Have questions about submitting to Pitch Wars or just want to know what it is? Start here!

Blog

PW-1 (MG): MY SEVENTH GRADE LIFE IN TIGHTS

Wednesday, 22 January 2014  |  Posted by Brenda Drake

MENTOR: Marieke Nijkamp

MENTEE: Brooks Benjamin

TITLE: MY SEVENTH GRADE LIFE IN TIGHTS

CATEGORY / GENRE: MG / Contemporary

WORD COUNT: 54,000

 

PITCH:

Dance studios are for sell-outs. At least that’s what Dillon’s dance crew keeps saying. But when a chance to compete at the biggest dance academy in the state falls in his lap, he has to decide what’s more important: sticking to his crew’s rules or freestyling his way into solo greatness.

 

EXCERPT:

My downward spiral into the land of two-faced backstabbery started that day.

The day I posted my routine on Dance-Splosion’s website. They were giving away a three-week summer scholarship to one lucky dancer.

It was the last weekend of the summer. I headed downstairs where the lighting sucked and it had this weird, someone-farted-in-an-old-shoe smell that never went away. But it was the only place in our house that had enough room to dance. I sat my phone on an end table and hit record.

“Hi, my name’s Dillon Parker. I’m twelve years old and I go to Sunnydale Middle. I hope you like my dance.”

My heart was already trying to crash through my ribcage. Especially since I was about to pull off a face-melter in jeans. Dance tights would’ve been better. But I didn’t have any. And I wouldn’t buy any, either.

Not until I was a real dancer.

I’d know it when I got there. Sort of like how you can be feeling perfectly fine and then sneeze and know right then that you’re gonna have a cold. That’s what I was waiting for. That tingly sneeze sensation. I had the dance fever. Now all I needed was to catch a dance cold.

But I wasn’t gonna get there on my own. I needed that scholarship.

Don’t get me wrong—my dance crew was like my family. But being the only untrained dancer on the team was like being the one kid in homeroom who forgot to wear underwear—or pants.

Filed: Pitch Wars

5 Comments
  • Pam says:

    This is so cute! Good luck. I don’t have much of a dance background but I love that this MS is full of boys and dancing and TIGHTS!

  • John Cusick says:

    I love that he’s a young guy dancer, which isn’t something I’ve seen a lot of in m.g. or y.a.. It’s different, and it’s awesome. I’d love to read the first 50 pages. Would you send them to JohnC [at] Greenhouseliterary.com?

  • Summer says:

    I love this. If this were a kindle sample, I’d hit the “buy” button NOW.

IMPORTANT!
We're thrilled at the different ways those in our Pitch Wars community are giving back—and we encourage them to do so. However, please keep in mind that Pitch Wars is not affiliated with any of these various contests, promotions, etc., including those of our mentors and mentees. Promoting any such opportunities via our social media channels doesn't imply endorsement or affiliation. We encourage you to do your research before participating.

Pitch Wars takes a stand. ANTI-BULLYING. Click here to review our policy

Pitch Wars 2021

Blog Archives

Blog Categories

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.