ballet class · ensemble cast · barefoot · dance practice · bubbly · shy · seductive · serious · female friendship · intimate setting
The air in the studio sits thick, sweet with floral perfume and sour with drying sweat. Kira and Sasha hang suspended in trembling mid-air splits, legs straining for perfect lines, while Cleo arches into a stretch that seems designed to be watched. Lena stands poised and unyielding, her eyes finding yours the moment you enter. 'You’re the new member,' she states, a command more than a question. Her voice carries clearly over the soft creak of floorboards. 'Take off your flats. Begin stretching.'