Dance Practice
Grace sat at the table as Mom diced celery and added it to the rice in the pot. Grace looked concerned, so Mom asked why she had a worried face. “I want to audition for the dance team,” Grace said, “but I can’t do the fast steps. The song has a fast pace, and I have a hard time keeping up.”
“Maybe you just have to practice some more,” Mom said as she added spices to the rice. “Why don’t you call Pam? She is on the city dance team. I bet she can watch you and give you some good advice.”
“Great plan, Mom!” Grace said. “I’ll ask her tomorrow.”
After school the next day, Pam came to Grace’s house. She helped Grace practice her dance steps. When Grace rushed to keep up with the pace, Pam slowed her down. “It’s not a race!” she said. “Make each step precise. You’ll get faster as you learn the steps.”
Grace practiced with Pam after school twice a week. As she learned the steps, she made sure to place her feet just right. Finally, it was time to audition. Grace did her best. After all her practice, keeping the pace was easy, just like Pam said it would be.
On Friday, the list of girls who made the dance team was posted. Grace’s name was on the list. She had made the dance team! She called Mom.
“Your hard work paid off!” Mom said in an excited voice. “I’ll cancel my meeting. Let’s pick up Pam and go get some ice cream to celebrate!”