Mr. Pierce stopped the music several times.
At one point, June became frustrated.
“This isn’t working,” she said.
Dani frowned.
“We just have to practice.”
“But everybody has to change what they’re doing because of me.”
Mr. Pierce approached.
“June, the choreography changes whenever we discover something that doesn’t work. That’s what rehearsals are for.”
She looked at him.
“But nobody had to change it before.”
He considered that.
“Actually, we changed the second verse last week because three students kept colliding.”
Dani laughed.
“That was us.”
June smiled reluctantly.
Mr. Pierce continued.
“We’re building one performance for everyone who’s in it. That means making it work for the whole group.”
June nodded.
They tried again.
This time, the circle widened.
Dani adjusted her starting position.
The students learned when to move forward and when to leave space for June’s turn.
The routine wasn’t identical to the original.
But it became smoother with practice.
By Thursday, June had memorized every cue.
She also knew when she might need a break.
Her parents and the school agreed that if she became fatigued during the performance, she could stop without being pressured to continue.
The goal wasn’t a flawless demonstration.
It was participation.
On the evening of the showcase, Elena and James arrived early.
