At 10:00 a.m., the semi-finals of Dancing National Style officially began.
Five hundred spectators sat in the audience, while four judges took their seats on the stage alongside the legendary figure of classical national dance, Eleanor Yates. In her forties, Eleanor had maintained an excellent figure. She possessed the elegant, tranquil aura of a lone orchid in an empty valley. Though time had left a few fine lines at the corners of her eyes, they only added to her mature charm.
Attending the show today as a judge, she sat upright at the panel. At first glance, her slender neck, graceful posture, and extraordinary temperament stood out effortlessly.
In addition to the live recording, Dancing National Style was also being broadcast online. Many fans of national style dance had tuned into the livestream early.
[It’s here, it’s here! The semi-finals are finally starting!]
[Support classical dance! I hope it flourishes and promotes our traditional culture!]
[Oh my god, Mr. Yates actually came in person!]
[This episode is going to be worth watching.]
[I remember the first place in the preliminaries was Shannon Everett. She danced wonderfully! Looking forward to her performance in the semi-finals!]
[+1 to the comment above.]
With a total of twenty contestants and a grueling 60% elimination rate, the competition was undeniably fierce.
After the host delivered the opening remarks, the twenty contestants began their performances in the order drawn. Sienna Everett wasn’t very lucky today; she drew the final slot, and Shannon Everett just happened to be performing right before her.
The semi-finals dictated a theme of "Pure White," setting a strict framework for everyone. Every contestant had to take the stage wearing white, ancient-style dance costumes.
At first, the audience watched with keen interest, but as the show dragged on, visual fatigue set in. Even the viewers in the livestream couldn’t help but complain.
[What the hell is this? This level of skill can make it to the semi-finals??]
[I swear, I could throw a handful of rice on the ground for my chickens to peck, and they’d dance better than this!]
[Don’t panic, everyone! Shannon hasn’t come out yet. She was first in the preliminaries!]
[Right, Shannon hasn’t performed yet. Let’s just wait.]
According to the rules, the judges scored each contestant immediately after their performance on a ten-point scale. However, after more than a dozen performances, not a single contestant had scored higher than an 8.5. Compared to the other four judges, Eleanor was exceptionally strict. Up to this point in the competition, her highest given score was only a 7.
It wasn’t until Shannon took the stage that the lifeless atmosphere in the venue suddenly shifted, and the drowsy audience perked up.
"As expected, Shannon is the one worth watching!"
"She looks absolutely stunning dancing classical style! Dressed in white, she’s as graceful as a fairy!"
On stage, Shannon, clad in a white ancient costume and holding a peach blossom branch, performed a gentle and graceful classical piece to the soothing background music. She had a natural talent for dance and was classically trained; both her body movements and facial expressions interpreted the piece perfectly. Flowing like water, her elegant performance won her a resounding round of applause.
Viewers in the livestream also showered her with endless praise.
[Now this is classical dance! So much better than the previous ones!]
[To be honest, Shannon looks so ethereal in white. Even if she’s not astonishingly beautiful, her aura is fresh and refined. In that ancient white dress, she looks like a fairy descending to earth!]
[The main thing is that she dances incredibly well. You can tell she has a solid foundation.]
[Barring any surprises, Shannon is definitely going to be first place in today’s semi-finals!]
Standing on stage, Shannon smiled at the judges’ panel.
The four judges exchanged knowing glances. This Shannon was the precious daughter of the Everett Family. Wasn’t it obvious? Mason Everett, the CEO of The Everett Group, had personally come to the competition venue. Anyone with half a brain knew they should look out for her. Moreover, her performance was genuinely quite good.
After communicating with their eyes, the four judges raised their scoring paddles one by one.
"9.4 points."
"9.5 points."
"9.5 points."
"9.4 points."
As soon as the scores were revealed, thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Considering that these judges hadn’t given any previous contestant more than an 8.5, awarding Shannon a massive 9.5 naturally caused a sensation.
Wild with ecstasy on the inside, Shannon maintained a poised and elegant facade, bowing slightly. "Thank you, judges!"
The camera then panned to Eleanor. Looking at Shannon on the stage, a hint of admiration surfaced in Eleanor’s usually aloof expression. She raised her scoring paddle.
"9 points."
[Oh my god, Mr. Yates gave Shannon a 9!]
[Mr. Yates is always so strict, previously only giving out a maximum of 7 points. Giving Shannon a 9 means she really appreciates her!]
[It’s in the bag! First place in the semi-finals is definitely Shannon’s!]
Overjoyed, Shannon bowed deeply to Eleanor. "Thank you, Mr. Yates!"
After she stepped off the stage, Mason and Wyatt Everett were both waiting considerately backstage.
"Shannon, Mr. Yates really admires you!" Wyatt was genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart. "I told you so! When Mr. Yates mentioned there was a promising talent among the contestants, it was definitely aimed at our Shannon!"
Mason smiled faintly and handed Shannon the keys to a sports car. "First place in this semi-final is undoubtedly yours, Shannon. Allow me to congratulate you in advance on taking the crown."
"Thank you, Mason!" Shannon smiled sweetly, secretly glancing at Sienna not far away. She thought, "Sienna, someone like you thinks you’re worthy to compete with me?"
The live audience was still whispering and discussing the high score of 9 points awarded by Eleanor. Even when the host announced the final contestant’s appearance, it failed to quiet the chatter. The venue remained filled with noisy murmurs.
Suddenly, the stage lights dimmed. A moment later, a solitary spotlight hit the center of the stage. In the half-light, a breathtakingly graceful figure stood tall and slender. Her white dress was as pure as snow, her flowing sleeves fluttering in the air.
The noisy audience fell silent in an instant. By tacit agreement, every eye was fixed on the stage.
The young girl, clad in ancient white garments, looked exquisitely untainted by the mortal world. As a gentle breeze swept past, her long, flowing dark hair danced in the air, and the white sheer fabric of her dress swayed. The pale spotlight showered down, coating her in a cool, silvery radiance that made her appear ethereal and unearthly, like a true immortal.
As the camera zoomed in, the young girl’s exquisite face caught everyone off guard. Her brows were as delicate as distant mountains painted in dark green, and her eyes resembled rippling autumn waters. With the outer corners of her eyes tilting slightly upward, her clear gaze sparkled with an enchanting light. With skin like ice and bones of jade, her beauty did not seem to belong to this world!
The live audience collectively held their breath, as if afraid of disturbing the ethereal figure on stage. Even the viewers in the livestream paused; the barrage of comments suddenly went quiet.
A full three seconds passed.
[Holy... holy shit! Where did this little fairy come from?!]
[WAAAH, I’m dead, I’m so dead! That glance she just gave the camera was so beautiful! I want to die in her eyes!]
[I need all the information on this woman in three minutes!]
[Sienna Everett! The host just said her name is Sienna Everett!]
[Not only does Sienna have an amazing aura, but her looks are also incredibly stunning—way prettier than Shannon! When the camera zoomed in just now, I was hit by an unexpected critical strike of beauty!]
[Help! I wouldn’t even dare to Photoshop someone to look like this, but she just naturally grew up to look this way!]
[Why even call her Sienna Everett? I’m just going to say: Hi, wife!!]
Meanwhile, inside the CEO’s office at the Forresterer Group headquarters.
A man sat behind the desk, his slender, pale fingers gripping a fountain pen as he signed a contract. His handsome face bore a calm, indifferent expression, evidently focused on handling official business.
Beside him, Samuel Sutton stared intently at his phone screen, which was playing the semi-finals livestream of Dancing National Style.
Finally, when Sienna appeared, Samuel immediately called out, "Mr. Forrester, Miss Everett has taken the stage!"
The man’s fingers, mid-signature, came to a sudden halt. He lifted his eyes and looked over.