"Yeah. It's not like we have the longest careers, is it?"
Adam shook his head. There was a sad truth to it, but most dancers retired in their mid-thirties. Their bodies simply couldn't take the gruelling pressure anymore. But he would always have teaching to fall back on. He wondered what Mason would do when his career came to an end.
"Afterwards, if it's what you really want to do, you can go back to teaching for them. Or you could open up your own dance school."
"Maybewecould open up our own dance school?" Adam suggested.
Mason bobbed his head from side to side. "Maybe. I might try my hand at choreography." His dazzling blue eyes lit up as he spoke. "We could start our own dance company," he said, his eyes widening with excitement.
"Careful," Adam said. "You're about to start bouncing."
Mason laughed and did exactly that, bouncing from foot to foot gracefully.
"You're like Tigger on crack," Adam said, shaking his head. The truth was, Mason's tireless energy was one of the things he'd always loved about him.
"Tigger on crack?" Mason snorted. "We're done with photos. Want to move onto the barre work?"
"That depends."
"On what?"
"If you can stand still long enough to hold a camera steady."
"I think I can manage."
For the next half hour, Adam practised the requisite barre exercises, accepting pointers from Mason to improve his posture and form before he did them one final time for Mason to record. Then he moved onto centre work, showing the power and strength of his body as he went through the slow, controlled movements ofgrand adage. He chose to do double pirouettes after receiving encouragement from Mason. Next came jumps, both small and large. Starting from fifth position, he dipped into apliéand used that to power achangément, during which he changed his feet position over, so he landed back in fifth, with the opposite foot in front. He preferred the larger jumps, especially thegrand jetéandtours en l'air, which saw him making a complete revolution of his body in the air, as he changed foot position to land in closed fifth.
Every movement he made sent adrenaline coursing through him, making his body buzz with raw exhilaration. This was what he loved doing. Dancing. It was invigorating and freeing in a way that teaching simply couldn't compare to. Not for him, anyway. The realisation that he'd pushed his dream aside for far too long hit him like a sledgehammer to the back of the head and he almost faltered half way through a grand pas de chat. Somehow, he managed to steady himself enough to land in an arabesque.
"How was that?" he asked, as he rested his hands on his hips and leant forward to catch his breath.
"Great," Mason grinned. "I'd hire you."
"Sadly, it's not your choice."
"Sadly?" Mason asked, hitching an eyebrow. "Does that mean youdowant this?"
Adam grabbed the bottle of water he'd brought with him and took a long swig. "Yeah," he said, still breathing hard. "I do." He was aware of the feverish excitement in his voice. "I really do. Do you think I stand a chance? Be honest, Mase."
"I really do think you're in with a good chance of getting in. Do you want to look at the footage I shot? Make sure it's okay?"
Adam nodded and wandered across. They sat on the floor, watching the recording on the tiny screen.
"Wow, I'mgood," Adam breathed.
Mason jabbed him in the ribs. "And incredibly modest. When are the auditions?"
"Next month. If I get that far."
"You will," Mason said with absolute certainty. "Believe in yourself."
"Yes, boss."
"I mean it," Mason said, his voice suddenly sober. "You are good enough. Don't ever doubt that, okay?"
Adam frowned as he stared at his friend. He wasn't used to seeing Mason looking or sounding so serious. "Is everything okay?"
"Of course."
