Previous: Takimoto and Risa saw a screening of the Royal Ballet's Nutcracker. Risa was overwhelmed by the fact that Kanade was dancing on that stage but was even more engrossed and geeking out about the costume and set design. Takimoto simply said that one of her great joys is seeing her students like Kanade and Risa find and pursue their passions. Though she still seemed hesitant about Abby and her own belief that Kanade should learn more than the Royal Ballet style.
Kanade and Rebecca ran into Evelyn who was returning the same Margot Fonteyn biography that Kanade had read earlier. They marvelled at how glamorous and exciting a life she led and how ballet allowed her to meet so many historically well known figures. Kanade then met up with Nanami who'd worked up all her courage to invite Arthur, her partner from the competition. Kanade noted how much better and more expressive Nanami was this time while Joshua, their choreographer, expressed frustration that Nanami wasn't able to do this during the competition.
Afterwards, Oliver entered the studio and Kanade told him that she'd like to graduate from the school if possible but that her family's financial situation would make it hard. Oliver said that they'd need to set up a video call with her parents in order to talk about financial aid but Kanade, anxious about possible putting more financial stress on them, seemed reluctant.
I do like that her goal isn't "create a Mini Abby" but that she wants to prevent other exceptionally promising ballerinas from making the same mistakes and failures she did so they can get to the biggest and most glamorous stage possible without wasting their prime years in other, "lesser" places.
Of course that's only a mistake from her perspective because she seems to have idolized the Royal Ballet much like Kanade, Evelyn and the others so she's just projecting her own perceived failures and insecurity. But it at least makes her motivations more complex than simply doing things to feed her ego, even if it's subconsciously that. Kind of like how Sakura's mother raised her as more of a stern and cold teacher in an attempt to prepare for the harsh reality of being a professional dancer even though she only realized after Sakura was gone that she was just trying to make up for her own failings.
Jonathan Moore
Given that you can probably place Takimoto's age as somewhere around her mid 40s at least (given that her dad was a Soviet defector and all). realize that Abby herself is probably north of 40 too.
She still kind of pushed them into idolizing Royal Ballet by enticing them in the first place, though... although that early experience with The Sleeping Beauty might have contributed a lot to it regardless.
Liam Taylor
bumping so i can read later
Austin Collins
They're essentially double length chapters.
Mason Gonzalez
she creeps me out
Blake Stewart
cute dork
Gavin Moore
She really is, maybe even more than Kanade
Jayden Martin
I like that she's an understated tomboy. It's just a shame she gets featured less than the other three.
