“Me?” Surely, he didn’t mean her.
“Yes, you. Come up here.”
Everyone’s eyes were on her as she joined him at the front of the room.
“What is your name?” Monsieur Garnier leaned toward her.
“Cosette. Cosette Binet.” Her hands shook so hard she kept them clasped behind her so no one would see.
“Suzanne, make room on your right for Cosette Binet.” He gestured for her to take the spot.
“That makes nine. I thought the ballet called for eight more dancers.” The arrogant stage whisper started a rumble in the first row. If the ballet master heard the comments, he ignored them.
“I’d like to welcome our new members. The corps de ballet is a special place. Monsieur Dubois, our artistic director, and I want intelligent, versatile, ambitious, and hardworking dancers who can perform as a team. You are the backdrop to the principals and soloists. You hold the performance together.
“I demand you stay focused, pay attention to detail, and I do not tolerate any divas. We have less than two weeks to the production. We dance for the queen and for Marie Camargo in honor of her birthday. Madame Camargo is looking forward to a piece we have not prepared. Rather than disappoint the guest of honor, we are adding it to the end of the program. Jeanine, you have performed this one before. Since it is a duet, you will be dancing with Monsieur Dubois.
“The new members have a great deal to learn in a short time. I expect those in the company to help them. I will assign each a mentor. We will work in pairs.”
“One dancer must have impressed Monsieur Dubois more than the others.” Suzanne spoke to Jeanine, at her left. “Of course, he could let one of them go.”
It was a vicious remark meant to unnerve the new members. Cosette was aware any of the newcomers could be asked to leave. Their position was not secure.
“These dancers are here to fill the empty spaces on the stage. We have nothing to worry about.” Suzanne leaned down and fixed the ribbons on her dance shoes. “If anyone is going to be dismissed from the ballet, surely it will be them and not us.”
Jeanine nudged Suzanne and motioned toward Cosette.
“What? It’s the truth.” Suzanne glared at her and smugly smiled.
Cosette glanced around the studio and watched Monsieur Garnier go around the room assigning mentors. The other new dancers were smiling and in deep conversation with their partner. Who would he choose to be hers?
“Suzanne, you will mentor Cosette.” Monsieur Garnier turned toward the accompanist. “Jacque, I have a change to the music.”
Cosette smiled politely as Suzanne glared at her. She wasn’t surprised by the dancer’s expression, especially after her last remarks. Cosette didn’t know how much longer she would be able to grin and ignore them.
Working in the palace where position is everything, she’d learned quickly there were times she needed to fight back. The ballet company was no different. She saw it as clearly as a wind blowing down the Champs-Élysées.
“Everyone.” Cosette faced the ballet master. “We’ll start at the third bar of the coda. Ladies and gentlemen, I want clean footwork. Those grand jetés are to be grand.”
The dancers moved back. Monsieur Garnier nodded and Jacques began to play. The first two pairs glided and leapt across the floor.
Cosette focused on the ballet master’s instructions as each pair took their turn.
She and Suzanne were next. Cosette closed her eyes and lost herself in the music. Her eyes opened as Jacque finished the introduction.
Suzanne’s placement and wide movements left her limited room to move. No matter, the space at home was smaller than here.
The years of practicing Madame Camargo’s dance technique made her steps crisp and precise. While some steps still eluded her, she had mastered Madame’s leap, her grand jeté.
Cosette took a chassé and a small skip, into a deep plié, then sprang up high as if some great force lifted and carried her in the air. Landing softly, she ran off to the side like the others before her.
Pleased with the execution of the combination she glanced at the ballet master. The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth and widened in approval.
Suzanne led her to the back to wait for their next instructions.
“You’re supposed to be part of the corps, not an individual dancer,” Suzanne’s reprimand was loud enough for everyone to hear.
“I’m sorry.” Cosette faced her. It would be best for her to keep her tongue behind her teeth rather than to be drawn into Suzanne’s game, but the cut in front of the others couldn’t be ignored. She wanted to dance. Not be the target of Suzanne’s attacks. “I thought you could keep up with me. Going forward I’ll remember your limitations.”