Holding on to the barre with one hand, Delphie Durand drew her toe up to her knee and pointed her leg forward. Head up, back straight, shoulders down⦠The thoughts tumbled around in her head as she watched herself in the mirror of the ballet studio. Alongside her were nine other girls, all gracefully performing the same exercise.
Barre work was quite repetitive and not as much fun as actually dancing in the centre of the room but Delphie was just glad to be doing ballet again. Madame Za-Zaâs School of Ballet had been closed for two weeks over the Christmas holidays and Delphie had really missed going to classes.
âKeep your knee turned out, Delphie. Graceful arms, please, Sukie.â Madame Za-Za walked along the line gently correcting each girl. âKeep your body centred and straight, Poppy.â
Delphie thought back to the last term. It had been such fun. The best bit had been dancing the main part in the schoolâs Christmas show. Actually, no, she thought, correcting herself. The very best bit of last term had been finding out that the old red ballet shoes that Madame Za-Za had given her were magic!
The shoes could whisk Delphie away to Enchantia, a land where all the characters from different ballets lived. Delphie had been there many times now and she had always had an amazing adventure. I wonder when Iâll go there again, she thought.
âGood,â Madame Za-Za said finally when she reached the end of the line but as she turned away, Delphie saw her pass a hand over her forehead and sigh. Madame Za-Za looked very weary. âAnd to the centre now, please, girls,â she instructed.
The girls began to repeat the exercises in the centre of the room.
By the end of the class, Delphieâs muscles were tingling from all the work. She felt tired but happy. Poppy and Lola, Delphieâs two best friends, ran over to her. âCome on! Letâs go and get changed!â
âIn a minute,â Delphie told them.
She went over to Madame Za-Za. The teacher smiled. âYou danced very nicely today, Delphie,â she said in her slight foreign accent.
âThank you.â A warm glow spread through Delphie at the praise. She hesitated. âYou⦠you look tired, Madame Za-Za. Are you all right?â
Madame Za-Za sighed. âI am tired. Sometimes I wonder if I am getting too old for all of this.â She swept her hand around the dance studio.
Delphie stared at her. âYouâre not too old! Of course youâre not!â Madame Za-Za had greying hair and there were a few wrinkles around the corners of her eyes but she could still dance really well and she was very elegant and beautiful. âYouâve got to keep teaching ballet!â Delphie said.
âMaybe it is just because it is my birthday next week that I am thinking like this,â Madame Za-Za spoke gently. âI will be another year older â another year will have passed.â She looked affectionately at Delphie. âDo not worry about me though, child.â
Delphie joined Poppy and Lola feeling very worried.
âWhat was Madame Za-Za talking about?â Lola asked.
âIâll tell you when we get to Poppyâs,â said Delphie.
Back at Poppyâs house the three girls hurried up to her bedroom. âSo whatâs going on with Madame Za-Za?â Lola asked.
Delphie sat down cross-legged on Poppyâs large double bed and told her friends what Madame Za-Za had said.
âBut she canât give up teaching!â said Poppy.
âNo way. We wonât let her!â said Lola.
âShe didnât exactly say she would give up teaching,â said Delphie. âOnly that she was weary of it all. But maybe we can do something that will make her remember how good it is.â
âLike what?â demanded Lola.
They all thought hard for a moment and then Delphieâs eyes widened. âPerhaps we could try and cheer her up by learning a special dance? She said it was her birthday next week â we could perform it then. It would be our way of saying thank you for teaching us and telling her how much we love her classes.â