At a troupe rehearsal, pregnant dancer Tessa insists she can join and perform an ethnic lead, provoking Yelena and other members who claim pregnancy and lack of skill disqualify her. Tessa's mother defends her, arguing against discrimination, while Yelena boasts her long training and warns Tessa is out of her depth. Tessa then promises to prove herself with a piece from Spirit of the Peacock. The troupe reacts in disbelief - the dance is said to be lost for 3,000 years - and Yelena snaps, "You've seriously let me down." The company now faces Tessa's startling claim and an uneasy choice.