d only been trying to help.
    My cheeks felt hot, and I looked down to see Ellie watching me quite peevishlyfrom the floor. I glared at her. I hadn’t done anything wrong! If you can’t take helpful criticism, then you shouldn’t be a dancer. At least they got to dance, unlike me sitting here doing nothing.
    â€˜Ellie, you’ll have to move from there,’ I said. ‘You’re right in the way and Jess will trip over your leg.’
    Maybe because I was feeling slightly defensive, my words sounded a bit harsh. Ellie let me know she wasn’t impressed by making a face. Then she made a big act of getting up off the floor.
    â€˜Yes, sir,’ she said, and marched to the side of the studio, where Ash was watching both of us. She whispered something to Ash and they both turned to look at me.
    I stared straight ahead, concentrating on watching Jessica’s soutenu