Best foot forward (Dan)

[Prudence Warner]

Prudence Warner stood in the deserted dance studio, working through some very basic barre exercises.

She had heard that Dan had returned to the Academy to work as a barn hand. She had sent him a note, asking him to meet her here, while she didn't have a class. Since her dance class had a few dancers who were from such diverse dance backgrounds, she realised that she needed some help. Young Rory was seeming to struggle and she was afraid of the girl getting left behind, and she didn't want to signal her out and give her private lessons, so she was going to ask Dan if he would like to come in as an assistant teacher, someone who could watch the dancers while she taught from the front.

However, she needed to convince him to agree first, and then she would need to go and speak with Francesco and see if Dan would need to sign any paperwork. The reason she hadn't been to see Francesco already was because she didn't want to put anything into motion in case Dan decided that he didn't have time to help in her class.

[Deleted]

Daniel had been a little surprised when he had found the note from Miss Warner this morning. At first, he instantly believed himself to be in trouble with his former teacher. Then he remembered that he was no longer her student and realised that his conclusion was a stupid one. He chuckled as he placed down the last hay bale he'd been asked to bring in by his boss. Making sure the pile was secure, he then covered it so it would not get damp over night. Doing a quick sweep of the barn, he made sure the horses were all secure before going to the familiar dance studio, a room he missed dearly. He had yet been able to visit it since returning.

Dan walked briskly toward the dance studio, reflecting silently on the tasks he had completed, and the ones he still had to complete, over the course of the day. He would have to bring his three beasts in after this meeting with Prudence, and he would also have to do the evening feed of Red Willow. There would also, undoubtedly, be some more mucking out to do and then he would have to put on the stable rugs and top up the hay nets. Though he was enjoying his work, he did find it exhausting. He would never take a groom for granted again. They were run into the ground with work, particularly himself and his colleagues in the Red Willow and White Oak barns due to their higher population than Brown Orchid and Evening Primrose. Eventually he reached the studio, his frame relaxing instantly. There was nothing more welcoming than a dance studio to him.

Realising his boots would be too dirty to enter the studio, he took them off at the door and then knocked once. The male then let himself inside and smiled warmly at Prudence. "Hello Miss Warner." He still addressed the woman formally, unable to drop the habit. She still was a teacher to him at heart, despite not technically being so. "I got your note. How can I help you?" He smiled, adjusting his boots into the other hand. He really didn't have a clue why Prudence had called him here. He wondered if he had left something behind last year.

[Prudence Warner]

Prue continued working through her barre exercises, listening to the music in her head rather than needing it playing on the stereo. She went from a demi-plié to plié while switching from working in demi-pointe to pointe. When she was in a grand plié in fifth, she saw the door open in the mirror that she was facing and she straightened her legs with a smile as she did a half pirouette, turn turn and face him with a smile. "That would be Prue." She told him with a laugh. "Remember, you're not a student here any more." She floated across the floor to where Dan stood.

She circled him, looking him up and down as she went around. "I have a very interesting group of students in my class." She told him, her smile not slipping. "And I was wondering if having another dancer in the class, on my side, would help me." She arched her eyebrows as she took a couple of steps back and leaned forward in an arabesque, her raised, right leg straight in the air as she offered him her left hand. "That is however if you still know how to dance since you came back here to scoop poop." She gave him a teasing smile. His dancing had always impressed her. Unless they went professional, most boys stopped dancing before they hit there teen years, however Dan embraced his passion for dance with a power that would stun crowds.

[Deleted]

Dan had expected her to correct him and laughed softly at his accuracy. He placed his boots on the ground, out the way, as Prue approached and smiled. "I know, I know. Old habits die hard. Plus, it's hard to stop being respectful to those you admire." He told her with a warm smile. He had forgotten how relaxing it was to be around Prue. It was lovely to see her again.

He followed her with his eyes as best he could as she walked around him, looking slightly amused. He stayed still mind, and listened with interest as she began to speak. He looked excited as she carried on, the reason she'd asked him to come by becoming obvious. He smiled widely, eager to jump at the chance. He wanted to get back in the studio, and becoming an assistant to Prue seemed to be the best way. If he was able to get time out of his barn hand duties, it would be the only chance to get into the studio at all. Unless he asked if he could use it late at night. He had been debating it.

Her challenge made him raise a brow, amusement clear on his expression now. "One never loses a skill that they love so dearly." He told her with a smile, and took her hand carefully. He spun her to him without thinking, and grinned. "Scooping poop does not impair my ability at all." Prue had always been fond of pushing his classical training, and his ballet skills had been used a lot in his dance lessons. However, it was not his favourite medium. "How about I show off my salsa skills?" He chuckled. This wasn't his favourite medium either, but his grandmother had made him learn it so that he could teach her. It was one of the most fun. He looked at Prue, waiting for her to confirm. He was unaware that she was still in the same position, close to his chest, as when he'd spun her close. The proximity hadn't really occurred to him as it was normal to him. It came with the territory of being a dancer.

[Prudence Warner]

Prue laughed as she was spun into the young man, resting against his chest easily. "Salsa?" She replied with another laugh. "You couldn't salsa if you wanted to!" She knew that he was a very good salsa dancer, but currently she was enjoying where she was.

A past teacher had told her that dancing with pas de deu was a lot easier when there was chemistry between the dancers, but she had found the the opposite was much better. It was so much easier to dance with someone where there wasn't all that emotional tension between them.

She pushed against his chest and spun back out again to look at him with her head tipped to the side, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "I guess you will be handy to have around when we do move on to doing pas de deu. Dancing with another person, if your non-ballerino - male ballerina - brain can't work that one out." She also had no intention of only teaching her class ballet, so Dan's skills with salsa would come in handy when she wanted to work on salsa as well - since she was pretty good with salsa herself. "What's it like being back here, without all the hassles of class?" She leaned closer in another arabesque, her eyebrows arched in question. "How are things between you and Sara?" It hadn't been hard to see the chemistry between the two around the Academy when the year before and she hoped that him now being a member of the barn staff didn't get in the way of their relationship.

[Deleted]

"Now you're just in denial." He teased, chuckling softly. He knew that she'd seen him practising salsa with a past student, Beth. It had always been one of his strongest dances. As she spun out from him, he realised how long she'd been tucked up against his chest. Meeting her playful smile with a lazy one of his own. Her words made him roll his eyes again and laughed softly. "Well then, as long as I'm good for something." He grinned. "And maybe you'll let me show you some of the hip-hop you were so fond of making fun of me for." He chuckled. Dan always found a way to work in his favourite medium in to a lesson when Prue was his teacher. He spent a lot more time on it as it helped in out of a rough time while living in England. It would always be his favourite.

"Exhausting." He admitted to her, but he was still smiling as he did so. It was a pleasant ache in his bones at the end of the day, rather than a painful reminder of what he would have to do the next day. "I'm sure you'd like to know I had a break from poop scooping to lift hay bales this morning." He grinned, and then his eyes lit up at her next question. "Perfect. We were reunited last week. I love being around her again, I feel content again." Daniel loved to talk about Sara because he truly adored her. He'd talk about her to anyone who would listen.

"So, do I get the title of Miss Warner's assistant?" He queried, stretching out slowly. While he was here, he may as well take advantage of it. He guessed Prue had some time before her next class too. "Did I pass the test?" He grinned, throwing in a cheeky wink.

[Prudence Warner]

Prue released a dramatic shudder at the mention of hip hop. "Bite your tongue, boy!" She said. "Those words should never be muttered on such holy ground!" She laughed afterwards. She actually had no problem with hip hop and quite enjoyed the style of dance, since it was so well incorporated into Zumba, so she'd had to get used to it while on her instructor's course.

With a hand on her chest, she feigned shock at having to carry haybales rather than mucking out stalls. "How on earth did you survive?" She asked, sounding in awe of him. She should really have done acting in college rather than dance. She grinned as the male's voice seemed to change as the topic went onto his girlfriend. "Well, I'm glad to see that nothing could keep you apart for long." She said.

Her eyebrows rose as the topic went back to him being her assistant. "I really don't know." She said as she shook her head as she circled him again. "You might just be too, rusty." There was a teasing gleam in her eye. "You could have got too used to doing your own style of dancing again. How do I know that you could possibly be bent back into shape?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "And pass the test? The test hasn't even started." She threw her head back and laughed, before she became all serious again. "I want to see you dance before I make my decision."