Ashley's Detective Notebook
- I was going to dance in the Nutcracker Ballet -- but someone stole my friend Miranda's ballet slippers!
- Was it the sticky fingers of the Sugar Plum Fairy? Or did the Toy Soldier march off with them?
- Or was it a prank played by our prancing Prince?
Excerpt
Chapter One
Rehearsal Time
"Ashley, you're dancing in The Nutcracker ballet tomorrow!" I said to my. twin sister. "You're practically famous!"
I was sitting with Ashley and our friend Sarah in a corner of Madame Pavlova's dance studio. Ashley's ballet class practiced there every week. Tomorrow they would perform in the Pavlova Theater right next door!
"Come on, Mary-Kate." Ashley blushed.
I have a small part in the ballet. But I love being in the show."
"I wish I could be in the show too, Sarah said. She twirled a lock of her brown hair around her finger. "But I can't - all because of my dopey brother Noah!"
Sarah is nine, a year younger than Ashley and me. She's in the same dance class as Ashley. Today she carried crutches and had a cast on her right ankle.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Noah put a frog in my ballet bag. I jumped and tripped over our cat, Mr. Snuffles. I sprained my ankle, so I can't dance. And Mr. Snuffles is a nervous wreck!" Sarah sighed. "If I can't be in the ballet, I'm glad you are, Ashley. Are you nervous?"
"Well, maybe a little," Ashley admitted. She tightened the ribbons on her ballet slippers and stretched out her legs. "But I'll feel better once we get to practice onstage in our costumes."
"Dancers, take your places, please." Madame Pavlova, clapped her hands.
Madame Pavlova has pale, smooth skin and big brown eyes. Her black hair was wrapped tightly in a bun. "I want to run through the Christmas-party dance before we go to the theater. And I want no mistakes this time!"
"Maybe I should be glad I'm not spending my Christmas vacation performing in the ballet," Sarah said. "Madame P. can be pretty tough!"
"Madame P.?" I giggled. "Why do you call her that?"
"That's what we call Madame Pavlova for short," Ashley explained. "She. is strict, but she's a great teacher."
Madame Pavlova clapped her hands again.
"See you guys later!" Ashley said. She rushed to join the other dancers in the center of the room.
Ashley and I both have strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes. But Ashley is the graceful one in the family. I would much rather wear a baseball uniform than a tutu. But I love watching Ashley dance. I couldn't wait to see her in The Nutcracker!
At least I get to help out with the ballet. I'm going to be an usher at tomorrow night's performance. It will be fun to wear a red uniform and show people to their seats.
Sarah stood up and grabbed her crutches. "I'll see you later, Mary-Kate," she said. "My mom's taking me to the doctor. I'll be back to watch the dress rehearsal."
"See you!" I said. I took a seat against the wall. The dancers stood in place on the gleaming wood floor. They all wore black leotards and tights.
Madame Pavlova turned on the music. "Let's begin!" she said.
Ashley and the other girls and boys began to dance. They pretended to be at a Christmas party. A twelve-year-old girl danced through the center of the crowd. She wore her long red hair in a neat French braid. It was Miranda, the star of the ballet. She played the role of Clara.
Miranda twirled with her arms above her head. She lifted her leg high and -
"Ow!" Miranda cried. She fell to the floor.
Madame Pavlova stopped the music. "Are you all right, Miranda?" she asked.
A girl with curly blond hair giggled. "I told you she dances like an elephant," Becky said. "Maybe I should play Clara, and Miranda can be my understudy."
Becky was furious when Madame Pavlova gave the part of Clara to Miranda and made her Miranda's understudy ...
(Continues...)
Excerpted from New Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley #38by Olsen, Mary-Kate &. Ashley Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.Copyright © 2003 Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen
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