Topic: En Arri?re

Katarina Smith

Date: 2009-02-19 02:58 EST
Katarina looked up at the ceiling of the studio with a blank stare as she finished the ending stretches of the rehearsal. She thought after this extended break that the sensation of home would rush to her after seeing all of her fellow dancers. Instead she felt the same hollowness that had been haunting for weeks. Dancing just did not feel the same after she had accepted the fact that Johnny was not going to return. Even during their years of separation, she always knew his support was somewhere. Now that strong foundation was gone. She still had one, but it was different and comfort was what she wanted.

Still, she would go through the motions until she enjoyed them once more. It was common for passion in a creative career to ebb away, but the cycle would continue and enjoyment would come again. Katarina just was not expecting the cold feeling after her refusal with the Royal Academy.

"It's written all over your face, you know." Andy leaned and blocked her light source as he looked down. Offering his hand, he helped her up to her feet once more.

"I dun hav' anythin' ta hide." She glanced around to see the other dancers filing out to continue with the remainder of their day. Instead, Katarina took her time changing shoes until she was alone with Andy. "So, wha' hav' I missed?"

"Well, you can imagine that we were all happy to hear that you were going to stay with us." At her blank look, Andy chuckled, "Okay, well.. most of us. Madame still hasn't picked the next ballet, because we have a new patron."

"Yeah?" Katarina didn't find much interest in those that supported the arts, like patrons. In the past, they had made little contact with her other than their checkbooks, "Who's it?"

"Christophe. Count Christophe Jourdain. Seems like a real nice guy with a good head for business on his shoulders. He thinks we should do a private function for the higher members of our society."

Her easy expression turned to a smirk, "Yeah, 'cause we go' lot'sa importan' people 'round here compared ta anywhere's else." With a sigh, She wrapped her longer coat over her leotard and put her bag over her shoulder, "When's th' deadline?"

"End of the week." He gathered up his things as well, before closing the distance between them so that he could put his hand under her chin and tilt her face to the side, "You're not eating."

She rolled her eyes and batted his hand away, "C'mon Andy, I dun play 'round. I jist wan'ta keep goin', yeah? Mah feelin's will catch up 'ventually."

"Come out with us tonight." It was a simple plea as he took her bag off of her shoulder, added it to his, and started escorting her out.

She huffed and squinted her eyes up at him. With a quick sigh, a smile flirted on her lips, "Yeah, I'll go."

Katarina Smith

Date: 2009-03-19 13:55 EST
"Swanilda. Whay do I always play people wit' weird names?" Katarina chuckled before she did a quick series of spins and jumps that she already knew from the ballet, Coppelia. She tried to hum the simple melody that traded between woodwinds, and watched the conductor cringe at her tone.

"Would you rather play a doll?" Christine said without hiding her sarcasm and hope.

She chuckled, giving a gracious and flourished bow for the short performance, "Nah. 'Sides, gives me 'n 'xcuse ta be mad a' Andy." He rolled his eyes, but continued to situate a brace around his right ankle that had been giving him trouble.

Despite the odd looks, she continued to hum as she moved from memory to her humming. During her years studying under other ballerinas, Coppelia had been one she was unable to perform. Still, she knew the music and steps by heart. It was hard, to spend so many months into a performance and forget the steps.

The rehearsal went smoothly, considering most of the dancers had taken time away from dancing during their break. The four principles however, were sharp on their turns and quick to follow directions. Excused early, Katarina and Andy were expected to show a few hours later to work on their scenes together.

"So, have you decided what you will do for the private show?" Andy rolled his ankle before sticking it in a bucket of ice.

"Nah. Prolly'll do some excerpt er somethin'. 'm nah gonna worry 'bout it righ' now." She frowned, surprised that he had brought it up, "Whay? Ya already workin' 'n yers?"

He suddenly appeared nervous, "Well, The Count has requested Afternoon of a Faun." He busied his hands with making sure ice was completely surrounding his ankle.

"Yeah? Ain' seen tha' one fer a while. Always liked ta watch it though. Migh' be a good metaphor, dancers watchin' 'emselves 'n th' mirror. Dun know whay he'd wan' ta show tha' fer these folk 'less he's tryin' fer tha' message." She shrugged on her jacket, her mind already thinking of taking a nap during her break, if the twins were willing to comply.

"No, not that one. The other one. The first one." He watched for recognition on her face.

She frowned, "Wit' th' nymphs? Really... " her eyes widened, "th' very firs' one? Yanno tha's like, banned 'n lot'sa planets? Certainly wasn' 'lowed a' Hope. Yer nah gonna do tha', ar' ya? Nah, Madame's nah gonna choreograph tha'." The thoughts ran one right after the other as she gathered her things.

"I'm pretty sure that's the one. And, you know.. if, if I have to.. I was wondering if, well.. if you wouldn't playing one of the nymphs."

She frowned as he tripped over his words, "Well, sure Andy. I dun min'."

Relief broke out over his face, "I will owe you, I promise. It's just that I don't know any other women here and don't know how comfortable I'd be-"

"Wait, that nymph?" Her accent fled as her cheeks reddened, "Absolutely not."

He blushed as well, "What else do you expect me to do?"

"Tell them yer nah doin' it." She calmed down her immediate, anxious feeling before taking a deep breath, "Tha'.. if yer gonna do th' real thin', then tha's jist too sensual fer me. Sorry." And with that, she turned on her heels and left.

Regret brought her lips to a thin line as she walked with a quicker gait. She had jumped too quickly to conclusions, and had thoroughly embarrassed her closest friend on the troupe. She was already missing and aching for two family members - the last thing she wanted was more strife and unnecessary heartache. It made her drag her feet straight to her room and hoped that a nap could at least temporarily remove her from the discomfort.

Katarina Smith

Date: 2009-03-30 19:54 EST
"Andy!" Katarina quickened her steps out of the hall to try and catch up with the departing friend. Their words had been civil over the past several days, but their motions together were stiff and full of tension.

"Yes, Katarina?" His eyes flickered over to the door she had exited from, and rose a brow, "Has Madame scheduled another late rehearsal?"

"Well, nah. I jist wan'ed ta give ya yer piece fer th' extra show. I's fer th' both o' us an' a few more." She handed him a simple piece of parchment.

"But I thought....?" He frowned as he read the paper, "Dancing with Gershwin? I have never heard of it before."

"Well o' course ya haven', it jist been 'n th' paper fer a minute." She gave a sneaky smile and tapped her temple, "Madame's gonna choreograph it, an' we're gonna dance it." She paused, before adding quietly, "I though' tha' ya migh' like i' betta 'n yer firs' option."

His mouthed moved slightly, the frown still severe, but no words came out. "How were you able to change their minds?"

She rose her chin slightly, " 'm Katarina Smtih an' the prima ballerina. They dun stand a chance 'gainst me, yeah? We're gonna star' meetin' nex' week. Afta I find our ban' an' git some outside help."

"Well... wow, Rini, the premiere performance. Really, how were you able to come up with this?"

"A few hours I didn' spend sleepin', yeah?" She might have looked tired, but it was hard to determine if it was from sleep or just the rehearsal, "I'll tell ya 'bout everythin' tomorra when we're puttin' up posters."

She turned to leave, but his hand reached out to touch her shoulder, "Well, let me walk you home, at least. Thank you, for this."

"Yer welcome." Her lips curled up into a genuine smile. It was one of the only relationships she felt that could be mended immediately. Others would not be so lucky, "An' mah home.. i's differen' week ta week now a days ,yeah? Bu', ya 'lready signed yerself up fer th' job, so le's go an' I'll tell ya wha've missed."

Katarina Smith

Date: 2009-04-23 15:50 EST
"It needs to be over-the-top. I want it to be the biggest news that this city has seen, and will see, for quite some time."

Katarina paused in her walk down the hall as she picked up the Count's voice. His presence was always known within the theatre, but the dancer's rarely saw him. Katarina in particular had yet to have any encounter with the man. Brushing her small hand towel around her hairline, she appeared to be preoccupied with wiping the sweat from her brow and listened in further.

She picked up the sound of clicking money, and assumed it was a bag of coins being exchanged, "I want every available brain and set of hands on making the Great Hall something grand and relevant to Coppelia. More than whatever scraps are already set in place It needs to be ready and in the Great Hall by tomorrow. You are dismissed."

Katarina hid her face further into her towel as she watched a young woman leave the room and continue down the hall with haste in her steps. Less than a full day for a deadline, Katarina would have been running with demands like those.

She was about to start walking again with the Count stepped out of the room as well and spotted her. He was almost exactly eye level with her, with deep auburn hair that was tied at the nape of his neck and a clean goatee to fill his thin face. Not wanting to look like she had been listening in, she gave the man a warm smile and placed the towel over her shoulder, "G'aftanoon!"

"Good afternoon, Miss Smith." His stoic demanor lightened and warmed as he approached her. She noticed small creases around his eyes and mouth as he smiled, "I have not had the formal pleasure to introduce myself. Christophe Jourdian. My sincerest apologies for not meeting you sooner."

When she placed her hand in his, the other free hand eveloped hers, "Katarina. Kin't say tha' I haven' heard 'bout ya, Count. Glad ta hav' ya aboard."

"Christophe, please." He kept his hands around hers once more releasing them to return to his side, "I hope that you take some time to relax and treat your body well. I have heard the hot springs in the Southern Glen are excellent. In fact, why don't you gather the troupe and take them all down there this evening? I will make sure it is left empty for you."

"Oh, well.. geez. Yeah, tha's real shiny o' ya." She blinked as her evening had somehow been planned so smoothly, "I'll spread th' word. Thanks, Christophe."

"What else am I here for, hmm? I must attend to some business matter, but I hope to run into you more often, Miss Smith. My best wishes for your performance tomorrow, but I am most certain that you will be magnificent." He gave her a parting smile before he turning and heading down the hall in the same direction the young woman had just a few minutes before.

She watched him leave before frowning slightly and turned on her heels to return to the practice room and spread the word. She shook her head slightly, trying not to compare the man that she had overheard and the man that she had met.