Page 11 of The Dance Deception
‘Okay, let’s start by filming you arriving,’ Sarah suggests. ‘We’re going to pretend it’s still Monday and that this is the first time the two of you have met, so try to look excited when you come through the door.’
I leave the room and try to convince myself this is perfectly normal. I’m just walking into the studio. How hard can it be?
But it doesn’t feel natural, and apparently it doesn’t look it either, so we end up having to film it again. And then a few more times, while my cheeks flush redder and redder with embarrassment. In between each take, Merle wants to watch a playback on Sarah’s laptop, which takes ages because she has to remove the memory card from the camera, transfer it to her MacBook then wait for the file to download. And every time, Merle shakes his head and points out something he’s not happy with.
‘Again please,’ he says for what feels like the hundredth time, and I realise it was wildly optimistic that the filming would only take a couple of hours. I’m not sure it’s ever going to end.
‘You’re doing great,’ Sarah tells me. ‘Just try to relax a bit more, and don’t look directly at the camera. I know it’s hard but try to pretend it’s not there. And remember to smile. Right, one more time …’
When Merle is finally satisfied, we move on to filming part of our dance routine. Even though Sarah is the expert, Merle has his own ideas about where the camera should be to capture our best angles, which results in a few animated exchanges. Standing awkwardly while they bicker, I tell myself it’s a good thing that he wants us to look our best.
Merle continues to watch each take on the laptop and find fault with all of them. A lot of it’s because I’m so tense that he can’t lead me through the moves properly. Ifind myself wishing he wasn’t such a perfectionist and I suspect Sarah feels much the same way. I think we both breathe a sigh of relief when Merle finally gives one of the clips a nod of approval.
Thankfully, the part where she films us chatting is easier, because Merle jumps straight in and does most of the talking, so I don’t feel like I’m messing things up. There’s no more breaking into a sweat every time he wants to start over; I just keep a smile plastered on my face and nod enthusiastically while he talks about the amazing progress we’re making with our kizomba, even if I think he’s exaggerating.
Sarah wants to finish up by having us do something that shows how much fun we’re having. There isn’t much in the way of props in the studio, but she brings a chair into the middle of the room, finds some music on her phone and proposes a game of musical chairs for two.
She has us dancing round in a circle till she stops the music, then racing to be first onto the seat. On the first attempt, Merle crashes into me and makes me tumble to the floor.
‘Cut!’ he demands stroppily as he hauls me up.
‘Are you okay?’ he asks, brushing dust from my leggings. It’s the first intimate gesture of the day. I nod. I’m mildly mortified, but I’m not hurt.
‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ he asks Sarah.
‘Can we just try it one more time?’ she says.
It takes nine more attempts before Merle is happy with the scene Sarah has captured – of him and me both ending up on the chair, back to back, nodding at the camera withour arms folded across our chests. If I’m honest, it seems a bit cheesy to me, and I feel a flicker of unease about the show on Saturday night, but Merle doesn’t appear to share my concerns, and neither does Sarah, so I must just not be seeing whatever it is they’re seeing.
‘I think that’s it then,’ Sarah says. ‘We’ve got everything we need.’
I want to hug her. I’ve been dying to hear those words for hours. I watch impatiently as she starts packing up her gear with Steve and Andy.
‘Thanks for your perseverance, everyone,’ she says when they’re done. ‘I know it’s been a bit of a slog, but I think you’ll agree it was worth it.’
It’s all I can do not to cheer as Merle pushes the door closed behind them. I can’t believe how long it’s taken and how little of the day we have left – although I’m not sure how much fun the remaining time will be if Merle doesn’t drop his professionalism. I breathe a sigh of relief when he tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear and kisses me the minute we’re alone again.
‘Today has given me an idea,’ he says, taking my hand and leading me to the middle of the dance floor. ‘There’s something I want to try to help you feel the steps and not just step them.’
‘Sounds intriguing.’ I smile. I think I know what’s coming next, and I’m so ready for it.
He pushes my arms into the air and slides my top up over my head, making my smile double in size.
‘Close your eyes,’ he instructs, and I shiver with anticipation as I do as he says.
I hear him crossing the room and rummaging around in his bag. Then he walks back to me and slides something silky over my eyes. It’s a scarf, which he ties in a loose knot behind my head, blindfolding me.
I hold my breath, not sure I like being so vulnerable, but as he trails his fingers over my skin, I realise I want him to do whatever it is he has in mind. I don’t doubt he’ll make sure I enjoy it.
He releases the catch on my bra and lets it fall to the floor. I wait for the feel of his hands on my breasts, but it doesn’t come. I force myself to be patient.
He lifts my feet one by one, to remove my shoes, and places my bare feet back on the cool wood. Trailing his hands up my leggings, he pauses on the waistband, then he rolls them down over my hips, lifting my feet again to free me from the material. As he repeats the process with my underwear, I’m so conscious of my nakedness that my heart starts pounding. But his hands still don’t explore my body.
Just as I’m about to beg him to do something, anything, he takes my arms and moves them up to his shoulders, nudging his leg between mine – the starting position of our dance. My nipples brush against the smooth material of his T-shirt, sending currents through my body as he starts walking us through the steps, slowly at first, then a little faster until we’re eventually at the full speed.
The sensation of his clothes brushing against my bare skin is so arousing. As he uses his body to guide mine, I feel like I’ve become an extension of him, moving wherever he wants me to go.
He breaks away twice, once to put our music on, so we can dance to our song, and the second time I don’t know what for, until he slides my blindfold off and I realise he was filming us.
