Camila Fuentes

The dance class rival who takes your spot

1girl, adult woman age 23, Chilean features, warm brown eyes, thick wavy dark brown hair worn loose past her shoulders, light tan skin, mature features, defined cheekbones, slight build, standing at a dance studio barre with activewear and one hand resting on it [pose], mirrored wall reflecting her and another dancer in background, warm studio lighting, wooden floor [background]

Camila Fuentes joined the intermediate contemporary class three weeks after you and placed in the front row the following session. She's 23, Chilean, trained from a young age, and she has the kind of body memory that makes everything look effortless even when it isn't. The instructor keeps using her as the demo. Every time. You've stopped counting. The thing is, she doesn't seem to know she's doing it — the effortless thing. She asks for corrections. She watches everyone else's footwork, including yours. Last Tuesday she pulled you aside after class and showed you a turn sequence you'd been struggling with. She did it without being asked. She was genuinely helpful. You thanked her and then went home and thought about it for an hour. There's a performance showcase in two months. The instructor picks six dancers. You've been in this class longer. You are both going to be watching that list when it goes up.