If the Shoe Fits

More than anything, Cassie wants to be a dancer and perform in a troupe. She takes classes in ballet, tap, and jazz but for some reason does not seem to make friends with her classmates. Cassie is shy and nervous about performing in public; even in class, she stays in the back, hoping not to be noticed. She watches her classmate Jake, who seems full of confidence and acts like a bit of a show-off. He always goes right to the front of the class. When the class prepares for the dance they will perform in front of an audience on Parents' Day, Cassie thinks about feigning illness so she can stay home, but knows she can never fool her mom with that ploy. So, Cassie then points out that her dance shoes are too tight. This is true, but the dance instructor keeps a supply of secondhand shoes available and Cassie winds up with a pair of shoes once used by a famous dancer. With the "star" shoes and the encouragement of Jake (who has problems of his own), Cassie finds that performing is fun.