³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Well here I am at a dance class I can't say that I am entirely happy about it but I suppose it gives me a chance to get out of the house and meet new people. Although by the look of the people here I am not sure that I do want to get to know them. Ok, I feel a little better now I have seen someone that I do know; even if it is the teacher.

'Right, we have a few more people here than I expected. So let's see before we pair you up, who's taken part in dancing lessons before?'
A few eager hands shoot up, you know those snooty nosed people who think that they are better than everyone else.
'Well those of you who have done dancing lessons before; have you ever taken part in ballroom dancing?'
Yes, that's right I am at a ballroom class; don't worry it's not full of old people its class especially for young people aged 14- 25. Oh I better say who I am hadn't I. My name is Lucia and I am 16 and I am quite shy, my mum wanted me to socialise more so I have ended up t this here dance class.

'Right that's no one then! So let's see about pairing you up. It will be better if you know each other a little bit, because of course in ballroom dancing especially you need to be comfortable with the person that you are dancing with as you will be spending a lot of time to together even outside class hours'
A few gushes and embarrassed faces flash around the room as people look at their possible partners. Well this should be fun because I can't exactly seen many people that I know; not of the male kind anyway.

'Gracie and Mattie, you two are friends; Georgina and Lucas; Leanne and Mike, Daisy and Jon; Ruth and James; Laura and Peter; Sophie and Greg; Kathy you go with Dave. Right who are we left with then? Get together in your pairs so that I can see who we have left'
All those who have partners shift along the room to stand with them some looking eager some looking as if they regretted coming here and wished that the could make a sharp exit. Those who had come along and were going out together, well they were in their element being paired up with each other. I hate the way that they go all cuddly in front of you, its enough to make you sick!

'Right do any of you know each other?'
We shake our heads as we turn to look at each other wondering what is going to happen next and who is going to end up with who.
'Oh dear I see we have a problem, we have 2 boys left and 3 girls. Right well I think we will have Mary with Jack and''
The door opens at the other end of the room, everyone turns around to see who it is and then gets disappointed when they see it's only someone who has come to join in the dance class and they all turn away and continue talking to one another. That is everyone except me, that's because the person that has just walked in is Charley the lad that I have been crushing on for practically a year now. He also happens to be Mr Lacing's (the dance teacher's) son. However I must tell you that Charley has never done any dancing in his life as he has never shown any interest in it, much to his father's disappointment.

'What do you want? You know that I can't give you a lift home I have just started up this ballroom class. I will be here for the next 2 hours; you will have to get the bus!'
'I haven't come for a lift home; I have come to join in the ballroom class'
'Is this a wind up, why the sudden interest in dancing. You have always turned you nose up at it before!'
'I know dad but something changed my mind'
'Well it's a good job that you have turned up because we need some more men around here, we are short of them'
'Hi Lucia, are you here for the dance class as well?'
'Yes, well I thought I would come along, just to see what it was like and all that'
'Same here, Lucia do you have a partner yet?'
'No I have been left to the very end, no one wanted me'
'Well then it is a good job that I turned up'

Mr Lacing jumps back in. 'Well that's settled then Lucia and Charley you pair up and that leaves Joni with Alex. I will give you 10 minutes to get to know one another now and one more thing before you go off to talk to one another; these partnerships will be permanent now so whoever you are with now will be your partner for the whole run of the course and whatever competitions you may enter through doing this course. So off you go, find a seat and get to know each other.'

Charley, I am paired up with Charley. I can't believe it this must be one of the best days of my life and I hope that this is the start of many more to come. So here is my chance to get to know him and I haven't got a clue what to say to him, but that's okay because he looks like he's going to speak to me first.

'Well, shall I start with what I do know about you?'
'You know thinks about me already?'
'Yes, your name is Lucia, your 16; you have a younger sister called Amelia who is 3. Your parents separated when you were 11 years old and now you live with you mum. Your best friends are called Gina and Rose, Rose being my sister. You attend the youth group at St Augustine's one every week and your main hobbies are painting and designing clothes, you are quite shy but once people get to know you then you come out o your shell and you a really chatty person.'
'Wow you know your stuff don't you, when did you find out all that?'
'Let's just say I happen to find you quite interesting'
Interesting, interesting I good, I think
'Okay then Charley it's my turn now! Right your name is Charley Lacing, you are 19. You have 2 younger sisters Rose aged 13 and Sara 2, you have a younger brother Jamie aged 16 and an older sister called Allie who is 21. Your whole family is into working in the theatre and you have never shown much interest in it but it seems that all that has changed now, on the dancing front that is anyway! From what I have see, you are not that loud and quite reserved, can be stubborn at times (I had to add that in been as Rose told me), but I feel that once you have gained someone's trust then you are very loyal friend to have'
'Quite the analytical one aren't you? So I have one question for you, why have you suddenly decided to start ballroom lessons?'
'Well I suppose that I wanted to start because I wanted to meet new people, sort of get out of the house more. I used to do ballet and tap dancing until I was about 5, then I gave it up because I wasn't very good at it. I guess that there has been all this hype about ballroom dancing and I was curious about it so I have come here. I knew that your Dad was going to start a ballroom class so I thought I would come just to get a taster of it. I didn't know you were coming though! So why are you here?'
'Well I suppose that it's kind of like you, I used to dance when I was little because my mum made me, but I wasn't all that good, a bit too shy to tell you the truth; so I gave it all up. Also with Jamie getting all that attention, I suppose it made me think that I should try and give it a go again. I sometimes feel that people just over look me because Jamie has marked his place in history, I think they see me as just that older brother, I want to show them that I am somebody'
'But people do see you as somebody; you don't need to prove yourself to anybody! You just need to open your eyes and see all these people around you that care about you, they see you as somebody!'
'I don't know so much, I sometimes think that people well they just don't care'
'Oh they do, I could name lots of people'
'Okay name one person that isn't a member of my family that cares about me'
Here is your chance Lucia,
'I do, I care about you'
'Not really though do you are just saying that, I mean as a friend of course, but all lads my age they have had loads of girlfriends by now, no one would ever look at me twice! Never'
'Oh I don't know so much''

At this point Mr Lacing appears again.
'Right now that we have all got to know each other, lets get on with the dancing!'