High Strung

The music is always there, burning inside me.

I don't know where it comes from.

I only know that if it stays trapped within...

I will be consumed.

I can't remember when I started dancing.

It's always just been who I am.

Balanchine said,

"See the music, hear the dance."

It's my first day in New York City.

My eyes are wide open,

and I am ready to listen.

This is how you start the day, Krispy. Let's go.

Breakfast going to be good today, Rik.

Come on, let's go, let's go!

Yo! What's up?

Hey, what's up?

Hey!

Hey! Let's go!

Come on, come on.

Check out the new step, Rik.

Don't slow up on me now.

Hit it!

All right. Yeah!

Drop it. Drop it.

Hey!

Huh!

Go! Let him fly.

There it is.

Come on. We're gonna be late.

Oh, we're going left up here, to the dance department.

- Can you wait just a sec? - Sure.

So, honey, here we are.

Everything that you've always wanted.

Thank you for making this happen.

You made it happen.

Just make sure that you call me if you need anything at all, or even just to talk.

- I will. I will. - Okay.

Oh, Mom!

- Call me. - I promise.

I'll be fine. I'll be fine.

I know you will. It's just me I'm worried about.

I love you. That's all I'm gonna say.

I love you too.

Bye.

Oh! I'm sorry. I was just...

admiring here.

- Ruby? - I'm sorry.

She's beautiful.

Alexandra Danilova.

One of our greatest.

So, we have placed you in division C2.

The dress code is mandatory for all classes except contemporary.

And we do not tolerate tardiness, ever.

So your first class starts tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

Yes, ma'am.

- Madame Markova. - Madame Markova.

Any questions?

If there isn't a dress code for the contemporary class, what do we wear?

Use your imagination.

All right, then. Good luck.

Thank you.

What are you doing?

- I'm so sorry. - Forget it.

Just watch where you're going next time.

I love your playing.

You're welcome.

- Ruby? - Yep. You must be Jasmine.

Yeah, but everyone calls me Jazzy, except my parents.

- Okay. - Come on in.

You know, you don't have to ring the doorbell.

- You live here. - Oh, right.

I figured this was my bed, so I just put my stuff on here.

Yeah, that's perfect. You here on scholarship?

- Yeah. - Me too. It's my second year.

Hey, how did it go with Markova?

Great.

Really? Someone must have dislodged

the broomstick up her butt, because normally she is an uptight witch.

Actually, I'm pretty sure the broom is still there.

This is cute. You should wear this tonight.

- Where are we going? - We're going out.

But we have class tomorrow morning.

Yeah, and this is your first night living on your own in New York City!

- We are so going out. - No, we're not.

- Yes, we are! - No!

Yes!

I got the red line drafted. That's right.

- Hey. - I'm waiting for the counter.

Okay. Okay, I'll call you back.

- Hey, hey, Johnnie. - Hi.

- How you doing? - Yeah, not bad.

- You want something to drink? - No, I'm good, mate.

- You sure? All right. - Yeah.

Here you go.

- It's all there. - Great.

So, when do you think you'll have it by?

Soon. Don't worry. I'll file the papers as soon as I get back to the office.

I'll call you by the end of the week. Should have an update then.

Great. I mean, thank you for handling all this.

I guess I'll see you.

- I'll be waiting for your call. - You got it, kid.

We have a right to be here.

I want to see some ID right now.

Yo! Wait up.

Hey, man.

- You live upstairs? - Yeah. Simon's place.

Oh, that's cool. You gotta love Inwood, right?

Neighborhood's sketchy, but the price is right.

- Least it's Manhattan, right? - Right.

Oh. Hayward Jones III.

- Johnnie Blackwell. - Johnnie Blackwell.

It's nice to meet you, Johnnie.

Hey why don't you come meet the rest of my crew?

- That's all right, man. - Aw, come on.

Krispy just made some ugly alien octopus. You'll like it.

- Okay. - All right.

Yo, guys!

Open your mind.

- Who is this guy? - Johnnie B. Lives upstairs.

Calamari?

And that's a little chipotle rémoulade. It's for the dip.

- These are my roommates Krispy and Rik. - Hey.

Is that you playing up there like Yo-Yo Mama?

Yo-Yo plays the cello.

- You play violin, right? - Right.

Oh, we know. We hear you playing all night long.

When do you sleep?

Would you all leave the dude alone? We're the Switch Steps crew.

You might have heard of us.

Well, I haven't been in the country for that long, so...

- Aw, man! - Oh, no.

Well, take a seat, Harry Potter,

and we'll give you a little preview.

- All right, guys. - Relax.

You got this, Rik.

Rik is our freestyle super freak.

Let's go!

Go, Jett!

And that redhead you see right there? Oh, that's Jett.

Go, Jett!

- Let's go! - She hits harder than most the guys.

And that's Ollie.

All right, Ollie, let's go.

Oh, and Poptart... she's a sweetheart.

She's our diva.

And Krispy... he can cook,

groove, and he clean.

Tiptoe!

- And that's my bro Tiptoe. - Yeah!

And Jaxson. Jaxson can do about everything.

That's it. Get it!

Yeah!

Hit it, Rik! Let's do it!

Blew a fuse.

Yeah!

Hey.

Here we go.

- This is so cool. - Yeah.

All the dancers hang out here.

- Hey, guys! - Hey!

This is Ruby, my new roommate.

- Hi! Nice to meet you. - Hey, what's up, man?

It's her first year at MCA.

Come on. Let's dance.

- Do you want to go? - Okay.

- Hurry! - Coming!

- Come on! I can't be late for my first day. - Wait.

This is the earliest I've ever left the apartment.

I'm already exhausted.

See, now we can relax.

Much less stressful, don't you think?

I'd rather live on the edge of tardiness.

Oh, hey, you have to hear this little guy.

Yeah, that's great. You'll hear it every day.

- I thought you were someone else. - But she's glad you're not.

Me, too, I guess.

- Kyle, this is my new roommate Ruby. - Hi.

- First day? - Yeah.

Well, good luck.

Thanks.

- Bye. - See ya.

I can tell you're dying to know, so here's his story.

I'm not dying.

Yes, you are.

His name's Kyle Endicott.

Super cute, insanely talented, and ridiculously arrogant.

Too bad he's not my type.

- Seemed into you, though. - Really?

Hey, relax.

I can't help it.

You'll be fine.

There's April.

Yeah, we've met.

She's perfect. I hate her.

Morning.

Good morning.

- Is that our teacher? - Kramrovsky.

Isn't he a little frail?

Ask me that after class.

Yes, more, more, more!