Read Born to Dance for Free Online Page A
Authors: June Tate
and Ginger Rogers number to be featured as the finale was a knock out! The dancers were dressed in top hats and tails, as was Rob Andrews, and Bonny was in a long white evening gown covered with sequins and bugle beads, which glistened under the spotlights.
Sammy Kendrick, sitting in the stalls, became more and more excited as he watched every number, but when Rob and Bonny covered the stage in intricate steps with such precision and flare, he was bewitched by the spectacle. At the end of the dance, he rose to his feet, applauding wildly – knowing he had a hit on his hands.
‘Bravo! Bravo!’ he cried as he ran up the steps to the stage and threw his arms around Rob. ‘That was spectacular!’ He held his arms wide as if to embrace the chorus line. ‘Well done, girls, you were terrific and the use of the canes … Well, what can I say?’ He put his arm around Bonny. ‘Ginger Rogers couldn’t have done it any better. I am holding the show over for a second week.’
Rob looked concerned. ‘But what about the acts that have been booked?’
‘I’ll find them bookings elsewhere, and if I can’t they will be compensated. Don’t worry, my boy, this show will be a hit, you see. I have to go and make some phone calls.’ He rushed off into the wings.
Rob turned to the dancers. ‘Well done, all of you. Today you made me very proud, and as I’m sure you heard, the show is being held over, so we mustn’t let Mr Kendrick down. Off you go and get a good night’s sleep, we open tomorrow.’ As they walked off the stage, he caught hold of Bonny. ‘You were terrific,’ he said.
She looked at him, eyes shining with excitement. ‘So were you. I can’t wait to do it all over again.’
Back in the dressing room, the buzz of conversation was loud. Everyone was thrilled with the rehearsal and the promise of an extended week. Nan, the wardrobe mistress, helped Bonny out of her gown and hurried away with it to give it a quick press for tomorrow’s performance. Shirley sat down beside her friend and started to remove her make-up. ‘Well, I have to say, Bonny Burton, you and our Rob were the stars of the show.’
But Bonny was sitting staring into space, reliving every step of the routine and feeling Rob’s arms around her, dreaming of doing it again every night for two weeks.
At the same time, Sammy Kendrick was in his office, conducting a campaign of advertising that would catch the public’s eye and would have queues for tickets stretching around the block in the coming days.
The first performance played to an almost full house, which was unusual for a Monday, and backstage the excitement was palpable. Nan, the wardrobe mistress, was berating one of the dancers for dropping cigarette ash on her costume and burning a small hole, some of the girls were out in the hallway, practising twirling their canes for the finale, and a messenger, carrying a large bouquet, knocked on the dressing room door asking for Miss Burton.
‘That’s me!’ Bonny stood up and took the flowers from him ‘Thank you.’
‘Well, open the card,’ urged Shirley as the girls gathered round.
With trembling ringers, she did so. ‘To my very own Ginger Rogers. Rob.’
There was loud ribbing from some of the girls and murmured comments from others. ‘What did she have to do to deserve that, I wonder?’ queried Lily spitefully.
‘I practised until my feet bled!’ Bonny retorted.
‘If you put as much effort in your rehearsals as you do flirting and buttering up your sugar daddy, you’d be a better dancer!’ Shirley added, to the girl’s discomfort.
But nothing could spoil Bonny’s enthusiasm. She chose to ignore the others. She’d worked hard for her place and Rob had rewarded her.
Shirley was there when Bonny had opened the card. Peering over her friends shoulder she said, ‘He could have put a kiss at the end!’
‘For goodness’ sake, Shirley, apart from being my partner for one number, you forget he’s the boss and
Sammy Kendrick, sitting in the stalls, became more and more excited as he watched every number, but when Rob and Bonny covered the stage in intricate steps with such precision and flare, he was bewitched by the spectacle. At the end of the dance, he rose to his feet, applauding wildly – knowing he had a hit on his hands.
‘Bravo! Bravo!’ he cried as he ran up the steps to the stage and threw his arms around Rob. ‘That was spectacular!’ He held his arms wide as if to embrace the chorus line. ‘Well done, girls, you were terrific and the use of the canes … Well, what can I say?’ He put his arm around Bonny. ‘Ginger Rogers couldn’t have done it any better. I am holding the show over for a second week.’
Rob looked concerned. ‘But what about the acts that have been booked?’
‘I’ll find them bookings elsewhere, and if I can’t they will be compensated. Don’t worry, my boy, this show will be a hit, you see. I have to go and make some phone calls.’ He rushed off into the wings.
Rob turned to the dancers. ‘Well done, all of you. Today you made me very proud, and as I’m sure you heard, the show is being held over, so we mustn’t let Mr Kendrick down. Off you go and get a good night’s sleep, we open tomorrow.’ As they walked off the stage, he caught hold of Bonny. ‘You were terrific,’ he said.
She looked at him, eyes shining with excitement. ‘So were you. I can’t wait to do it all over again.’
Back in the dressing room, the buzz of conversation was loud. Everyone was thrilled with the rehearsal and the promise of an extended week. Nan, the wardrobe mistress, helped Bonny out of her gown and hurried away with it to give it a quick press for tomorrow’s performance. Shirley sat down beside her friend and started to remove her make-up. ‘Well, I have to say, Bonny Burton, you and our Rob were the stars of the show.’
But Bonny was sitting staring into space, reliving every step of the routine and feeling Rob’s arms around her, dreaming of doing it again every night for two weeks.
At the same time, Sammy Kendrick was in his office, conducting a campaign of advertising that would catch the public’s eye and would have queues for tickets stretching around the block in the coming days.
The first performance played to an almost full house, which was unusual for a Monday, and backstage the excitement was palpable. Nan, the wardrobe mistress, was berating one of the dancers for dropping cigarette ash on her costume and burning a small hole, some of the girls were out in the hallway, practising twirling their canes for the finale, and a messenger, carrying a large bouquet, knocked on the dressing room door asking for Miss Burton.
‘That’s me!’ Bonny stood up and took the flowers from him ‘Thank you.’
‘Well, open the card,’ urged Shirley as the girls gathered round.
With trembling ringers, she did so. ‘To my very own Ginger Rogers. Rob.’
There was loud ribbing from some of the girls and murmured comments from others. ‘What did she have to do to deserve that, I wonder?’ queried Lily spitefully.
‘I practised until my feet bled!’ Bonny retorted.
‘If you put as much effort in your rehearsals as you do flirting and buttering up your sugar daddy, you’d be a better dancer!’ Shirley added, to the girl’s discomfort.
But nothing could spoil Bonny’s enthusiasm. She chose to ignore the others. She’d worked hard for her place and Rob had rewarded her.
Shirley was there when Bonny had opened the card. Peering over her friends shoulder she said, ‘He could have put a kiss at the end!’
‘For goodness’ sake, Shirley, apart from being my partner for one number, you forget he’s the boss and