Free Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black Page B

wearing a pair of dark jeans, a black V-neck shirt, and a wool scarf, which Vanessa guessed was the extent of his formal attire. As he approached, he yanked off his scarf, his face drawn into a scowl.
    “I trust you all enjoyed the show,” he said, sounding almost angry. “But not too much, for in just four years, many of you will be competing with those same dancers for their roles.” He gestured over the balcony. “I hope you were paying attention.”
    The mood grew solemn as they stared at the theater—its marble columns and vaulted ceilings seeming all the more magnificent without an audience. The drawn curtains and abandoned music stands in the orchestra pit sent a chill downVanessa’s skin as she realized she could be looking into her future: The musicians would tune their instruments, the curtains would pull back, and the spotlight would find Vanessa alone on the stage. And as the music started, a male dancer would appear in the wings … That had always been Margaret’s dream, not hers, but perhaps all of this could belong to her too.
    “
Bon
,” Josef said, interrupting her reverie. “Let’s head backstage.”
    They followed Josef downstairs, through a narrow white corridor that led to the dressing rooms. The hallway was bustling with people—stagehands balancing tall stacks of costumes, assistants carrying food and water, and dancers, their faces thick with makeup.
    They all seemed to know Josef. He whispered something in one girl’s ear, and she waved everyone to the back, where a group was gathered around the male lead and the principal ballerina.
    “Dmitri,” Josef said to the male dancer with a little bow. “Beautiful work.”
    Dmitri gave him a stiff nod. “The dancers were a beat off in the closing scene,” he said in a Russian accent. “But I think I pulled it together.”
    “The prince of the show, as always,” Josef said. His smile faded when he turned to the ballerina. “And Helen.”
    She gazed at him nervously, but instead of congratulating her, Josef turned his cheek. “You’ve shown us how important it is to keep learning,” he said, his voice cold.
    Steffie nudged Vanessa. “Oh snap,” Blaine said under hisbreath. TJ let out a muffled laugh, eyes gleaming at the drama.
    Josef betrayed the slightest hint of irritation, but quickly smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Et voilà, Helen le magnifique,”
he said, with a bite of sarcasm. “And a graduate of the New York Ballet Academy, no less. How long ago was it, just two years?” Josef gave her a level gaze, as if challenging her, but her eyes were trained on the ground. “Well,” Josef said, clasping his hands together, “as was probably obvious to everyone in the audience, Helen had a rough night.”
    Helen’s eyes met Vanessa’s by chance, and she seemed startled, as if Vanessa looked familiar. Suddenly she turned and stormed down the hall, slamming her dressing-room door behind her.
    An uneasy silence ensued. Three girls started whispering near the back, and a few older boys chuckled. Even Zep looked uncomfortable as he stood near Josef, his face half-obscured by the shadows.
    Josef turned to the group of students. “
Bon
, who has questions for Dmitri?”
    Blaine raised his hand. “Who was your idol growing up?”
    Dmitri scoffed. “I didn’t need one,” he said. “I was my own idol.”
    A sophomore girl wearing a puffy feather dress raised her hand. “Who is your favorite dance partner?” she asked.
    Dmitri rolled his eyes. “I prefer to dance alone. Less complications.”
    “How do you keep that great shape?” Blaine blurted out.
    Unable to control herself, TJ snorted, making half the room break up in laughter.
    “I don’t know what you mean. I have always been this shape,” Dmitri said.
    As the questioning went on, Vanessa noticed a few students leaving. Steffie nodded, shot a glance at TJ and Blaine, and together they ducked behind the crowd and snuck down the hall.
    Unsure whether Josef would