Center Stage Page #2

Besides, when was the last time

your paper ran anything on us?

What the hell. Three seats at will call,

only because I'm nice.

- Hi, Mom.

- Hi, sweetie.

- Well?

- Nothing to worry about.

What's the competition?

How about your roommates?

Jody's hopeless. She'll never make it.

- Is she the one from Boston?

- No, that's Eva.

Eva's actually good. Amazing extension.

But her attitude stinks.

Jonathan hates her already, thank God.

So you still think it'll be you,

Anna and Emily?

Yeah. Although,

have you seen Emily lately?

Look at her.

Hello, Emily.

Hi, Mrs. Cummings.

Dear.

Her pas de deux partner's

going to need a crane to lift her.

Stop it.

No way do people actually buy this sh*t.

- It's signed by Kathleen Donahue.

- It's a smelly old shoe.

- How you been?

- Can I tear you away for a minute?

There's a widowed woman here

worth $200 million, who adores you.

- Excuse me. That was beautiful.

- Let me introduce you.

Now, why does that feel wrong?

It's just a hello.

It would be great for the company.

Well, if it's good for the company.

I mean, you know me. Team player.

Joan Miller. Cooper Nielson.

- Hello.

- Well, this is an honour.

I am, without a doubt, your biggest fan.

And my loveliest.

Now, what on earth were you doing

way over there in dreary London...

...when everyone loves you so much here?

Don't you listen to the gossip?

I was being huffy. Scorned lover. All that.

- God. I'm so sorry.

- Not at all. It's fine.

Joan, this is one

of our advanced students...

- Jody Sawyer.

- Sorry.

We have so many promising students.

It's hard to keep them straight.

You see?

That's how taxing Jonathan's job is.

So much is going on, he can't remember

the name of a beautiful girl.

Don't worry, Jody Sawyer.

I don't run a company.

I won't forget.

Excuse me.

I will trade you one bliss potato

with caviar for one of your tiaras.

My old one's broken and I'm desperate.

What will you use it for?

You know, state funerals,

abdications, the usual.

I'll see if we have your size.

Guys, want to see something?

Come on, just go with this.

I've already told Kathleen,

but what a treat, that Romeo and Juliet.

You're the finest Romeo

since Jonathan himself.

- It's a great piece.

- And you two together.

I don't do anything.

It's all her.

Come on.

Save it for the workshop, Charlie.

- Look at him.

- Get over here.

- Let's show them.

- Sure.

- What's wrong with you?

- You know exactly what you did.

You've got no right to paw me

in front of all those people.

I wasn't pawing you.

I can't even touch you?

We're not friends anymore?

Okay, listen.

I think it's great you're back.

You're a wonderful dancer.

But I am just as happily married

as I was before you left.

Then how come we danced better

tonight than we ever have?

For God's sake, that was acting.

Pretending.

That's our job.

I got to get back.

- My God.

- I know.

In the grand scheme of things,

it was a pretty cool night.

Except for that slave-labour part,

it didn't suck.

Excuse me. Coming through.

No luck?

- What?

- The tiara.

She went off to find one in my size.

No luck.

I'm sure you tried your hardest.

- Anyone want a fruit tart?

- I'll take one.

- It's practically all fat, Emily.

- Hello, Emily. I'm Jim Gordon.

You guys work here?

No. We're students

at the American Ballet Academy.

Ballerinas. Very cool.

Oh, my God.

You got to try one of these, Maureen.

Well, she has a name. Maureen.

We have to go.

Me, too.

I'm going to call my mom.

Tell her I've been wrong about New York.

You see, Maureen No-Last-Name,

all this time I've been telling her...

..."It's an interesting city,

but devoid of any true natural beauty."

And now that I've met you...

...I know that's not true.

- Cummings.

- What?

Her last name. It's Cummings.

Go. And one and stretch and stretch.

Good lift. Good, Charlie. Yes.

Stretch that front foot.

Much better. Good. Go.

Take it forward. That's it. Good.

Dip and go.

All right. I'm here. Sorry.

I know. I'm sorry.

And one. The arms lifted here.

The head is here. Yes, yes.

Lift through here, but not tucked, dear.

Ready, Maureen?

Beautiful rond bris.

Feet always stretched.

Look at how lovely her arms are.

Head up, Stephanie.

Everyone, ribs in.

Don't let your elbows droop.

Turnout, Jody.

From the hips, dear.

Just skim the surface this time, ladies.

Jody, flutter.

Yes, Eva.

Exactly.

- You feel the difference?

- Felt like the same old sh*t to me.

Late out of that turn, Jody.

You're trying too hard.

Thank you, ladies.

Emily.

You should visit the nutritionist this week.

She can give you some good pointers.

Go back. Come on. Let's go.

I need to see the girls

gesture to their partners.

"Hello, I'm waiting."

And the boys rush over and kneel.

"I am your slave."

And...

I am your slave.

I'd believe it more if you didn't stare at

your f***ing reflection when you said it.

If someone wants to hear profanity,

Miss Rodriguez, they can take a subway.

They don't need to spend $60

on a ballet ticket.

Though she has a point.

That foot, my dear. Let's go back.

Come on. Try it again.

You've got to work with me here, Jody.

Lift, Anna.

Excellent, Eva.

Where's the turnout, Jody?

After everything we've talked about,

I'm not seeing it.

You understand what I'm saying?

Use what you have and turn out.

Jesus! She heard you!

Excuse me?

She heard you. We all heard you!

You don't have to speak to her like that!

- Anyone can see she's working her ass off!

- That's enough, Miss Rodriguez.

This is my classroom.

And I will run it as I see fit.

If you have a problem with that,

you are free to leave.

Maureen, if you want to get calls,

please do so in the dorm.

- Don't give out this number.

- I didn't.

A Jim Gordon got it somehow

and has been calling for you non-stop.

Hi. What are you doing here?

Nothing.

I'm just waiting.

I know. I wasn't myself today.

I didn't get much sleep, I was really tired.

It's not just today.

I see you three times a week.

You're not improving.

- I can work harder.

- No matter how hard you work...

...there are certain realities about you

as a dancer that we have to face.

We can wait the end of the year,

or talk about it now...

...while you still have options.

You're not very turned out.

So that needs work.

And you don't have great feet.

And while you're very pretty...

...you don't have the ideal body type.

Margot Fonteyn didn't have great feet.

When Fonteyn was onstage,

you couldn't tear your eyes away from her.

It can't be taught.

In four months, we'll put on a workshop

in front of 3,000 people.

It's an audition for every major

ballet company in the country.

From what I've seen,

I can't cast you in that workshop.

And if you're not onstage that day,

you won't get a job anywhere.

So, what? Are you kicking me out?

No.

I just want you to really think...

...if this is the right place for you.

What a prick.

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