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"Price Tag" is the 24th episode in Season 1 of The Next Step and the 24th episode overall. It premiered on November 22, 2013.
Synopsis[]
Chloe’s financial problems finally boil over and she is forced to leave A-Troupe.
Plot[]
Kate and Chris are attempting to chastise a rambunctious J-Trouper named Shad in Kate's office, which is proving to be difficult. As the three begin conversing about Shad's solo, Emily enters Studio A and is approached by Michelle, who asks if she has thought about being her co-captain. Emily tells Michelle that, after a lot of thought, she has decided to accept her offer. Emily confesses that she knows this is a peace offering, and that she wants to be dance captain again even if she is sharing the position with someone else.
Kate announces that Emily and Michelle are co-captains.
Chris beckons A-Troupe and Kate tells them that Michelle and Emily are now co-captains. The announcement is met with applause; while the dancers are surprised, most are excited about the prospect - except for Eldon, due to his complicated situation with Michelle and Emily. Kate tells the dancers that they need to choreograph a new Regionals routine; however, James cuts in and says that they need to choreograph two routines, as he is sure they will qualify to the finals. Eldon asks if he and Michelle are still doing their duet in the routine and, despite Michelle's rebuke, Emily decides that the duet can be performed in the second routine. The team begins to discuss different concepts for the two dances.
As A-Troupe begins to practice their new routine, Chloe pulls Michelle aside and tells her that she needs to leave for a shift, which Michelle agrees to. Seeing her departing, Emily stops Chloe and asks her where she is going. After a few moments of awkward interaction between Chloe and Emily, Michelle assures Emily that she has allowed Chloe to leave. Emily is left flabbergasted, as she was not consulted. Emily pulls Michelle aside and questions her about Chloe's departure; Michelle tells her that she cannot say anything. Emily concedes, but then asks if she could show her instead - Michelle agrees to this, as long as Emily doesn't tell anybody.
After taking a bus together—an experience which Emily is disgusted by—Emily and Michelle approach Southside Johnny's, where Chloe works as a waitress. The two hide behind a car to observe her. Emily asks what Chloe is doing ,and Michelle reveals that Chloe has to work to pay for her dance expenses. Emily confesses that she is shocked, and says she understands why Chloe has kept her job a secret, as if it was her, she would not want anyone to know either. Emily understands that she and Michelle need to look the other way, and be discreet about letting Chloe go to her job. The two leave, but not before Emily asserts that they will not be taking the bus again and calls her mom to pick them up.
Chloe reveals the truth to Kate.
Later, Kate calls Chloe into her office to speak to her about the Regionals money, which she has still not given her. Chloe lies that she'll give Kate the money by the next day, but Kate is not accepting her excuses anymore. Chloe realizes that she might as well tell Kate the truth, as there is no way she is going to be able to get the money in, and finally admits that she works two jobs in order to pay for A-Troupe. Kate immediately hugs Chloe and asks why she didn't tell her, and Chloe reveals that she isn't proud of her situation; the girls in the studio regularly arrive with new clothes and are able to be driven to dance, but she has to take three buses to get the studio and sometimes doesn't even arrive on time. Kate is visibly upset, as she has condemned Chloe for slacking off and considered removing her from A-Troupe, not realizing that she works harder than anyone else on the team. Kate apologizes to Chloe for her insensitivity, and Chloe tells her that she had better leave A-Troupe now, so that they can find a replacement in time for Regionals. Chloe runs out of the studio, confessing that her dreams of being a dancer and performing at Regionals are over.
Kate tells the rest of the dancers that Chloe is no longer in A-Troupe, then retreats back into her office without further comment. Emily asks Michelle if she knew Chloe's situation was this bad, and Michelle responds that she did. After the others ask what they are talking about, Michelle and Emily reveal the truth about Chloe's financial trouble: Chloe's parents are unable to pay for her dance classes, so Chloe has been working to pay for them herself. The dancers are incredulous at the discovery, and initially are confused about why she didn't tell them; Michelle says that Chloe was embrarrassed, and Emily reminds them that none of them have to worry about money like she does. The dancers insist that they cannot win Regionals without Chloe, leading Emily to beckon them forward and reveal that she has a plan.
West tells Chloe about the discovery of tea.
Chloe is on a shift at Southside Johnny's. As she is serving a customer; she sees Emily approaching and attempts to hide; Emily tells Chloe that she can see her, and says that she is here to order something. Chloe isn't sure why Emily is there, but sees no other option than to serve her. As she comes out of the restaurant with Emily's order - a water with lemon - she is mortified to see that everyone in A-Troupe has flooded into the restaurant and sat down around Emily. Chloe confronts Michelle and angrily asks how she could do this to her; Michelle merely says that she is thirsty and wants a drink. The other dancers join in, with all of them ordering drinks and nothing else, and Chloe begins to think that they are there to humiliate her. After briefly retreating to a corner and crying, Chloe realises that she can't let them get to her, and re-enters the patio with a new professional demeanour, determined to show the dancers that they are not going to tear her down. After she has served all the A-Troupers, West is first to finish, and he prepares to leave the diner - but before he does, he leaves Chloe a fifty dollar tip. Chloe tells West that he has left too much money, but West's only explanation is a fact about the discovery of tea. As the other dancers begin to leave, they all leave their tips on their tables; Chloe confesses that all of them have left her a fifty dollar tip, and realizes that they weren't there to humiliate her, but to help her. As Emily leaves her tip, she tells Chloe that A-Troupe is a family, and that sometimes families help each other out; Chloe confesses that she is right, and A-Troupe really is her family.
The following day, Chloe enters Kate's office with the full payment for Regionals. Kate jokingly asks Chloe if she robbed a bank, but Chloe assures her that she just has "awesome friends". Kate is happy that the team pulled through for Chloe, and asks her to tell her the next time she has a problem. Chloe leaves the office and steps into the studio where she is welcomed back by her fellow dancers. A-Troupe commences the rehearsal of their new Regionals routine, with Chloe confessing that she is ready for Regionals.
Trivia[]
- Michelle and Emily are co-dance captains and are no longer enemies.
- If a team makes it to the final round of Regionals, they must perform a completely new routine.
- Emily has an extreme dislike of buses.
- Chloe has paid Kate all her outstanding expenses for Regionals.
Errors[]
- This is one of many occasions when a character incorrectly states that this season takes place over a year; in this episode, Emily claims that A-Troupe has been working all year to get to Regionals.
- Michelle initially tells Emily that she will only show her Chloe's secret and not tell her; however, once they are at Chloe's workplace, Michelle ends up verbally explaining Chloe's secret.
Production Errors[]
- Brennan Clost is on the cast list despite not appearing in the episode.
Cultural References[]
- The title of this episode refers to a song of the same name by Jessie J.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Alexandra Beaton as Emily
- Bree Wasylenko as Kate
- Brittany Raymond as Riley
- Isaac Lupien as Eldon
- Jennifer Pappas as Chloe
- Jordan Clark as Giselle
- Lamar Johnson as West
- Samantha Grecchi as Stephanie
- Shamier Anderson as Chris
- Tamina Pollack-Paris as Tiffany
- Trevor Tordjman as James
- Victoria Baldesarra as Michelle
Recurring[]
Absent[]
Featured music[]
- "Abilene"
- "Feel the Fire"
- "Stop and Think"
- "Stutter"
- "Yellow Dress"
- "Your Smile"
Featured dances[]
Quotes[]
- Main article: Price Tag/Quotes
Aftershow[]
- Main article: Price Tag/Aftershow
Gallery[]
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"Look at that painting!"
To view the Price Tag gallery, click here. |