The Dance Academy

A double entendre.

THE DANCE ACADEMY

 

The coach that Alexandra had been travelling on since early morning from the coastal town where she lived, stopped at last in the place she had decided on as her next living destination. It was a very pleasant town, full of beautiful parks and gardens to walk around. The coach stop was at the bus station, which was situated not far from the town centre. There were high trees in all the streets which afforded a lovely shade for those who wished to go for a walk. Alexandra was very happy to have made the decision to move away from what she considered to be a rather dull and boring seaside town, to one in the interior. She began walking around the town and take in what she thought would be the best sights. As she walked, she asked herself where she was going to spend the night. The houses in the centre were really old, but once upon a time they had been rather splendid, with the heavy plaster work, that was the ornamentation on the majority of the buildings.

 Alex found an ad. in one of the windows of a largish house. It said, ROOM TO RENT. As the house looked large enough to be an hotel, Alex walked to the front door and rang the bell. Above the main door was the legend, ‘Rita’s Dance Academy for men and ladies of all ages.’ Alex thought it seemed a rather flamboyant way of announcing a dance academy. The door was opened by a plump woman of fifty. She greeted Alex with words, “Hello, how can I help you?”

Alex stopped and stared at the figure standing in the doorway. “I’ve just arrived here, and I need a place to stay. I saw your notice in the window, and I wondered whether you still have a vacancy.”

“My name is Rita and, as you have probably seen, this is a dance academy. I rent out rooms for the extra money. Follow me, and I’ll show you the room that’s going at the moment.”

The two females walked up a long flight of stairs to the first floor. The corridor was long and dark, due to the dark wood floor and doors. The lighting was not anything that you could call bright. Rita opened the door with a key she had on a long chain hanging from her belt. The room was in darkness, and Rita went to the windows and drew back the curtains so that Alex could see the room, even though it was beginning to get dark. Rita saw a large room decorated in an old-fashioned style that was reminiscent of past times. The bed was big enough for three or four to sleep in. The chest of drawers was like something out of a museum. There was a sofa and a desk. It was all very grand, but also, old and slightly tatty. Alex said, “I’ll take it, and I’ll give you an advance.” She took the room more out of inertia than because she actually liked it.

Rita said, “Come on, let’s go down to my office, and settle up down there. Do you think you’ll be staying very long?”

“I can’t say yet, how long I’ll be staying. Is that a problem for you?”

“No, not at all. It’s just that I like to have an idea more or less about what’s going on in my house.”

They entered Rita’s office, and a woman with a very pronounced moustache, looked up from the computer she was banging away at.

“This is Matilda, my business partner, and the one who deals with the work on the computer.”

Matilda turned out to be a tall woman of similar age to Rita. She held out a hand to Alex, who duly shook it.

“Have you just arrived in our fair town?” Matilda asked.

“Yes, just a couple of hours ago. This is a very agreeable town you have here. I saw the ‘room to rent’ notice, so I rang the doorbell. What sort of dancing do you teach here?”

Rita and Matilda shared a knowing look, and Matilda said, “Rita is the teacher, and I put the music on. Sometimes I play the piano instead.”

Alex smiled, and said, “If you two ladies don’t mind, I’d like to go to the room for a rest. It’s been rather a long day for me.”

“Alex, if you’re hungry when you wake up, there’s food in the kitchen, and we might be there having supper,” Rita said in her friendly manner.

When the door had shut behind Alex, Matilda said to Rita, “She seems too nice to be travelling around on her own. What do you think?”

“I don’t think. I do this for the money and nothing else,” said the pragmatic Rita.

“She won’t hear anything tonight, that’s for sure, she’ll be too tired out from her journey. Did she say where she was from?”

“No, she didn’t.”

 

Upstairs in her new room, Alex got undressed and went into the bathroom for a shower. She then lay down on the bed and began to think about what she was doing in that unknown place. She must have fallen asleep, because she awoke on hearing a light tap on the door. Alex got off the bed and saw Matilda standing outside.

“Rita has prepared some supper for us. Would you care to join us downstairs in the kitchen?”

“Yes, please, that would be very good for me, as I don’t remember the last time I ate. I’ll just get a jacket.”

Alex followed Matilda down the stairs to the kitchen, and was able to smell the cooked food before entering. Rita was standing in front of the table holding a large dish of steaming vegetables, and in her other hand she held a plate of fried fish. There was enough food for twice the number of people, and then Alexander understood why Rita was so plump. Matilda walked behind Alex and showed her where to sit. The three ladies sat down and Rita began serving the food. It was, of course, delicious. Nobody said much during the meal, they were all concentrating on eating. The dessert was fresh fruit and creamy cakes. Alex wondered how many calories they had just eaten. Matilda collected up the crockery and started to wash up. Rita said she was going upstairs to get a drink of water. Alex was going to ask if she could help, after all, she had just eaten with them, and then she realized she was paying her way and wasn’t a guest.

Alex went back up to her room, and once more undressed and got into bed. She picked up the book she had been reading, and thought she might read for a bit before going to sleep. It didn’t take long for the heavy food and the day’s journey to take its toll on Alex, and she was soon sound asleep.

It seemed to Alex that she heard music during the night, and she got out of bed to find out where it was coming from. She went to the door and tried to turn the knob but it wouldn’t budge. She was locked in.

The next morning, Alex opened her door easily, and felt very puzzled as to why she hadn’t been able to a few hours earlier. Maybe she had dreamed it all.

Rita and Matilda were in the kitchen eating breakfast. The smell of coffee permeated the whole house. “Did you sleep well?” Matilda asked.

“Yes, I did, and very well thanks. The food and the long journey made it all the easier to slide into the land of Nod without any effort.” Alex thought it better not to mention the music, in case it created a bad situation in the house. The two business partners exchanged glances and looked obviously more relaxed.

“Alex, you will see some young women and men coming here for dance classes. This morning the girls are teenagers and those who don’t work. They all aspire to be able to perform well on the dance floor, whether at a formal do, or at a party, or a disco. Here they learn all different types of dance: tangos, quickstep, foxtrot, waltz, and salsa. We do our best for them,” Rita said, as she raised her second cup of coffee to her mouth. “There’s a competition every so often, and we do our best to win it, but so far we’ve had no luck. Do you like dancing, Alex?”

“I might have done once upon a time, but that was long ago. I think I’ll go for a walk around the town, if that’s OK with you?”

Rita and Matilda went up to their rooms, and Alex sat alone in the old kitchen, and felt a depression coming on. What was she doing there? A few minutes later a perfumed and over made-up Rita returned to the kitchen. Alex stood up and said, “I shan’t be long, and then I’ll be gone, out of your way.”

“You’re not in anyone’s way. If you would like to stay, you can, and see what you make of our dancing technique,” Rita said to her.

“That’s very kind of you, but I feel I need some exercise.”

Alex went upstairs and got ready for the street. The view from the bedroom window was not at all bad, she found the nearness of the mountains quite fascinating. She saw several young girls go by beneath her window, and wondered if they were pupils of the dance academy. When her make-up had been applied and her brown hair brushed and combed, Alex went downstairs to the large room where the two ladies were already greeting their first pupils.

 

Alex closed the front door behind her and stepped out onto a sunny street. An elderly man, far too overdressed for the time of day and place, walked past Alex as she was leaving the academy. They took no notice of each other. She went into a newsagent’s and bought a street map and a local paper. The map showed there were lots of parks and public gardens. The mountains, although far off, formed part of the town itself. The most interesting thing was, that the town was hilly instead of being flat. Alex approved of that, and was happy she had chosen a lovely place to move to - for the time being anyway.

Alex walked down the street, and made for one of the public gardens, where she delighted in the colours and the perfumes of the different plants. The whole garden was full of people doing something. There were balloon sellers, ice cream vendors, and those who sold packets of sweets, peanuts, crisps, and other snacks. Everyone was carrying ice-cold water or a fizzy drink to keep cool.

Alex saw that there was a lovers’ tower, where a girl was standing looking out, and her boy friend was standing below with a group of musicians serenading her. The young man had written her name on the lawn in red roses. The intimate performance over, the young girl ran down the stairs and kissed her boy friend. Then another couple took their places. Alex had heard of those lovers’ towers before, but not in any city or town she had ever visited.

Her walk through the garden, took Alex out onto the main thoroughfare. She stared around her, and there were people everywhere. She turned to her left, and saw a path that led down to a valley. The mountains were still there in the distance. As the sun got higher and higher in the sky, the distant peaks stood out even more. The garden was now behind her, and Alex felt the need to sit down, and found an empty bench. She opened the map and discovered that she was walking in the direction of the mountains. She didn’t want that, so she sat and thought about what she actually wanted to do. Her first problem was, that she wasn’t sure why she had gone there.

The smell of food cooking arrived at her nose. Alex got up from the bench, and walked in the direction the smells came from. She went into an ancient building that had been rehabilitated. It had been a long time ago a fruit and vegetable market, but the council had decided to put the market outside the town, and the building was turned into a series of restaurants, coffee bars, pubs, fountains, and interior gardens. The old windows now held colourful stained-glass, depicting the history of the town. Alex stepped inside and felt a sense of wonderment at the lovely sights and smells. The smell of food came from a rather sophisticated restaurant.

A lot of the tables were already occupied, but Alex managed to find a table for two, and took it. The waiter gave her a menu with the most varied food imaginable. She stared at the waiter, and said, “What would you suggest? I’ve only just moved here, and everything is new to me.”

“I’d suggest that: for the first course pasta with mushrooms, the second course fish and vegetables, for dessert chocolate cake with cream. What would you like to drink?”

“A bottle of icy water, please.”

The waiter disappeared with Alex’s order, and while he was gone she sat in a state of sleep. She knew that if the food didn’t arrive soon, she would have to leave. The waiter arrived sooner than she had expected, and from the smell alone, knew that he hadn’t let her down. She got through most of her lunch by swallowing the icy cold water to push it down.

The lunch over, Alex was in the mood for a sleep. She began walking back in what she thought was the direction of the dance academy. She was getting tired of walking and not getting anywhere, so she asked a passer-by where the dance academy was situated. The reaction of the stranger was strong and totally unexpected.

“Why on earth would a decent-looking woman like you want to go there?” the man said to Alex.

“What’s wrong with it? I happen to be staying there at the moment. I only arrived here yesterday, and it seemed to be somewhere to stay for a few nights.”

“You should get out of there as soon as possible. That place is where men go to meet women. The dance academy is on the list of unauthorised businesses and will disappear soon. Those two daft women who run it need locking up, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.” On that the man left Alex standing alone in street bewildered by his verbal onslaught.

She finally recognized where she was, right near the public garden. Alex walked through the garden to take a short cut. There was some giggling and screaming going on as she was walking, and as she approached she heard Rita’s voice. “Come on ‘Cappy’, let me put your cap on. You know how I adore your uniform.”

Alex saw Rita wearing a sailor’s white sailing cap, that had slipped over one eye. She held a dripping ice cream in one hand, and her make-up was all over her face. Alex wasn’t quite sure whether Rita was drunk or not. The man who was with her, was the one who had passed by Alex as she had left the academy that morning. Alex thought it was in her best interests, to ignore the arguing pair and get to the academy as quickly as she could.

 

She opened the front door and came face to face with Matilda, who reeked of a scent that could have been used by her grandmother. It was so powerful, that it left the nose of anyone in close contact with the wearer, thinking their sense of smell had been ruined forever. Alex made for the staircase, but Matilda wasn’t going to make it that easy for her to escape. She grabbed hold of one of Alex’s arms and her moustached face closed in on Alex’s face, glared, and said, “Have you seen Rita?”

“No, I haven’t. Why do you ask? Weren’t you here with her all morning for the dancing classes?”

Matilda swallowed and wiped some of the sweat from her moustache. “The ‘Cappy’ came by, and when he’s here, she goes crazy. You know, Alex, she’s dead keen on getting a man at any cost. ‘Cappy’ sometimes talks to me, but as soon as Rita knows, she accuses me of trying to take him away from her.”

Alex was feeling very tired and only wanted to lie down on the bed in her room. She asked Matilda, “Are the ‘Cappy’ and Rita an ‘item’?”

“They have never said so, but Rita is secretive, so they might well be.”

“I thought you two were business partners. How on earth have things got down to such a low level? Why did you and Rita let a man come between you?”

“I think it was her madness to get a man - any man at all.”

“Matilda, I need to go to bed for a while. I’m very tired. I’ve spent all morning on my feet walking around the town.”

Rather grudgingly, Matilda said, “Oh, well then, if that’s the case, you’d better go up to your room. See you later.”

Alex crawled up the stairs to her room.

She was awakened by two screaming voices, Rita and Matilda having a go at each other. She got out of bed, and went to the door to hear better.

“You’re jealous! That’s what!” screamed Matilda, “You don’t think that a man might like me, because of my moustache. Well, have I got news for you, some men find women with a light layer of hair above their upper lip - sexy.”

Rita burst out laughing, and curled up on doing so. “No, Matilda, you’re wrong. The only men you like, are when they’re already attracted to me. It happens every time. Cappy will be coming by later for a dance, and I don’t want any of that ingratiating behaviour from you. So just behave yourself. Understood?”

Matilda declared, “I don’t know why I stay with you at times, Rita. The dance academy’s going well, yet you still persist in trying to conquer that Cappy man, when men are walking through the door all day long.”

“I like the ‘Cappy’ and he likes me.”

“Why does he always wear that ridiculous sailor’s hat?” Matilda asked.

“He says it’s because he misses his life on the waves. I don’t think it’s ridiculous. I think he looks quite handsome in it.”

“I saw you trying it on. Do you fancy yourself as Cappy’s ‘mate’?” Matilda laughed out loud.

 

Alex left her hearing post by the bedroom door and went back to bed. She thought that ‘Cappy’ didn’t look much like an ex-seaman. Why didn’t he?

 

That second night they had another quiet supper. Alex made her way upstairs as soon as it was politely possible. A few hours later she was awoken by the dance music. She went to her door, this time the doorknob turned and the door opened. Alex crept along the landing and peered through the railings. The large room that was given up to dance classes during the day was full of men and young women. The atmosphere was a jolly one, but very few were dancing. Alex couldn’t see the ‘Cappy’, however, Rita was in high spirits, that could have been put down to that she was a bit drunk. Matilda was standing by the music centre from which loud music sounded. Those who weren’t dancing, were flirting and chatting. Alex realized that the dancing academy was just a front for a place for men and women to meet. The man in the street had been right. Matilda looked up and caught Alex staring downwards. She gave no sign to Rita that Alex was present, which made Alex think that Matilda had been the one to lock the door the first night and leave it unlocked the second night. She must have had a very good reason for doing so. Alex returned to her room and got back into bed.

 

Alex went down early the next morning and found Matilda making coffee and toasting bread and heating up milk. “Have you seen much of the town yet?” Matilda asked Alex.

“Not yet.”

“I’m going to the market later on. Would like to come with me?”

“Yes, I’d like that very much. Yesterday, I went to the rehabilitated market. That’s not what you’re talking about, is it?”

“No, it isn’t the new market. It’s in another district, not far from here. The coffee’s ready, please serve yourself. I’ll take one up to Rita.”

“Where is Rita?”

“She’s in bed, not feeling too well. She had a rough night.” Matilda left the kitchen carrying a small tray with a cup of coffee and a plate of biscuits on it.

Alex sat at the kitchen table and had her breakfast, which was about to finish, when Matilda returned, and said, “Rita says she’ll be spending the morning in bed.”

“What about the academy, who’s going to run that?”

“She’s told the pupils who have a class today, that she wasn’t up to it.”

“Shall we be going to the market then?”

“Yes, of course. I shan’t be long, and then we can be off.” Matilda said, as she began to wash up the crockery.

 

Alex went upstairs to her room and got ready to go out with Matilda. They met at the bottom of the stairs. Rita’s bedroom opened and closed. Alex didn’t see whether or not Rita left her bedroom.

 

“Alex, you’d better get your luggage ready. The police will be coming soon. I’ve just received a phone call from the chief of police, who’s a friend of Rita’s.”

 

Alex went back upstairs and packed her things together very quickly. She then ran downstairs to see Matilda waiting for her.

“Where are we going?” Alex asked, noticing that Matilda was also holding three large trolley-cases.

“I’m going back to my village, and you wherever you like, I suppose.”

There was a taxi waiting outside for them, and they got inside it.

“Are you leaving Rita to face the music on her own?” Alex asked.

“She, who was once my friend, is no longer. Rita always had to have her own way, and any of my ideas when they were accepted, she said they were hers. At first, all went well, but Rita was avid for money, and began getting involved in shady business practices. By chance, I found out not long ago that the ‘Cappy’ was a police captain, not a seaman. “Rita never knew, and when I was absolutely sure he wasn’t what he made himself out to be, and I told her, she blew her stack,” Matilda said to an astonished Alex.

“How will she fare with the police?”

“Not too bad, I suppose. After all, some of them are regulars here at her establishment,” Matilda said, as the taxi slowed down at the railway station.

 

Alex watched as Matilda, the only woman with a moustache she had ever known, clamber out of the taxi, and stagger as fast as she was able into the station, dragging her three trolley-cases behind her. She would have given a lot to have been present when the police entered the dance academy.

 

That afternoon saw the closure of the dance academy, and of course, the end of the flirtation between Rita and the ‘Cappy’.

 

Matilda returned to her village, where she took up dressmaking again.

 

Alexandra went back to her flat overlooking the beach, in the rather dull and boring seaside town. Going away for a few days had opened her eyes, that life wasn’t so boring after all.

 

Some time later there was a small photo and a short column in the local newspaper, stating Rita, who had become notorious, had married a middle-aged man, and they were going to set up a dance academy together in Benidorm.

 

Matilda was busy dressing all the females in the village for weddings, christenings, and funerals.

 

Alex smiled when she read about Rita’s wedding, and decided to write the unbelievable story of her three-day stay in such a beautiful setting, for other people to enjoy it as well.