Tendu, Plie, Regulus Black.
I've been in this town so long that back in the city
i've been taken for lost and gone
and unknown for a long long time
Fell in love years ago
with an innocent girl
from the spanish and indian home
home of the heroes and villains
James would be lying if he said that he wasn't excited, at least a little bit.
On Tuesday he visited Euphemia, who heard the news from Sirius. She and Fleamont were just as glad as everyone else.
“Oh James, I always wanted to do ballet when I was little but mum never put me in lessons! I'm sure you’ll do great with those big strong legs of yours!” was all that Euphemia had to say.
“I don't know what to think, it's a bit late to start now don't you reckon? And trust me when I say if you go now you won’t want to stop after just a year” Fleamont had always been very…rational.
”Oh come on, you know I'm doing it as a joke! I don't even like ballet, there's no way I'm going to want to stay! I'm sure I'll hate it…did padfoot even show you the thong they make us wear? It's terrible!” He tried to defend himself, but deep down James had a feeling ballet will be an enjoyable way to spend his time.
When he wasn't working (which was often, given he just edits books for some of the most well known authors out there) James started to do some research about ballet. He found out about different shows like Don Quixote (he read the book, but had no idea there was a ballet!) or Giselle and La fille mal gardée. It all looked very interesting and easy, but all the dancers were so muscular and flexible, he could tell it was all just a facade.
James even considered learning some moves, but he didn't want to do anything wrong, so he decided to wait until Wednesday, which arrived slowly.
He woke up first thing in the morning, earlier than he used to wake up when he had a first period test! For breakfast James ate some overnight oats with fruit and avocado, being influenced by all the “what i eat in a day as a ballet dancer” videos he watched. He expected his morning routine to take long but he found himself awake at eight in the morning with nothing to do, so Prongs kept himself busy.
He started by picking out his outfit (and making a big pile of clothes in his bedroom). James settled for a black pair of leggings wich he usually wore to the gym and a T-shirt with The Beatles on it. He packed a small bag, added his flats and a water bottle, and laid out everything nice on the bed. Afterwards he took a picture and sent it to Mary:
First day of dancing I guess…
Hah! So excited! Send me pictures okay?
James tried hard to let the time pass quicker. He did some extra work, corrected 4 more chapters than he originally planned, then he took the time to actually cook his lunch, and instead of eating it like a starved pilgrim he actually minded table manners.
After some long dreadful hours it was now 4 o'clock, and it was time for James to start getting ready
He saw dancers slick their hair back slightly with a bit of gel, so that's what he decided to do. Unfortunately for James his hair had other plans, never wanting to stay in place (as usual). In the end he just tied the front pieces with an elastic in the back so it wouldn't get in his eyes and assumed it was…decent.
Up next was getting dressed: instead of the usual underwear he used the dance belt, then put on the pair of black leggings he had laid out earlier. He didn't want to admit it, but the outfit actually looked decent. James recently discovered that dancers actually have really good style- he enjoyed it.
Prongs left his flat at exactly 5pm. Does he live far from the Royal Ballet? Nope. But the weather was nice so he figured waiting outside would not be too bad.
He arrived earlier than everyone and talked to the lady at the front desk, who showed him around. The practice room was huge, with 2 big mirrors that made you look a bit bigger than you actually were and bars were hanging up on every wall. James left his bag in a corner and put on his flats.
Soon others started to swarm in. James was delighted to find out that he is not the only guy in the class when a tall man walked in with his wife (James chatted with them before class and found out their names are Frank and Alice Longbottom, who got the membership as a wedding present)
The door opened and their teacher entered the room. James didn't really look at who it was, but his eyes were instantly drawn to their body. It was muscular- but not like Jameses- it looked like someone sucked all of the fat out and only left the muscle tissue hanging on the bones. They were very defined and his calves looked sharp- like they would cut anything that touched them. Just then, their teacher introduced himself:
“Hello everyone its nice to see you, my name is Regulus Arcturus Black, I will be the instructor for this class”
Regulus? As in Sirius’ Regulus? James thought. He panicked, his heartbeat getting faster and faster- what would Sirius say? Can he break out of the dare?
Soon enough he made a decision: James would enjoy the class, he will learn whatever Regulus will teach and he will talk to him- maybe. Then back at his flat he will call Sirius and announce an emergency meeting regarding the dare. Easy enough.
“To start I will explain how the average ballet class functions, along with the goals I would like all of you to achieve sooner or later” Regulus spoke with a very professional tone. “Please pay attention to my feet. This is first position, bring your heels together and use your hip flexors to turn your leg out. Some of you might be able to turn out more than others. You should be aiming for 180 degrees. Now you do it, to start keep your hands on your hips, i want us to focus on your legs today.”
James tried, really tried to open his legs as much as Regulus but he wasn't really able to. He wobbled around a bit trying to balance while Regulus walked around to give everyone corrections.
“Pretty nicely done James, it's nice to see you here. Straighten your knees more they are supposed to touch, oh and you have to really squeeze your glutes. Yes like that but keep your back straight please and shoulders down” Regulus corrected him while slightly touching his shoulders and hips to arrange everything. Once he left James had a lot of trouble maintaining the position. It was a lot more difficult than he anticipated.
“Okay everyone eyes on me. From first position we will switch to second with a battement tendu. Now focus on my leg, your toes are supposed to go through demi pointe during the tendu and then straighten. Everyone stay in first position while i come and watch you switch.”
This time James had to wait a bit longer, but Regulus came around with even more corrections then last time:
“Don’t be relaxed, straighten your knees more, okay now battement. Er no not quite let's try again” James did try “keep your heel open, you have to turn out, use your muscles. Yes, now go through demi pointe, don't just straighten right up.” Regulus had a lot to say and adjust, he crouched down and touched his toes and eventually James understood second position.
“Okay everyone, we will skip third since it's not relevant for us right now. Fourth position. We will do a rond de jambe and put the right leg in front of us. Same deal- keep it open, go through demi pointe. Heels up front. If any of you have hip problems, don't try to force it too much, it will hurt.”
James got more corrections yet again:
“Don't move your hips during the rond de jame. Yes now when you settle the leg in front of you try to open the heel during the demi pointe. Do a slight plie if you can't without it. Shoulders down James, be mindful of your whole body.”
James was sweating, ballet is hard. They didn't even do that many things but there were so many tiny details involved he just couldn’t grasp it.
“Now for fifth position, move your weight on the back leg and battement tendu to close fifth. Your heel has to touch your big toe.”
“Nicely done James! I'm glad you payed attention to my corrections.” Regulus said. James was glad he was getting praised, he had always been good at everything.
“Okay everyone now time for the hand positions. For your palms, try to hold them like this: middle finger slightly in, with your pointer and pinky on the same level and your thumb tucked in. Now, while keeping your shoulders down follow me: this is bras bas, now first, second, third, fourth and fifth. I trust you will remember this for next class. Starting Friday we will do simple barre exercises, then center and finish with pirouettes and jumps. Now, before you leave I need all of your phone numbers to make a group, I will be texting all of you every once in a while. “ Regulus announced.
James was surprised with the amount of studying he had to do for such a sport but nevertheless he waited in line, and gave Regulus his number.
“How come you started ballet hm? Sirius never described you as that type of guy.” he asked
“Well- you remembered those dares we started doing in highschool? They're still a thing.” James said, sort of embarrassed.
“So i'll only be seeing you around for a year then?”
“Er..yeah i guess”
As soon as James left he texted everyone:
Meet me at my flat and bring the rulebook! We have an issue.
He could only hope Sirius wouldn’t react too badly.