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Showstopper Page 7


  “There goes the trip to Canada with Dad, Gracie,” Scarlett said. “I was so psyched to see our cousins in Montreal.”

  The only one not upset was Anya. “My dad and bro are coming out here for a week,” she said. “And I really can’t think of anywhere else I want to be than here with all of you.”

  Rochelle hugged her. “That goes double for all of us.”

  Toni smiled. As much as her girls kept her on her toes, they also reminded her why she loved her job so much. They might bicker, but they truly cared about each other. She faced them all and clapped her hands above her head to get their attention: “Now you’re talking!”

  Glossary of Dance Terms

  Arabesque: a move where the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended behind her at 90 degrees.

  Barre: the wooden bar in the ballet studio that a dancer holds on to with one or both hands to practice/balance.

  Cambre back: a bend from the waist to the back.

  Chaîné: a series of quick turns.

  En pointe: literally on the point of your toes; dancing in pointe shoes.

  Fouetté: a turning step where the leg whips out to the side.

  Frappé: when a dancer beats her toe against her supporting foot’s ankle.

  Tendu: the leg slides out to the front, back, or side, remaining straight all the way to the point of the toe.

  Sheryl Berk is a proud ballet mom and a New York Times bestselling author. She has collaborated with numerous celebrities on their memoirs, including Britney Spears, Glee’s Jenna Ushkowitz, and Shake It Up’s Zendaya. Her book with Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer, hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and became a major motion picture. She is also the author of The Cupcake Club book series with her daughter, Carrie.

  Copyright © 2015 by Sheryl Berk

  All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  First published in the United States of America in April 2015 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

  E-book edition published in April 2015

  www.bloomsbury.com

  Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Bloomsbury Children’s Books,

  1385 Broadway, New York, New York 10018

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

  Berk, Sheryl.

  Showstopper / by Sheryl Berk.

  pages cm — (Dance Divas)

  Summary: Anya is just getting used to being the newest member of the Dance Divas when her parents want her to move back home to L.A. to study dance “more seriously,” which means she may have to say good-bye to Divas forever. The timing couldn’t be worse. City Feet is back with a vengeance at the Smooth Moves Competition in Las Vegas.

  ISBN 978-1-61963-576-0 (paperback) • ISBN 978-1-61963-575-3 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-61963-577-7 (e-book)

  [1. Dance teams—Fiction. 2. Dance—Fiction. 3. Friendship—Fiction.] I. Title.II. Title: Show stopper

  PZ7.B45236Sg 2015 [Fic]—dc23 2014034288