Smiling, Delphie knelt down and undid the ribbons. What an amazing adventure! She put the ballet shoes on her desk and wriggled her toes. She was tired and her muscles ached but she felt very, very happy.

Quietly, she got into bed. As she shut her eyes she pictured herself dancing with the bluebirds. She hadn’t worried about her arms and her legs, she’d just listened to the music and danced. Was that what Madame Za-Za had meant earlier when she said it was important not to try too hard?

Delphie snuggled down. She couldn’t wait until the audition the next day!

The music swelled out in the ballet studio. Delphie danced forward, lost in the sound. Madame Za-Za was watching but Delphie was hardly aware of her teacher.

She reached up above her head and then sprang lightly upwards, landing softly through her knees each time. She spun and danced, feeling like she was back in Enchantia, dancing with the bluebirds in the sky. As she held the final position, her eyes glanced at Madame Za-Za and she saw her teacher nod and smile…

Two days later, Delphie raced up the steps into the ballet school. “Delphie!” her friend Lola said, running to meet her. “The cast list is up for the show!”

“Where?” Delphie gasped.

“It’s outside Madame Za-Za’s office!” Lola’s eyes shone. “Oh, Delphie. I’m a robin, Poppy’s a deer and you’re the…”

Delphie didn’t hear any more. She was already racing to the door at the end of the corridor. A piece of white paper was pinned up with the characters and next to them the name of the person playing that character.

Delphie’s eyes found the first line:

The Bluebird… Delphie Durand.

Delphie could hardly believe it.

“It’s brilliant you’re the Bluebird, Delphie!” Lola said, running up behind her.

“Look! Sukie’s the rabbit!” Lola giggled. “She’s so not going to be happy about that!”

Delphie didn’t care what part Sukie had. All that mattered was that she had danced for joy in the audition and that she owned a pair of magic ballet shoes. She turned a pirouette in delight. What could be better than that?

Darcey’s Magical Masterclass

Try one of Delphie’s favourite ballet moves, a demi-plié. It’s one of the first steps that ballet dancers learn…

1. Stand in first position, resting your left arm on your barre. Make an oval shape with your right arm.

2. Bend your knees, keeping your heels together. Make sure they don’t leave the ground

3. Raise your right arm up in a soft curve.