Free The Cinderella Ballet Mystery by Carolyn Keene Page B

“I mean, I feel really bad for Autumn. But I’m really glad I get to be Cinderella. And I already know all the dances!”
    A boy named Rich who was sitting next to Andrea gave her a high five. Other kids congratulated her too.
    Just then a pink ballet slipper came flying through the air. It hit the mirrored wall and fell to the ground.
    Nancy recognized Nadine’s shoe.
    â€œThat’s not fair!” Nadine cried out.

CHAPTER TWO
Slippery Slippers
    Nancy stared at Nadine. Mr. McGuire had just named Andrea to be the new Cinderella. And Nadine wasn’t taking it very well.
    Why does Nadine always have to be such a drama queen? Nancy thought.
    â€œMs. Nardo, we don’t throw shoes in the studio!” Mr. McGuire scolded her.
    â€œIt … was an accident,” Nadine stammered.
    â€œYeah, right,” Bess whispered to Nancy and George. “A likely story.”
    â€œBesides, why does Andrea get to be the new Cinderella?” Nadine went on. “ I should be the new Cinderella!”
    Nadine had tried out for the part of Cinderellalast month along with Autumn and Andrea. After the audition, Mr. McGuire had picked Autumn. Afterward, he had taken a long time to choose between Andrea and Nadine to be Autumn’s understudy. In the end, he had gone with Andrea and made Nadine one of the mice instead.
    â€œAndrea is my choice and that’s final,” Mr. McGuire said firmly to Nadine. “Now, let’s get started with the rehearsal. First we’ll run through the beginning of the ballroom scene….”
    â€œHmph,” Nadine protested. She didn’t say anything more.
    The students scrambled to their feet and took their places. Nancy was one of the dancers at the prince’s ball, along with Nadine. As the fairy godmother, Bess was not in the scene. George, playing the wicked stepmother, would not be in the scene until later.
    Mr. McGuire started playing the music on the CD player. Nancy’s heart began racing. The music was so elegant and regal. She couldalmost imagine that she was at a royal ball in a beautiful castle in some faraway kingdom. She wondered what sort of pretty ball gown she would get to wear for this scene. Would it be purple, her favorite color? Or maybe blue?
    â€œFirst position,” Mr. McGuire called out. All the dancers put their heels together with their toes pointed out to the sides. They held their arms curved out in front.
    â€œ Tendu left and glissade stage right,” Mr. McGuire said.
    Nancy had finally gotten used to hearing the ballet steps called out in French. To do the tendu , she slid her left foot to the front, toes still pointed. Then she slid her foot to the side, then to the back.
    For the glissade , Nancy glided over a few feet to the left. That was one of the most confusing things about ballet. “Stage right” meant go to the left. “Stage left” meant go to the right. It had to do with the audience’s view, not the dancers’ view. But it sure sounded backward to Nancy.
    Still, the glissade was one of Nancy’s favorite steps. It felt so light and breezy, as though she was dancing on air.
    â€œMichael, don’t lock your knees. Keep them loose. Nadine, other direction,” Mr. McGuire said.
    â€œRight, left, what difference does it make,” Nadine said under her breath. Nancy was dancing close to her and could hear every word. “A terrible mistake has been made!” Nadine added.
    â€œI’m sorry you didn’t get to be Cinderella,” Nancy whispered to Nadine as she did a tendu with her right foot. “But you’re an awesome dancer! We need you in this scene.”
    â€œHmph,” Nadine said.
    The group continued to rehearse the steps. Nadine kept muttering about how she should have been Cinderella.
    Nancy couldn’t help wondering: Was Nadine going to keep complaining about not being Cinderella? Was she going to make trouble for Andrea and the other