Читать книгу: «Rosa and the Magic Moonstone»

The group of girls crowded into the changing rooms, chattering loudly.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be doing the exam tomorrow!” Olivia said.

“I know,” replied Rebecca. “I’m really nervous.”

“I’m scared stiff,” agreed Asha.

Rosa Maitland looked at her friends in surprise. “But why?” She twirled round before sitting down and starting to untie the ribbons on her red ballet shoes. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Rosa loved dancing in front of people. She didn’t care whether it was her teacher, Madame Za-Za, an audience at a theatre or an examiner in the ballet studio. She just loved to dance!

“But what if we go wrong?” said Olivia. “What if we forget everything?” “Why would we?” Rosa said. “We’re just doing the same exercises we do every lesson for Madame Za-Za. Stop worrying about it.”

She got changed out of her leotard and after saying goodbye to Olivia and the others, she headed home. Rosa only lived around the corner. As she let herself into the house, her mum came into the hall in her wheelchair. Mrs Maitland had once been a ballerina, but then a car accident had ended her career. She still loved ballet, though, and often helped Rosa.

“How did the exam practice go?” she asked.

“Great.” Rosa smiled as she remembered. “It was cool dancing with a proper pianist playing and Madame Za-Za said I did my dances really well.”

Mrs Maitland nodded. “How about your barre work?”

“Easy peasy!” grinned Rosa. She took hold of the kitchen door handle with her left hand and raised her leg to the retiré position, bringing her right arm above her head, just like she would have to do in the exam. “Everyone else is really nervous, but I don’t know why. I’m sure we’re all going to pass.”

Her mum looked anxious. “Rosa, it’s really great you’re not worried about the exam, but remember things can go wrong. If they do you must just keep on going and not give up. Don’t expect to get everything right.”

Rosa smiled confidently. “I’ll be fine!” She danced into the kitchen. “What’s for tea, Mum?”

“Pasta,” said Mrs Maitland, following her. “Will you set the table, please, while I heat the sauce?”

Rosa nodded and started to get the cutlery out. “What mark do you think I’ll get for the exam?” she wondered.

Her mum smiled. “I don’t know, sweetheart. But so long as you try your hardest, I’ll be proud of you.”

In bed that night, Rosa ran through the exercises she was going to have to do in her exam. Madame Za-Za had explained that the girls would go in groups of four. First they would do barre work, like they did every week in class, then they would go into the centre of the studio and do some more exercises there. After that they would take it in turns to do a set dance and then they had character work to do. Rosa had practised over and over again. What mark would she get? The highest grade you could get was an A, which was also called distinction, and then it went B for merit, C for pass and if you didn’t get any of those you failed. She really hoped she would do well.

She reached out to turn her bedside light off. As she did so, her eyes fell on the red ballet shoes hanging at the end of her bed. She smiled. They were her most precious things in the whole world. They were made of soft red leather and fitted her feet perfectly, but that wasn’t why they were so special. They were special because they were magic! Sometimes they would start to sparkle and glow and then they would whisk her off to Enchantia, a magic land where all the characters from the different ballets lived. Rosa had been on some brilliant adventures there already. She had met the King and Queen, made friends with a fairy called Nutmeg and her older sister, Sugar, the Sugar Plum Fairy. She had come up against some pretty horrible characters too – like King Rat and the Wicked Fairy. But most of the people who lived in Enchantia were really nice.

Rosa snuggled down under her duvet. She bet no one in Enchantia had to do exams. When would she go there again? She hugged her arms around herself. She hoped it would be soon!

In the morning, Rosa arrived at the ballet school early. She got changed into her leotard and smoothed her wavy blonde hair back into a neat bun. She was beginning to feel slightly nervous. She was ready before the other girls arrived, warming up by doing pliés, holding lightly on to one of the sinks as if it was the barre.

“Hi,” Olivia called over. Her face was pale and her eyes looked wide and frightened. Rosa saw her fingers shaking as she started to pull down the zip on her coat.

“It’ll be OK,” Rosa told her. She stretched her left foot out in front of her and lifted it quickly upwards as she practised a grande battement.

Back still, knees tight… the things to remember ran through her head as she lowered her foot slowly to the floor.

“I feel like I’m going to be sick,” said Olivia.

“Me too,” said Rebecca, sitting down beside her.

“And me,” said Asha, looking alarmed. “What happens if we are sick in the exam?”

As she spoke the door opened and Madame Za-Za came in. As usual, the ballet teacher was wearing a long ballet skirt, bangles and necklaces. Her greying hair was tied back in a bun. She caught Asha’s words. “You will not be sick, Asha,” she said in her slight Russian accent. She smiled. “You will go into the exam room and perform your very best. I am sure all of you are going to make me proud. Now, when you’re ready, please come to studio two and start to warm up.”