Chapters 5 through 8 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 5: Strictly Ballroom

Marjorie's ballroom was in the cellar. Class began with singing and then the students would split off to either ballet and acrobatics or jazz and tap. Marjorie would have loved nothing more than if her daughter had become a dancer but Penny hated every minute of the hour long classes. Talk of dance continued at home at the dinner table. There was no getting away from it. The dance studio was Marjorie's life's work. She thought it was good for young girls to perform and hear applause. "Even fat girls" (pg. 27).

Marjorie met June Taylor and convinced her to let her dance class tryout for a gig on "The Jackie Gleason Show" where Taylor was a choreographer. They got the job and appeared on the last episode of the season. The appearance meant more to Marjorie...