This was... really scary. I almost stopped reading. And I suppose that in itself is a testament to your skill (or maybe my lack of guts. haha) I think it takes finesse to write about subjects like these. I'm not sure what you set out to accomplish by writing this, how you wanted the audience to feel. I feel confused. Sad. Sickened, even. Pity, even. Yeah... wow. If you're there, do tell me why you chose to write about something like this? why something so dark?

I really liked the technicalities of this piece. How well-researched you must be to know so much about ballet. Its just that, something here I found a little off. If she hates it so much, why does the stop and rebellion only come now, when she's 19 and about to be accepted somewhere important? Why hasn't she had these thoughts before? Sorry, I suppose it isn't that much of a big deal, and it all adds to the climax. Hm and also, I can see why someone calling her a show-off kind of became a turning point. but yeah. I really am enjoying these stories, its quite sad that there's only one left! I shall subscribe to story alert, just in case :)

I really love your stories! These are the kind of stories I'd love to be able to write! Well, that I try to write. Haha.

I've got suuch a long way to go. But I'm really glad I found your stories :) I hope they'll inspire me!

And the thing is, I don't really have any suggestions on how to make them better. I like them as they are :)

This one ends happier. I'm not sure what to say... I enjoyed it because I think its a good piece of work, not because the subject matter was happy. And reading this story and the previous one... you have created such different characters! (which, yknow, requires a significant amount of skill to pull off well)From such different backgrounds, and yet, you have almost united them because of a universal feeling... obsession? insecurity? regret? I'm not sure. But she got over it. She's on the way to recovery. I'm happy for her :)

Hey! So this is a whole lot more unconventional than the romances I usually find on here. I liked it! - a refreshing perspective... and everybody has their own story, don't they?

Wow nice story.

EXTREMELY well written.

wowowowoowowow.

good stuff!

it is so effortlessly beautiful the way u write about humanity in such an unadulterated manner.

Wow... You are truly gifted when it comes to writing. How do you develop your characters? It is through psychology consruction or careful planning of the plot? Also, I really enjoy the fact that you use words related to the story subject itself. Do you perfom time consuming research in order to get the very realistic descriptions of the activities or do you (or a freind) have first hand experience? I am stunned by your very well developed writing. Please contact me (I'm am trying to get my story onto fictionpress as soon as I can fill in the plot holes and my characters stay true to themselves).

I love this- the description, the realness, the vivid emotions.

All four of them are really good.

I personally liked Sur Les Pointes the best.

:)

Woah. That's all I can probably say right now.

It's truly rare to find a really, really good story on fictionpress and this is really, really good.

Honestly, I love it. I love how real and gritty everything is. From the settings .. to the characters .. to their emotions. You've described everything extremely well!

these little "snapshots of life" are amazing. I felt that I could identify a little with every one of the characters, especially the japanese one (since I'm asian, but thankfully my parents aren't THAT overbearing). The emotions, the motivations, the attitudes, it's all so realistic and moving. It really makes me wonder how many other interesting stories other faces in the crowd have. Amazing, this is absolutely amazing.

Wow. You. Are. Amazing. That's all I have to say, about each and every one of these. Just wow.

You wouldn't think that a short story could have as much plot as a novel. But you managed to make it work here.

Although it's kind of like the other one, Pluck. They're both forced to do things they don't want to do, by their parents. In the end, they both decide that they can choose what they want. Did you mean for it to be so similar? The other two stories were so different, that I'm hoping then next few chapters are going to be like that.

Also, one edit: in the first section:

After she’s sure that she’s alone, she sinks back onto the barre and drawls out crudely, self-satisfied, “Fuck yes. Fuck. Yes.”

I think instead of "a crude" should be substituted for "crudely" because the way you write it makes it seem like the crudely is attached to the noun of "fuck yes." unless you make a distinction that the crudely is attached to the verb "drawls out," like saying "crudely drawls out a self-satisfied, 'fuck yes.'"

I loved the ending, though. Brilliant. (Although I have to ask, did she really just wander around NY still wearing her leotard? Dang.)

and a quick ballet note - after wearing pointe shoes, dancers don't put them immediately in their bag, because they need to dry out (they get wet from all the sweat. eww..) and by drying out, maintain the shape that the feet created inside the pointe shoes. if you put them in the bag, then they get all crushed and dry that way. but it doesn't matter, so disregard this.

Wow. ...Incredible.

I love the wordplay in chapter 3, with the relation between jazz and Jazz. And just the way you describe everything...

When I read, I always try to imagine what was in the author's head...and whenever I did that with this, I would stop and realize the author is somebody I've known and been close to for years. And it came as a shock every time I realized and re-realized it.