Welcome to Gaia! ::

It wasn't unusual, at the DCBC, to hear music after hours, or to find dancers there, practicing long into the night. It was quite normal, really, and certainly no stretch of the imagination to find a certain silver haired soloist among those ambitious few.

What was strange, was the sort of music filtering out of one of the little used dance studios. Not the classical blend that accompanied most ballet routines, but a heavier beat, with a quicker tempo. Hip hop music, modern and top of the billboard charts. Delphine fancied herself a high society debutante, but she had an ear other genres, and hip hop dance was one of her guiltier vices. The sort she hid from very nearly everyone she knew, except a very select few.

She was working on a routine that evening, watching herself move in the wall of mirrors in front of her as she ran through a newer move she'd hadn't mastered quite yet.

It was only a matter of time, though.

For as much time as Delphine spent at the DCBC she should have, by now, been able to recognize all the familiar faces that roamed the falls and studios. Sadly, with how very focused she could be, this was not the case. And while she was no no way unfriendly to her fellow dancers or the other workers that frequented the building, she could come off, to some, as a little stand offish. It was not, nor ever had been intentional, but merely a byproduct of her passion and ambition.

So she didn't know the pale haired young man that had begun keeping company with her friend, and who had started volunteering at the DCBC.

Wen she spotted him in the row of mirrors, standing at the door at her back, it was a touch startling, though certainly not the first time a fellow dancer had lingered to watch a colleague. It happened, quite often, at least among those that didn't make it a point to chase their fellows away. So though her pulse picked up, and her eyes did widen a touch as she met his in the mirror, her movements didn't falter.

She kept dancing, and perhaps his presence applied just the sort of pressure the young woman needed to succeed, because what had been a a touch shaky a moment before was nothing but smooth now as she fallowed through.

The move ended in a tight twist, the pop of a hip, and she held it for a beat before letting her posture relax, head lifting to watch the young man in the door way. There was a very vague familiarity to his features. A sense that she'd seen him before, and quite possibly she had, but it had been brief and in passing. She took in the leggings, the sweater that hung from his upper body and the bag hanging from one shoulder. "I don't believe we've met yet," she said as she turned. "Are you a new dancer with us?"

There were instances where the prying eyes of some unknown stranger might have bothered Delphine, but this wasn't one of them. She wasn't sure why, exactly. It could have been the praise, or that bit of awe she saw in the young man's face when he looked at her, but his presence wasn't unwelcome. It had actually helped, and for that she was grateful.

So she smiled when he apologized, giving a small shake of her head as she moved to turn down the volume on the stereo as a new song started to play. "I should thank you, I think. The addition of an audience had always lent a certain appreciated pressure to any tricky routine." She pushed a button to stop the track, then turned to face the young man standing in the doorway.

"If you volunteer here, then you must know someone employed?" She was curious, of course. It wasn't entirely unlikely that he was just some hopeful, trying to get a toe in the door by volunteering his time, but she suspected otherwise.

"Are you planning to apply?"

"Ballroom dancing can be beautiful as well," Delphine would counter kindly, pulling the clip from her hair so it fell around her shoulders in silver waves. "Really, all dancing in beautiful, and takes exceptional skill and talent to perfect. I'm sure you're very good." This came with a smile as she attached the clip to the hem of her shirt to hold it, then lifted her hands to comb through her hair. dividing it on one side into three sections.

"These friends of your's, do they have names? Perhaps I know them as well." She knew most of the dancers on staff in the DCBC, except perhaps a few of the newer ones.

Smiling up at him, she started working the hair in her fingers into a neat braid, drawing lengths in to add to it as she went, so it'd wrap around the back of her head at the nape, draping over the opposite shoulder. She did it quickly, thoughtlessly, and neatly.

"And yourself, what's your name?" Tying off the braid, she'd offer a small hand up to him. "I'm Delphine."

It cost her nothing to be kind, not when the one she was speaking to was as sweet as Auguste was. She smiled up at him as she gave his hand a soft squeeze and a brief shake. A little gentle for a proper handshake, but expected from someone so dainty and delicate seeming. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Even more of a pleasure knowing who he was acquainted with. "I know them both, but one only in passing. Nadia is a very talented dancer." She couldn't recall if they'd had much chance for interaction. Delphine was focused to a fault. It had been pointed out to her very recently that her confidence and independence could come off as standoffishly. She was wondering if perhaps the masseuses had been right.

"I know Colin very well. He's a dear friend of mine." Hand reclaimed, the petite dancer settled it on her hip, posture as relaxed as it ever got. "He is the Prince Charming to my Cinderella in the current showcase the company is preforming." Her head tilted. "Have you been to the show yet?"

Delphine smiled humbly, and on anyone else it might have seemed insincere, but her's was genuine. She might have been proud of her accomplishments, but she knew there was always room for improvement, and she strove to reach new heights day in and day out. Appreciation of that dedication was always nice.

"Have you acquired tickets yet?" Dark eyes picked up on that flush, the pride that seemed to drip from his voice when he'd talked about their very own Prince Charming, and it made the dancer wonder if maybe her friend had finally found some that made him happy. She hoped so, Colin deserved to be happy. "I could reserve a pair for you, if you'd like."

Small fingers slid over the strap of the cami that showed against one shoulder. "I've been here for few years now, since we moved up here from New Orleans." The city name was said with an easy drawl that was mostly absent from her tone, but it came from habit.

Delphine grinned, shaking her head as well. "Oh no, it's no imposition at all." They all got a certain amount of tickets to give out to friends and family, and she had some left that would probably otherwise go to waste. "I insist." She'd get his name, add it to the VIP list so he could come whenever he had the opportunity and they'd admit him.

"If you grew up in France than you might like New Orleans. They speak french in parts of the city. It was settled by French immigrants." Among others, but there was a very heavy French influence on that part of the south.

"I've been to France, parts of it. It's absolutely lovely there." Her smile softened in understanding. "I can imagine how big of a change that had to of been."

Even having just met, Delphine was finding she rather enjoyed this young man. He was a sweet soul, mild and polite. "That is good. I'm glad you've managed to find yourself here in our city." It felt odd saying it like that, she'd only been there a few years longer than he had.

It had to have been getting late, she really didn't want to keep him, since he'd been on his way out when he'd stopped to watch. Holding up a finger, the ballerina backed up and went to grab her bag, throwing it over her shoulder so they could walk out together.

She was twisting her braid and pinning it back into a careful bun when she spoke up again. "If you ever find yourself ever interested in learning another genre, I would be happy to set something up for you." Or give lessons herself, perhaps. "Ballet, or hip hop." The former she was certainly more accomplished with, but the latter might have been an easier one to learn, given his training in modern dance.