Chapter 5 – getting into shape - Troupes and Artists

Brooke relaxed as the curl and extension repetitions she’d been doing became onerous after the cardio workout. They were strengthening her upper thigh muscles and the lap down repetitions she alternated between were building the muscles in her back.

It was hard going and while she was making a good recovery, she still needed to conserve her energy so as to get up to full capacity.


She’d been using the studio gym for the past week after Wanda had booked her in on the final day of the final week to attend her audition.

Wanda had done this to give her full advantage of not only making a complete recovery but to have time to build her fitness before the call-out.

She shivered when recalling her shock when Wanda spoke of his tour. The past weeks came flooding back to her. She had not heard the song since…that holiday break. After all there was no reason ….until now.

She stopped momentarily as the gym’s door opened and a female entered and walked towards her. Brooke knew it was a dancer, the way she held her body and moved gracefully across the room. She stopped near Brooke and greeted her with a friendly hi.

‘Good to see you’re hitting the gym, Brooke,’ said the young woman. She smiled and said, ‘My name is Ginia, I was here when you were brought in.

There was confusion as to who you were, but I knew you, I recognised you from the Grand Shell Tour.’ She paused and continued, ‘You were great, a great Lead….I told Wanda you were a dancer. The couple who brought you, gave me your bracelet with the inscription on it, so I verified your identity.’

Brooke smiled and said, ‘Thank you. I think maybe you....and the couple...saved me........….’

‘Yes,’ said Ginia. ‘You were disoriented. We gave you water and put you to bed. We checked on you, hydrated you and took you to the bathroom but otherwise you slept for days.’

Silence filled the space in the conversation as Brooke reflected on the kindness of strangers.

Ginia paused before continuing, ‘aahh, Brooke, what happened to you out there…..?’

Brooke breathed in and exhaled slowly, ‘I remember I had dropped two dancers off at the three-ways and was travelling north. His song came on….and I…that’s all I recall..the next thing I know, I find myself in a bed… here…’

Ginia paused before replying, ‘You’ve…you’ve done well to, well you know be here..’

Brooke started again on the repetitions while talking with Ginia, ‘Yes, I know…I’m ok…just need to keep going…’

Ginia replied, ‘Well Brooke, let me help you. Have you thought about the audition, usually they’re only around 3 minutes. The studio is free this week, we can meet and together work out a routine.’

Ginia hesitated before continuing, ‘You need a Lucky Break, Brooke, the hell you’ve been through, you deserve….one.’

With that Ginia smiled, turned around and walked towards the exit of the gym.

 



Belle Stars - The clapping song 1982

 

Chapter 4 – Starting out on the road .....again - Troupes and Artists

Brooke walked down a wide and curvy staircase and entered a large and sunny room which opened up onto an outdoor's area where she found Wanda with others sitting beside a pool where the sun's rays hit the water and sent shimmers of light across its surface.

Brooke embraced the morning air, dressed lightly, the warmth in the sun's rays helped to relax her as did the tropical gardens surrounding the outdoor's room and lagoon style pool.

While not a gardener, Brooke recognised many exotics in the gardens which too grew well in Australia such as dahlia's, gladioli's and spider lillies. There were palm trees, which were not familiar to Brooke, coming from a dry and hot climate, rather than sub-tropical  and a multitude of evergreens which framed the lush, green grounds and bordered the pool's edge on one side.

The effect the sub-tropical environment had on Brooke pre-empted Wanda's welcoming gesture as she motioned Brooke to a chair. While nervous anticipation still niggled at Brooke, it abated as Wanda poured her a cup of tea.

Brooke accepted and settled in as a morning worker asked her if she’d like eggs and extras. Brooke thanked her and nodded.

Brooke returned Wanda’s smile and looked around the eclectic group. Brooke did not know then, there too were transgender dancers in the mix.

‘Brooke,’ said Wanda. ‘Please meet some of our dancers. We are about to launch an 8 week show and this is a pre-celebration to get everyone into the groove so we can shine.’

Brooke nodded and acknowledged the huge pool of talented dancers surrounding her. They stared back at her impassively before returning to their conversations.

Brooke’s breakfast arrived. She ate quietly while the group chattered until Wanda spoke, ‘Brooke, now that you are feeling better, you can return home.’

There was silence except for the laughter of the dancers, bonding over shared passions as they got ready to spend 8 weeks together on the road.

Brooke spoke bit by bit, ‘Wanda……before the accident, I was awaiting news of ….. an audition. I haven’t heard…. . '  She paused and then continued.

'I was sharing with two others who had a lease on an apartment. They were working locally and I then toured for 3 months but held onto my room. I've been awaiting the news....about the audition, so I was planning to sell my car, regardless..and if not successful....return to Australia.’

Wanda reflected on this then spoke gently, ‘Brooke, there was no car with you, only your bag on the side of the highway when you were found. If what you say is true, then your car may have been taken, perhaps stolen….’

She looked at Brooke thoughtfully and continued, 'I believe if you had been successful with the audition you would have heard. You have been through trauma, Brooke and you need to go home, be with family and recover..’  

Brooke chose her words carefully and replied, 'I’ve now changed my mind…..I want to stay.….’

Wanda reflected upon this and quietly replied, ‘Brooke, you can stay a short while, another week…..at the most....’

Suddenly, the laughter of the dancers erupted as one got up from the group and dived into the pool. There were screams and commotion as music from a phone broke the morning’s tranquility and the group burst into spontaneous dance around the pool’s edge.

Pseduo Echo-Funky Town by Adis




Wanda laughed at their exuberance and led Brooke inside. She  commented, ‘Let them go, it’s great to see them blow off steam, good for the group and good for the show…’

She motioned to Brooke to sit down on one of the conversational sofas inside the palatial home. The din from the music and screams of the dancers as they pushed one another into the pool rang out loudly from inside.


Wanda got up and pulled the sliding French Doors closed and returned to the conversation.

‘Is there someone I can call? ‘What about the Director of the Troupe, surely he will need to know what happened – maybe he can help and your family, they will want to know you are safe?’

Words tumbled out of Brooke. ‘There’s no point, Frances has returned. Of course he is supportive and my family too but they don’t understand... my Life, what I do ….what I want...’

 Wanda asked, ‘Brooke…what do you want…?’

Brooke replied softly, ‘I want to stay, I want to stay here, find work….I dance, that’s all I know to do…’

Wanda sighed and paused before speaking, ‘Ok, I’ll tell you this. Cinpre is touring across the USA. His people are one of many who choose our dancers. There are auditions in 10 days. I’m happy for you to stay and try out. If you’re successful, we’ll sponsor you. If not..... then Brooke,’ and Wanda was steady in her gaze as she spoke, ‘you will need to fly home…’

Chapter 3 – The Beginnings of the Dream –Troupes and Artists

Brooke opened her eyes. Her focus rested on a painting on the adjacent wall. It spanned 3 metres and its song lines were expressed in shades of blue, where sky meets ocean and blends with wide, white brush strokes bringing to Life specks of foamy spray as if themselves dancing frozen in time on the open seas.

Seagulls flew above rolling waves, as a boat and sailor both eternalised on a wave’s crest, faced outwards as the sailor, grasped the boat's rudder, staring out towards the horizon.

As her gaze moved over the seascape she felt herself almost afloat on the wave’s crest. She felt safe and suddenly conscious of the steady rise and fall of her chest along with a gradual awareness of her surroundings.

Brooke found herself in a large bed underneath a feather-down pink and blue doona between white sheets. She was plumped up by pillows and clothed in bed clothes she did not recognise.

While disoriented in the unfamiliar surroundings, she did not feel afraid. As she raised herself into an upright position, a female entered. ‘Hello Brooke’, she said.  ‘It’s nice to see you’re awake’.

The woman was carrying a tray of cutlery, including a tea pot, which she put on a table and sat at the end of the bed. After a while, she spoke.

‘You are probably wondering why you are here and who I am.’ She paused for a moment before continuing. ‘My name is Wanda, I am the Director at the Florida Dance Academy. You were found on the side of the highway. No-one knew who you were. The couple who found you saw your bracelet and the Grand Shell Tour imprinted on it, so they brought you to our studio.’

She paused, ‘You were conscious but disoriented when you arrived. We asked who you were and you told us you danced.

Ginia, one of our dancers told us she recognised you as the Lead from the Grand Shell Tour. I decided to help and brought you to my home.’

There was silence as Brooke processed Wanda’s words. Flashes came back to her and she asked Wanda about the figure she had seen.

Wanda waited a few moments before speaking. ‘Brooke,’ she said, ‘Brooke, I don’t know if you remember a doctor seeing you. He is our GP and he spoke with you.’

She hesitated before continuing, ‘He considers you may have been given hallucinogens.’

Brooke cried. She wasn’t sure what that meant but to her it sounded awful, awful and scary. ‘How’ she said, not really expecting an answer.

Wanda replied, carefully choosing her words.

‘He thinks, at least once, maybe twice. Your behaviour and actions are consistent with this.’

‘How,’ Brooke cried out again, and then ‘Why.’

Again she didn’t expect any answers, yet Wanda offered them to her anyway.

‘There are many reasons, Brooke. We can only speculate. Maybe envy, maybe just plain spite or….just a joke? We can’t say. What we do know, though is you are making a good recovery and in a few days you will be well enough to travel. You need to return home, Brooke, be with your people and in familiar surroundings.’

Brooke, sobbed and cried. Wanda stood up and said, ‘I am going to give you time alone. Of course, think about what has happened but try not to dwell on it. When you feel able get up, get dressed, do whatever you need to do and then you are welcome to join us downstairs.’

With that she left the room and closed the door. Brooke sat up in the bed and sobbed. All she had accomplished and worked for flashed before her. While Wanda said not to dwell on her situation, dwell she did.

Her mind revisited the end of party celebrations and the pre and post coast trip. Her mind drifted to Mason and Mia and how they’d given her what she thought was wine on two occasions, once before the coast and once during the coast break. She thought at the time their actions were odd, the way they watched her as she drank, sat close to her, encouraging her to cut loose and enjoy herself.

She remembered how they’d watched her drive off at the three-ways and the odd sensations she’d experienced as she watched them disappear around a bend.

She was upset and got up to dissipate her distress. She wandered around the room and saw her bag on the chair. She picked it up, unzipped it and pulled out familiar clothing. Seeing a door at the end of the room, Brooke wondered if it was the bathroom. Walking towards it she opened it up to see that it was an ensuite.

She entered and threw her clothing on the vanity. There was sachets of toiletries. She shook her head and silently thanked Wanda ……and for that couple who had stopped…….

She relieved herself and turned on the shower. As she undressed and stepped into the recess, she welcomed the warm water upon her face and as it ran over her body. She washed and scrubbed, as if to wash away the strong emotions she was experiencing as she recalled her ordeal and wondered if it was the deliberate actions of……of Mason and Mia??? that caused such deadly circumstances……..

The warm soapy water was therapeutic as Brooke lifted her face to the shower rose. Closing her eyes she embraced the jets as they danced lightly on her skin and ran down her décolletage and in the valley of her cleavage.

For some reason she remembered her dance coach, who many years ago had said to her, ‘Brooke, resilience overcomes setbacks.’

As the water flowed over her body, Brooke softly mouthed the words for a few moments. After a while she opened her eyes and shut off the taps. She stepped out of the shower and reached for a thick towel.

It was at that moment she knew it would be revealed if indeed resilience truly did overcome setbacks. With that she dressed and joined the rest downstairs.

Chapter 2 - a new Life - Troupes and Artists

It had been a great break and Brooke had sought comfort with her fellow dancers. It gave her solace to have people she knew and trusted and it stopped her from fretting about whether that experience was real.

The partying, laughter and dancing was a good distraction. She almost raised it, what had happened on the highway. The timing, though was never right and because it was such a fantastic story, Brooke knew it was pointless to even begin to speak about it.

Instead, she smiled brightly as the group danced and partied well into the balmy nights, unleashing months of discipline and built-up tension in freeing and unbridled celebrations. Bodies moved and swayed rhythmically with such sweaty intensity, the occasions became wild and highly-charged.

The days were just as playful. They swam and danced on the sand and in the surf and returned to the beach house to eat and sleep in hammocks which swayed in the light breeze. A breeze so gentle, it ruffled loose hair and danced across scantily clad bodies. The Troupe replenished mind and body and any signs of low spirits were quickly dismissed and replaced by laughter, gaiety and flutes of sparkling wine.

Brooke slept fitfully. She saw shadows which weren’t there and ruminated over the figure she was convinced had stepped out in front of her car only days before. Restless she moved and willed the weekend to end so she could return home and as if by some miracle erase the event from her memory.

Brooke joined in on the final night’s celebrations before they’d all pack up and return to their homes. The effects of the flute of sparkling wine someone had handed her freed her and she swayed rhythmically to the music blasting out from the boom box in the corner of the room until it abruptly stopped as another CD whirled to Life. From the first instrumental note, Brooke instantly recognised it and knew it as that track from her own collection, # 18.

She closed her eyes as all the years of training, the year’s success, and the image of the shadowy figure and the sparkling wine all welled up from within her. Brooke yielded to the moment. She danced to the vibrations of the acoustic piece and saw a sea of faces before her. She  moved lightly, unaware space had opened up around her and she used it completely.

She danced as she had never danced before and became that Artist she had only ever dreamed she could be, moving as if to interact with the sea of faces and intoxicated by their presence. She was unaware the song had ended and it was only when the group hugged her that she bounced back from the surreal, impromptu moment. She smiled and gaily joined in the celebrations. More dance music blasted out of the corner and the party continued on into the night.

Brooke felt surprisingly good as she awoke the following day. The Troupe were all leaving and heading to their homes. She was dropping Mason and Mia at the half-way point where she’d then continue on her way. The break had been great. She said her farewells and promised to keep in touch. Some she would meet again and others would move away, maybe leave their first love and build new Lives in other careers. Brooke was waiting to hear news of a Lead role herself but other than that, she felt free and it felt good.

The drive up from the beach house had been easy. As she dropped Mason and Mia at the Three Ways she felt a strange twinge as if unsure when she’d see them again. She dismissed it and smiled brightly telling them to keep in touch and to know they’d be bound to bump into one another again.

With that she got back in the car and drove away. She looked back in her rear vision mirror and the pair continued to watch her as she accelerated into the distance. She waved and they responded with a quick flip of their hands and kept watching until they disappeared from her view as she rounded a bend in the road.

As she reached the open highway, Brooke relaxed and smiled. Despite everything, the break had been just what she had needed and she idly switched the dials looking for a song to enjoy on the final leg of her journey. As she turned her full attention back to the highway she was unaware she’d landed on that song, # 18 until it erupted inside the cabin.

As the familiar melody of # 18 came to Life, once again Brooke yielded to her Love of Dance and Music as the beat of the song connected her on three levels and she irresistibly moved to its rhythm.

As it rose and fell in a well-known pattern it took Brooke on a journey of Dreams, Desire and Passion. Once again trees and grassland flashed past on her peripheral vision as the rhythms of the song and her love of Dance and Music transcended her into another reality.

As she approached the familiar line of eucalyptus trees on the side of the highway where she had passed only days earlier, the shadowy figure appeared. It was almost as if it had been waiting for her as it moved onto the road. Brooke once more slowed but this time more expectant as if all along anticipating this second meeting.

As he moved into the path of her car, she stopped. Once again all that pervaded the moment was the chorus in the track and the idling of the engine. They faced one another and silently Brooke got out of her car and walked toward him. She stopped short....and waited.

As his song continued to play from her car's stereo, he extended his hand and Brooke stepped his way and connected hers with his. In an instant her feet gave away and she moved with him through a maze of nothingness tumbling and turning and turning and tumbling in a slipstream of silent confusion.

He moved and fell with her but he was calm and comforting, so she clung to him and together they spun through a timeless landscape and her unease subsided as she leant on him and accepted this new reality until exhaustion overcame her and she drifted into a void of ….nothingness.