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pixiealtaira · 7 years ago

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I would like to learn more about...

Pairing: None. Kurt-centric slice of life. Probably not Rachel friendly, I just see it as being her but others might see it as more unfriendly.

Rachel hovered over Kurt as he filled out the class schedule for his first semester at NYADA. He’d already been placed in the dance class and vocal class and workshop time, he now needed to flesh out the rest of the semester with classes that he could take that weren’t the second half of topics and didn’t require a class as a prerequisite.

“I’ll have to take First year Drama and script analysis over the summer. Madame Tibideaux said if I went both summer sessions I could take those classes and the rest of first year voice and dance. I can only take a max 10 credits during summer sessions, and that is that right there. I could get in speech and maybe the math general requirement now though. With Modern Musical Theater and that Exploration of Dramatic arts course I would have a good start. That would probably be about max credit wise anyway.”

“You aren’t going home to Lima in the summer?” Rachel asked quietly.

“No, I have to catch up so I can be on course by next year. My college fund is not unlimited. And at NYADA all it is going to cover is tuition.”

“But Kurt…”

“Sorry, Rachel. It wouldn’t hurt you to stay here. You could find a job and see if you could get permission to audition.”

Rachel scoffed. “I already plan to audition whenever something I might want comes up. I told Madame Tibideaux that as well. She can’t actually stop me.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Did you ever consider the recommendation for no auditioning until you are given the go ahead might be there for a reason?” Kurt asked.

“And I know the reason. It is so that they have less competition. Rumor has it most the teachers at NYADA do at least one professional show a year. They just keep the students down so they don’t outshine the teachers.” Rachel said and Kurt could tell she was serious.

“Anyway,” Kurt continued, interrupting what he knew would end up a huge rant if he let Rachel get into it. ”I need to go in and test my musical theory foundation and piano skills for placement in those classes, but those are each just one credit a piece. But taking the classes will have to wait till fall. Then in fall I can take English Comp and World History. That is six credits and a good chunk of my generals out of the way. Hmm…so let’s see…Dance is four credits, vocal and workshop is four credits...and six more. That is fourteen, plus musical theory and piano…so 16. Hmm, if I add projection, which is one credit and History of Theater in America, which is three, I’ll still be under 21, which is the max without getting all sorts of permissions and such.”

“But, we won’t share any classes.” Rachel said.

“Aren’t you taking the English class?” Kurt asked.

Rachel snorted. “I need to focus, Kurt. My dads came with me and helped set up my first year schedule. I have dance, vocal class and workshop, a private lesson, and first year acting with emphasis on musical theater. WE think 12 credits are enough and will allow my focus to be properly pointed to where I can show the most star power. They advised sticking as close to that as possible for the next year as well.”

“What about script analysis and your generals and oh…the rest?”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Attention won’t be focused on me in those classes, Kurt. And if I can’t keep the focus I won’t get the roles I deserve. I need to be seen. I am certain I’ll be able to get them covered without having to actually take them.”

“And here I thought the purpose of NYADA was to learn all about musical theater and become better prepared for a career in the industry.” Kurt said.

“By being seen at what you shine at.” Rachel answered.

Kurt snorted and went about filling out a schedule in which what he wanted to take didn’t overlap.

Rachel grumbled and muttered under her breath about letting her set his schedule up, but he plugged along and got his classes set up like he wanted. He briefly wondered what she was going to do when she wasn’t let into certain classes next year due to prerequisites not being taken.

Rachel forgot her complaints about his schedule by the time they started classes anyway, except when he wasn’t home to fix her food when she wanted him to.

She whined about him taking summer courses again when it was close to summer. She had wanted him to follow her to the theater while they started putting together Fanny so he could do all her running for her, like make her coffee or feed her lines when she forgot them.

“Sorry,” Kurt told her the third time she demanded he not take the summer courses. “Not only do I have my NYADA courses but I managed to get into a class recommended at Vogue.com. I’m taking a photography course being offered by one of the photographers who does the regular magazine photos. It is an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“Why?”

“Because I was offered the chance when I asked her why she made a choice she made while setting up one of the shoots that showcased the summer scarves we had a small write up on. Thea had a spot open in this class and told me she’d love me to fill it since I was asking questions that had substance.”

Rachel looked at him as if he were speaking a different language. “I mean why would you take a photography class? That has nothing to do with starring on Broadway. What a waste of time! If I were you, I’d use the time you spend there doing something useful…like auditioning.” Rachel said with a sneer.

“I already told you, I will wait to audition until I have something to put down on paper and have more classes under my belt.”

“You’re going to wait for permission aren’t you?”

“Probably,” Kurt replied. “Anyway, Photography is fascinating. I have such a great deal of respect for most of the photographers who I’ve met and this is simply the opportunity of a lifetime. She even set up a photography basics course for me to take before I go to her classes. I can’t wait. I mean, I don’t know if I’ll ever use it professionally, but if I can create with it for my own enjoyment and also learn what makes a great photo for different purposes for use with vogue.com it will be worth every moment.”

Rachel was of course fine with Kurt taking photos when they ended up being able to be used for her portfolio.

Blaine didn’t get into New York until three days before NYADA started back up again…Sam in tow, so Kurt didn’t have to hear ‘why are you taking’ whatever it was that seemed silly for him to take to whoever was complaining (as Santana joined in for Fall semester complaining) from Blaine at least. This was good because Rachel and Santana were annoying and loud enough to keep Kurt on edge. He was already stressed because he was having to rearrange what he’d tried to put in before…but his yr. two vocals class and intermediate dance class interfered with his previous set up. Rachel had wanted him to just drop what he’d had to pull out of all together but instead he just switched courses. He’d tested out of musical theory thankfully, because it was one that didn’t fit any longer, and he’d managed to keep projection and history of theater, but Eng. comp and world history were moved to online courses which had a full year to finish and so didn’t count into his credit count and his piano course had had to be postponed. On Santana’s and Rachel’s list to complain about were the screenwriting class, choral for chorus, world literature and sight singing. Rachel also tossed fits over the online courses…because they took away time from Kurt following her off to Callbacks and watching her sing and cheering her on. Or rather watching her and Blaine sing and cheering them on, since Blaine was ‘allowed’ to sing with Rachel and while he was out with Rachel, whereas Kurt was just supposed to sit and cheer for her. Kurt loved having online homework to do as an excuse to stay home personally…a year of just sitting and waiting for her to ‘allow’ him to play as well was enough.

“Look,” Kurt finally snapped. “After world lit, I have five more general courses to take. I might plan on being a star someday, but sight reading music and being part of a chorus are just good skills to be able to bring to the game. And honestly, you two…how can you scoff at screenwriting? To make your own script? The power of writing, of being the creator of a whole show? How can you not see the appeal?”

“But Kurt, those classes will take away from your voice courses and dance and acting classes! Where is your focus and pin pointed passion!” Rachel yelled.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “The same place it has been since I got here. NYADA is a place to learn all about the theater profession…not just singing. The more I know, the more I have to bring to the table when I go out to audition. Those credits listed on a CV matter, Rachel. The more I participate throughout the school, in a variety of areas, the more professionals in the school I meet and hopefully the more letters of recommendation I can bring with me. Not everyone gets handed their dream role right off the bat like you did. The rest of us will have to fight our way into a role.”

“I had to fight for my role, Kurt.” Rachel snarled.

“No, you really didn’t Rachel.” Kurt said. “Talk to other people who have gone to open call auditions. You got lucky and went to auditions on an appointment system because your casting director for the show had been suffering from migraines and decided a traditional open call wouldn’t be an option. Did you think that was normal? How auditions are generally held here?”

Rachel shrugged. “I didn’t think about it. Why would I?”

Kurt rolled his eyes.

“I have no idea why you might think about how things are generally done in the profession you are going into.” Kurt sneered.

“Besides, I’m going to be famous now and they will always have me audition privately and first for any role I want from now on.” Rachel added…completely seriously.

Kurt finalized his schedule and resisted the urge to slam his head against the wall…or strangle Rachel.

Unfortunately, Blaine was around to join in the complaints when Kurt signed up for his Spring Semester classes for his second year. Blaine complained about Mime and Movement the most, although he complained about the Kurt taking such a full load to begin with. Rachel complained about Stage Combat. Santana scoffed at Shakespeare and his Health and Wellness class. He was also taking the next parts of his second year vocal and workshop, dance, piano fundamentals, and half his 2yr acting course. Needless to say after all the complaining he was highly surprised to see Blaine in Mime and Movement, let alone his second year vocal and workshop and acting class . In fact, the only two classes Blaine wasn’t in were Kurt’s dance class and his Health and Wellness course. Blaine complained about Kurt’s course choices all semester long.

Kurt hid when he signed up for classes during the next summer. Not that it mattered. There was no one left to whine and complain at him about his choices at all. Not even Dani and Elliot. Not that Kurt blamed them. Between Santana being around and being horrid to Dani after that relationship didn’t work and Rachel’s treatment of the both after she was not included in the remake of the band and Blaine screeching at Elliot and then treating him like he was garbage from then on out, Kurt couldn’t fault them for being driven away…on good days. On bad days Kurt couldn’t fault them for staying away from his toxic being.

His gloom lasted through the first session of summer classes. He’d taken his biology /anatomy class with a lab, getting that science credit needed for the full BA, and ethics class and his first audition techniques class, as well as adding Intro to guitar and Songwriting basics. It was a full 10 credits, but it had knocked off two more general courses and some of the single credit courses he hadn’t fit in yet. He did a summer acting workshop as well which wasn’t counted in his credits but Madame Tibideaux counted as the other half of his 2yr acting. It stretched through both summer sessions and Kurt figured by the end of it he’d spent more time acting than if he’d taken the class.

His second summer session was filled with dance specifics. Three credits of Tap and three credits of Ballet, then single credit ballroom technique and Jazz ensemble dance. He asked and got permission to stretch his session to 11 credits and added Jazz Harmonies, Dialects and Cold Readings Techniques.

Cassandra July didn’t allow moping. Kurt was in her class and in her presence every day of the week for several hours.

Cassandra July loved pointing out your personal issues. However, oddly enough, she made Blaine out to be the idiot of the tale…the one who flunked out because he was too much a pompous ass to do things in the proper order and proper manner, the idiot who threw his money around and tossed fits and demanded special treatment to get himself put into classes he wasn’t in any manner prepared for. She drug Rachel through the wringer, and Kurt could not fault her one bit. She just growled at Kurt for letting their desertion drag him down instead of celebrating the freedom their absence afforded him.

Cassandra July pointed everything out loudly, in public. Within a week, guys who he’d been as friendly as he was able to be with in Stage Combat and Mime class without Blaine flipping his lid were coming up to him and talking to him. Elliot called and asked f Kurt wanted to hang out. Dani called and invited herself over to the loft, to help him cleanse it of lingering bad vibes. Friends he’d made in Adam’s Apples who he hadn’t been able to talk to for over a year called out of the blue.

Thea asked if he wanted to take another photography class…or rather, it turned out, follow her around to shoots on weekends and learn how to work shoots and do quick edits on site. Isabelle got back from her stint in LA and involved him more within the social circles at vogue again and colluded with Ms. July to have Kurt practice his ballroom dance with people Isabelle found several times over the course of the session. Kurt hadn’t even been aware the two knew each other well enough to interfere with his blues.

Isabelle and Dani also somehow got together and found him a good therapist. (A bit of an unholy pairing which also led to several articles on Roller Derby styles…much to Kurt’s dismay.)

Elliot, Chase, and Dani were with him when he was trying to figure out the schedule for his third year of NYADA. They looked over his shoulder as he registered his courses online.

“I thought this semester was work study?” Dani said.

“It’s the year actually, half is work study and the other half is ‘from script to stage’, which means costume and design, lighting and sound basics, make-up arts, set design and stage craft, and intro to directing. They basically split the 3rd years into two groups and tell them which semester they are supposed to do which in. My name was drawn for first semester for work study. At NYADA, if you don’t leave the city for work study, that simply means 4 credits of dance and four credits of vocal and workshop, 3 credits of generals and if your work study isn’t calculated to be at least six credit hours, then also the three credit screen and studio class on top of work study. I’m signing up for the class just in case so IF I have to take it my spot is there. And I’m taking full advantage of the option of registering a full year 3rd year and getting my spots in spring semester solidified. During your script to stage semester you have to have a vocal specialty class…I’m aiming for harmonies, a dance specialty class…Ms. July suggested Irish Dance and Clogging essentials, and an acting specialty…I’m going with the improve class. To top off the bunch you need a three credit general in there, too. I choose the arts appreciation course…it is mostly a lot of watching and attending and write-ups, which will be nice contrast to all the doing of that semester.”

“Are they trying to kill you third year?” Chase asked.

Kurt laughed. “Most those courses, like costume and lighting, are available to the non-musical theater students from the start for the most part, but we are pretty much kept out until our third year. I think they set it up this way to give us musical theater brats an ego check. Also, this forces some people to get involved in courses other than their vocals and dance and acting. Sadly, Rachel wasn’t the only one to have basically avoided courses that didn’t spot light her. Others seem to look forward to this year with gleeful anticipation.”

“So…”Elliot said.

“So?” Kurt asked.

“So…what are you signing up for?” Elliot prompted.

“Oh! So, Ms. July put me into acrobatic dance…more focus on leaps and tumbling and stuff, instead of her regular advanced dance course. She said it was because I have been doing dance during summers and have been ‘suitably committed’ to doing well in class, but Jules from Stage Combat last year said that third year regular advanced dance does a lot of Ballroom style dancing so I figure she moved me because I took ballroom already and have that cheer background that she’d like to torture me with. Then I have a vocal hour with Larson and a vocal hour with Tibideaux, and the two hour Tibideaux workshop. Larson is not happy, but he said if she doesn’t use me better this year she will not get me next semester at all and he will sign off for the extra credits next semester to have me for vocals and workshops to himself. I’m taking History of the Cinema, with focus on Musicals, for my general elective course. If I get the work study project at the Old Actor’s home…it will be 7 to 8 credit hours and I will do the studio class in summer. If I get the Children’s theater project instead it is six credits and I’ll have to talk to Tibideaux about the studio course.”

“Which work study project do you want most?” Dani asked.

“You know, I don’t really care.” Kurt said. “I would love to work at the home again. I love spending time with everyone there. But working with kids would be fun, too. I just want either of those projects. My third and fourth choices weren’t as fun sounding.”

“If you work with the kids, I want to tag along sometime.” Elliot said. “I have always wanted to learn enough about how to put together a youth drama program and have it be successful enough to last several years. It would be a great chance to maybe pick some minds.”

“Are you totally looking forward to your second semester?” Chase asked.

Kurt smiled. “You know, I am. I’ve been looking forward to these classes since I started NYADA. I declared a musical theater major from the very start, which I wished I hadn’t after talking with Adam after just a few weeks, but it was too late really, otherwise I would have taken some of the classes during my very first semester. I mean, costume design? Who wouldn’t want to take that?”

“Well, I can’t wait for you to take them…I expect you to sneak some time on the machines in there to put together some costumes for the band! I don’t have access to the costume shop anymore.” Elliot said.

Kurt laughed.

“You know, maybe you could see if you can add any of what you learn in your dance courses into the band dancing, as well.” Dani added. “I mean some leaps and jumps would be bound to get the girls all hot and bothered…and that is always good for future show turnouts.”

“Not to mention the men in the audience.” Chase added.

Kurt leaned back and looked at his friends, marveling at the difference it made when people truly wanted what was best for you and not just them. Elliot ruffled his hair and made Kurt squeak.

“You finished?” Dani asked.

Kurt nodded. “I’ll get an email confirmation in the morning.”

“Then I suggest we party! I hear a club calling our names!” Dani shouted.

Kurt smiled and stood up, heading straight for the door. “First round of whatever we are drinking tonight is on me. I am feeling quite fabulous.”

The four friends headed out, a haze of laughter following them.

#glee fanfic #Kurt Hummel

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