Codie’s POV (a few weeks into SYTYCD competition, yeah, she makes it onto the actual T.V. show and competes. It’s like the top 6, so the second to last week of the competition. Just so you know… yeah, I’ll get on with the story now.)
I could not believe the news I was hearing. “What?” I asked quietly.
“Your father was in a fatal, single car, car crash. He didn’t make it.” The nurse told me over the phone.
“Holy motherf*cking shit.” I said through my crying. I put my phone on speaker and hugged my roommate for the competition, Isabelle.
“It’s okay Codie.” She said, stroking my hair. We had become friends over the last few weeks of SYTYCD.
“No, it’s not okay.” I started ranting and screaming into my phone. “If this is your idea of a joke, it’s not funny, okay?!” I tried to control myself.
“I don't joke about this stuff miss. Adrian Badress was in a fatal car accident. His second emergency contact was you.” A lump was caught in my throat. I couldn’t talk.
“Thank you, Codie is unable to talk right now. Goodbye ma’am.” Isabelle covered for me.
“That is okay. I am sorry for your loss.” The nurse said before hanging up. I was shaking really badly and crying and I looked like a mess.
“He can’t be gone, he just can’t.” I said through my heavy tears. I thought I had cried a lot when I broke up with Louis, well… I was wrong. I had thought that it was Niagra Falls back then, now I know what it’s really like.
“Shh, it’ll be okay. You have tomorrow to get through. Did he support you dancing?” she asked, holding me into her shoulder.
“He supported me with everything.” I told her.
“He would have wanted you to do this, he wouldn’t want you to give up because he’s gone to a better place.” She told me. I shakily wiped away my tears, trying to get a grip. No matter what I did, I could only think of how I was never going to see him again. I remembered being on the phone, talking to him only three hours ago.
“You must be psychic or something…” I said, still trying to control myself.
“Well, I do try.” She said. I laughed half-heartedly.
“I know.” As soon as I got control over myself, I lost it again. We still had a full rehearsal left for today, then we had the even bigger one tomorrow. “We still have to practice.” I said.
“You don't have to if you don't want to. I’ll tell them why for you.” She told me.
“Nah, it’s okay. I’ll push through, the show must go on… right?” I asked her.
“If that’s what you want to do.” She agreed. I changed into my fluoro blue, leopard printed crop top and short shorts, ready for practice. When we got to the studio I told everyone, and it resulted in everyone giving me a massive group hug. They said that I didn’t have to practice, but I told them I wanted to.
When we finished, I went straight to bed at 9 o’clock. I needed a good sleep for tomorrow. Live show performance tomorrow. It took me forever to fall asleep, I knew because Isabelle came in late, about midnight. I don't know why she had still been up for another three hours, but she seemed exhausted. Almost like she had been full on dancing for the extra hours. I wondered why, but was too tired to ask. She wouldn’t have been practicing her duo or solo or the group routine, so what had she been doing?
***
I broke down side stage, for the live performance. I wiped away my tears and pushed through, my dance partner, Matthew, had been understanding and calmed me down when I needed it. After my musical theatre duo with him I rushed around, to get changed for the girl’s Broadway group dance. And then I was into a hip-hop duo with Arthur and then it was the whole Bollywood group dance.
At the end Isabella took the microphone from the host of the show and talked through the microphone. “If you are aware of this or not, Codie’s Dad, Adrian, died in a car crash last night. Codie has to be one of the nicest people I have ever met, and I don't know how something like this could happen to her. This dance, that she doesn’t know about, is from us to her. It is dedicated to her father, and we wish her all the best for the future.” She said. The camera flashed to me side stage.
Tears streamed down my face as they danced to ‘By the Grace of God’ by Katy Perry. When they finished I mouthed ‘thank you’ to Isabelle. It meant the world to me that they stayed up an extra three hours, until midnight last night, to do this for me.
I hugged every single one of them and thanked them a billion times each. I told them that they didn’t have to, that they shouldn't have done it. They all said it was the least they could do for me.
Then came the results. Who would be eliminated from last week. We all stood on stage, holding hands in a line. I listened to the results carefully. “Could Isabelle and Matthew step forward please?” the host asked. Isabelle stepped forward with Matt. That left Arthur, Garth, Patricia and I behind. “You are straight through to the Grand Finale next week.” I was happy for them, but that wasn’t good for me or Isabelle.
“Off you go, the rest of you.” The host told us. “The other four will be dancing for their lives. We will be back, after this short break.” I went off to side stage. We were all going to do a solo now, the judges would choose who would go through to next week. The grand finale.
I started breathing slowly, trying to calm my heart down. I still couldn’t believe that Dad was gone. He was only here last week, watching me dance. He had been in the audience. Mum had been there too, but Dad had dragged her along.
*flashback*
“My little baby!” dad squealed to me backstage.
“Dad!” I squealed back.
“You were amazing.” He said, squeezing the living daylights out of me.
“I don't know about that one.” I told him.
“Trust me, you were.” He tried to convince me.
“I miss you.” I said.
“I miss you too.” I replied. We were still in our hug.
“I hope you get all the way to the finals.” He told me.
“I do too.” I agreed.
“I love you Codie.” He said.
“Love you too Dad.”
*End of flashback*
“Patricia will dance for us first! On you come Patricia.” The host told us. Patricia did her graceful run on to her starting position. Being a Ballroom dancer her solo consisted of standing the entire time, facial expressions, chassés and tricky steps. Not to mention jazz hands and pointed feet. I didn’t like her, she was too stuck up for her abilities. If I get eliminated and she gets through, I would have a tantrum.
“And next is Arthur.” He got ready on stage. He is a hip-hop dancer, so the music was boppy and fast-paced. He was freakishly good at what he does. Next up was Garth. He was contemporary, like me, but he danced in just loose pants without the shirt. Then it was me. I was dancing to ‘Some Nights’, the version by Taylor Henderson, it was his audition for ‘the X Factor Australia’.
I moved with the music, knowing I wasn’t the best I could be. I could be putting more effort in it… maybe. No, I probably couldn’t. This was all the energy I had. I finished, and I had a massive round of applause. We all went back on stage and stood in a line, all holding hands. Now the judges would call out who they thought should go through to the grand finale.
I tried to hold back tears as I attempted to look at the blacked out audience. I spaced out as they told everyone else about what they did well and how they could improve. I tuned back in when I heard my name. I stepped forward from the line, feeling exposed and vulnerable to everyone’s staring.
“Codie Badress. We cannot fault you on anything, your technique is exquisite, your power is amazing, your emotion is always perfect and your abilities always astound us. Every week we learn something new about your dancing. Whether it be your acting or your flexibility or a new acrobatic trick, we are always left wondering what you will do next.” The main judge said. I stepped back in line. I swear I had a foot in there that wasn’t pointed or flexed, just flopping there. I don't know where it as, but I swear it was there.
We all waited for the judges final decision. “Could Codie and Garth step forward please?” the judge asked. We did so. We took each-others hand, for support. We were either in, or we were out. No inbetween, this was life or death on the show. “We were unsure as to whether we should send you through Codie, with what is happening with your life. We all give you our best wishes for the future and life outside of So You Think You Can Dance.” That didn’t sound good, they were going to eliminate me. I knew it. I know they will. Saying stuff like that they have to be. I looked to the ground.
“But that life will have to wait another week, because you are going through to the Grand Final.” He said very seriously. My jaw dropped and I hugged Garth as soon as I heard it. He hugged me back. I had become friends with everyone here. We ran off stage and started jumping up and down with Isabelle and Matt. It was our invincible group! We were all friends in this group, we knew we would make it to the final. We knew it. We watched the story of Patricia and Arthur from their time on the show.
After that finished and they said goodbye to Australia, the rest of us ran on stage and hugged them, saying our goodbyes. We then got off stage and went to our rooms. Us as the last four went to the big studio. We screamed ‘the Fantastic Four!’ and jumped around like loony’s.
That week we had to learn previous dances that the judges chose as their favourites. I was in every second one I swear. It was a lot to remember, considering we learn new ones as well.
***
So, the night begins with the full group dance, that involves all 24 contestants from the beginning of the season. It was a hip-hop routine and ended with the other twenty contestants on the ground around the final four. We stood up, looking awesome and epic. The second dance to that for me was a favourite from one of the judges.
It was my ‘Warrior’ dance with Matt. We had been partners since the beginning of the season. We were both dressed as ninjas, fake swords on the ground ready to pick up as our props.
“I am a fighter, eh eh
It’s in my DNA
Step back, step right
Nobodies stopping me
Don't try to shoot me down
Cos I'm invincible
I think you made a mistake
I am a warrior
I stand like a soldier, yeah
Strike like a tiger
I stand like a soldier, yeah
March like a champion
I’m gonna dance, dance, dance
To the beat of my drum
Gonna feel my blood running
Wild and young
I’m gonna dance, dance, dance
To the beat of my drum
Like a warrior
Warrior
I am a blizzard, eh eh
So don't get in my way
I keep on blowing
Till there's nothing left on front of me
You try to take my crown
But I'm invincible
You are a venomous snake
But I’m a warrior
I stand like a soldier, yeah
March like a champion
I’m gonna dance, dance, dance
To the beat of my drum
Gonna feel my blood running
Wild and young
I’m gonna dance, dance, dance
To the beat of my drum
Like a warrior
Warrior.”
We ended with him on the ground, and me standing over him with a fake sword at his heart. After us was Isabelle’s original solo for tonight. Then came another favourite dance that I wasn’t in, luckily.
Then it was an ad break, so I got ready for my next dance. It was me and Isabelle doing an original for tonight. We were dressed in army camouflaged short skirts and crop tops. The song was ‘Salute’ by Little Mix.
“All the ladies all around the world
Listen up, we’re looking for recruits
If you're with me let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps
Or lace your boots
Representin’ all the women
Salute, salute
All the ladies all around the world
Listen up, we’re looking for recruits
If you're with me let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps
Or lace your boots
Representin’ all the women
Salute, salute
It’s who we are
We don't need no
Camouflage
It’s the female
Federal
And were taking off
If you with me let me hear you say
All the ladies all around the world
Listen up, we’re looking for recruits
If you're with me let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps
Or lace your boots
Representin’ all the women
Salute, salute
Attention!
Salute
Attention!
Salute
Attention!
Representin’ all the women
Salute, salute.”
After that one I had one dance as a break, and I was back on as a favourite dance with all of the girls from the first episode, where we did a girl’s dance. After we did that I did a new dance with Garth, a lyrical. The song was ‘It Will Rain’ by Bruno Mars. I got another break and before I knew it we were at the end of the show. Still one more favourite dance to go. I was the only one side stage to go. Mary Murphy chose this one.
“Now, the dance I have chosen took my breath, and I'm sure everyone else’s, away. It left me speechless, and it wasn’t even on the actual show. I'm not sure if this is in the rulebook, but I asked her, and she said it was okay, so… my chosen dance is Codie’s audition solo, ‘Fix You’.” She said. I rushed on stage in my new costume for this dance. It was a baggy dress that was drawn around my waist. It was sleeveless, but it was kind of like singlet straps. Not the skinny, spaghetti strap ones, the fat strapped ones.
It was the colours of Earth, a deep brown and different greens. I heard the music start and I started moving around the stage, tumbling, turning, leaping and jumping. I put even more into it then I did the first time I did this dance. I had newfound pain, from a new experience. One that hurt more than Louis and I. As soon as I finished, I found the same judges crying as they did when I auditioned. Mary was speechless… again. Everyone girl side stage was in tears, all of the guys gobsmacked at what I did.
My vision was blurry from the tears I was trying to hold back. The tears eventually fell silently, I wasn’t sobbing in any way, the tears just fell. There was no runny nose, no weird breathing, just tears.
An ad break came and I gathered myself together, controlling my tears. We gathered on stage again, this time we would know who won. We would know who would go away with the prize money and whatever else came with it. I was hoping that Isabelle would win. I would gladly lose if she became Australia’s favourite girl dancer.
“So the guy winner is…” she dragged on the pause, for so called ‘suspense’. The guys were declared first. “Matt!” she squealed. I laughed out of surprise. I didn’t know who out of the guys was going to win.
After they both got ushered off stage, Isabelle and I went up. “So the girl winner is…” she opened the envelope. “It’s a tie!” she screamed. “For the first time in SYTYCD history, we have a tie between the finalists. This means that-” I took the microphone from the host’s hands.
“It means that Isabelle gets the full prize.” I said. Izzy looked at me.
“What?” she asked.
“You win, mate.” I repeated in a simpler form.
“Why?” she asked next.
“Because you deserve it.” I told her. I wrapped her in my arms. “Just promise not to forget me with all the new found fame, would ya?” I asked as a favour.
“I would never forget you.” They must have finished the show because everyone was on stage, feeling like we were having a party on stage.
“Good, because I won’t forget you, friend.” I put my hand out, for her to shake it. She took it and flung my arm up and down.
“Friend.” She said, fake crying.
“WOOH! PARTY!!!”

Notes