A Ballet Education Book Collection THE SWANS OF THE LAKE CHAPTER 1-2 | Page 3

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The women went into the dressing rooms. Their tutus flipped upside down against the
backs of the chairs. Vanity lighting from every angle, and mirrors taunting them in every
direction. Francis was not at her messy, filled with makeup and hair pins, station. As
they slid on their warm-ups and leg warmers, the swans eyed each other in the mirror.
“God. It wasn’t like she didn’t notice. I mean it is kind of obvious that she has been
gaining weight,” a snarky mouse voice shrilled off.
“You are such a bitch Camilla,” Daria whipped around fast throwing a stick of eyeliner
at her.
“Don’t get makeup on the costume, you know better. Or at least, you should.” Camilla
had been in the corps de ballet for six years but hadn’t been promoted. This was her
third time doing Swan Lake with the company, and every time Swan Lake came into the
season’s repertory she was always cast as the same thing: SWAN #4. She wasn’t tall.
Her height matched her voice. Small and mousy. The door swung open. Francis was
standing in the opening while all of the swans gawked. She slowly walked down the
aisle of chairs to her station and plopped into her chair, “They said they don’t have any
bigger costumes and don’t have time to make a new bodice.”
“You will be fine. Just strap the girls down with this,” Giselle threw over an ace
bandage and then duck tape.