The Berry Bitty Dance Disaster

Episode Information

Gallery

Transcript

The Berry Bitty Dance Disaster is an episode of Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures.

Summary[]

After being excluded from one of Plum's more advanced dance classes, Apple tries to improve her dance skills by creating shoes that dance by themselves to any music, but the shoes start causing trouble when they start getting their own ideas on what music is, and seriously interfere with the Berryball championship game.

Episode Review[]

The Berry girls, Berrykins, post bees and ladybugs watch the practice game of Berry Bitty Bombers, the Berryball team of Berry Bitty City. A curious Apple pushes through the crowd wondering what the cheering is about. Strawberry tells her today is the big Berryball championship. Apple admits she has never heard of such game (she heard about Bananaball, Broccoliball and even played once Bok Choy ball). Strawberry says that if Apple never heard about it before, she is in for a treat. This is just a practice game, and the real game takes place tonight. Berrykin Bruce, the team captain, whistles and gives instructions to the players, demanding to see some hustle. Lemon and Apple get boisterous about game with Lemon certain their team is going to win. However Apple gets too excited that her temptations to play reaches fever pitch as she foolishly runs into the field, much to the others in the crowd's shock.

Although her cousin tells her not to do this, Apple manages to approach Bruce, who gives a hearty speech to the players. He grumbles at Apple "What is such a big emergency that you had to interrupt my BIG speech?". Apple says she wants to play, describing her past experience, claiming she wants to upload a clip of her scoring a goal to her website. Bruce apologizes and explains that Berryball is for Berrykins only, these are the rules. Bruce turns his attention to the players, shouts instructions, stating that he has seen slugs with better hustle. He joins the players, leaving Apple sad and disappointed.

Raspberry, Strawberry, Lemon, and Orange go to Plum's studio, each of them wears a black ribbon around the waist. As Plum is about to start the dancing class, Apple arrives, asking to join them. Plum explains that they are not just dancing, this is a ballet class. Apple starts telling in length about her dancing experience, and that a video clip of her dancing in Berry Bitty City will look good on her website, when suddenly she notices the class began. Strawberry tells her cousin "I'm sure you are a great dancer, Apple, it just, well, this is really going to be a challenge". Plum: "This is a black ribbon ballet class". Lemon says "This is the highest level, we all had to work our way up". Apple claims she can figure out everything. She tries to keep up with the others, but ends up stumbling, bumping into the other four girls, and they are all on the floor. Plum is not upset at Apple, but tells her she has some talent, and suggests to try her next ballet class. Apple agrees gladly. However, it turns to be class for baby Berrykins, and they all wear baby blue ribbons. Apple feels uncomfortable to be on the same class with babies.

After the class, disappointed Apple throws the blue ribbon to the garbage. She sees Berrykin Bloom at the Berryball field, mowing the grass for the game, humming cheerfully. He asks

her not to step on the field because shoes leave footprints, and adds jokingly - unless she has magic shoes. He laughs, but this gives Apple an idea.

Using her computer, a pot of Sparkleberry juice and other instruments, Apple makes pink shoes, which she names "Groove Booties". She attaches the cables to them and downloads from the Berrynet files from the biggest database of dance moves. The Groove Booties unplug themselves, start to dance on their own all over the room, from one furniture to another, ending up on the bed. Apple chases them around the room and finally catches them. Once the download is complete, she announces "And now, for the final test!". She wears the Booties and turns the radio on. Her first try to dance is awkward, but soon she gets used to the Booties.

On the next ballet class, Apple arrives with the Booties and a radio. She puts the radio down and turns it on. The other girls are amazed to see how well Apple dances. Plum is very impressed "Clearly I underestimated you. You're a regular dance master!". Strawberry asks how she got so good so quickly? Apple lies that she was so busy that she forgot all the sweet skills she picked in... Dancylvania, and she did not stretch before dancing. Suddenly, the Booties start to dance on their own, and she nearly falls. The other girls are confused. Apple takes the radio and leaves hurriedly.

Apple dances nonstop on the way and films herself for her webpage, impressing whoever she meets - Jadeybug, Berrykins, post bees. Finally she gets tired and turns the radio off. She goes back to Strawberry's place to upload the clip, certain it will be a great hit.

A caravan of Berrykins with carts of fruit passes by. As Apple uploads the dancing moves to her website, the Booties suddenly are in motion, due to the sounds the Berrykins make while working. Apple orders the Booties to stop, since it is not music. She falls and drops her cellphone. She realizes the Booties need to be reprogrammed. She sits and uses the computer, but the Booties force her to get up, and she gets entangled in the cables.

The Berrykins finish loading the fruit and walk away. As their sounds fade, the Booties become still. Apple sighs in relief, takes off the Booties, attaches them to the computer, but as she is about to reprogram them - the music of Cherry's song "Anything is Possible" comes out of her cellphone. The Booties unplug themselves from the cables and start dancing to the music, walk outside and jump on the railing. Apple quickly turns off her phone, and the Booties stop. Unfortunately, they fall off the balcony on the ground near a cart driven by a Berrykin. As the Berrykin drives away, the creaking of the wheels make the Booties resume dancing and they follow the cart.

Apple runs outside the house and shout to the Booties to come back. Only then she understands the bug in her creation: the Booties react to any rhythmical sound, not only musical. Strawberry arrives and amazed to see the Booties dancing on their own. Apple fumbles for words, but eventually confesses what she did to improve her dance. She did not want to dance with the baby Berrykins but with her friends, so she created the Groove Booties as a shortcut. She thinks they are impressive because they can dance to any rhythmical music, even if no one wears them. Both cousins chase the Booties which still follow the cart.

The cart stops, and so are the Booties. Then a music comes

out of Lemon's salon. The Booties follow the music inside. Lemon is busy washing Sweet's hair while the radio is playing music. Plum waits for her turn, tapping her feet to the music. The Booties put themselves on Lemon's feet, and she dances uncontrollably, to her horror. Plum and Sweet watch her, astonished. Luckily, Lemon unintentionally knocks the radio off the table. As the music stops, so are the Booties. They slip off Lemon's feet and for a moment they are still... then they are attracted by another rhythmical sound made by Orange's pogo-stick.

The Booties rush outside the salon, passing near the cousins, head for Orange and they put themselves on her feet. She bounces uncontrollably to her horror, to the Berryball field, and stops on the edge. Berrykin Bloom is with a yellow Berrykin, installing a new timer to the watering system. He uses a wrench to tighten the pipes. The Booties detect the tightening sound, get off Orange's feet and head for Berrykin Bloom's direction. He whimpers to see the Booties leave marks on the grass he worked so much to prepare. As soon as he stops using the wrench, the Booties become still. He sighs in relief, but not for long... as the sprinklers start working, the Booties start dancing again to that rhythmical noise, much to Berrykin Bloom's grief.

The sprinklers stop, and so are the Booties, until they detect another sound... Berrykin Bruce is nearby, giving last instructions to his team and encourages them while bouncing repeatedly on the ball. The Booties home on the sound of bouncing, head Bruce's direction, and put themselves on his feet. He is unaware of that, and kicks the ball into his bag. He closes the bag and pulls it, the team follows him to change clothes. The cousins reach the field. They foolishly think the booties disappeared, and glad it is over.

The game is about to begin. The Berry girls cheer for the Berry Bitty Bombers. As the second quarter of the game starts, Berrykin Bruce walks to his place, and just then... the orchestra (two Berrykins and a caterpillar) plays. The Booties become active immediately. Horrified, Apple notices that, and draws Strawberry's attention.

Berrykin Bruce cannot control his moves, dictated by the music

of the orchestra. At first it seems to give advantage to his team, as he scores one goal after another till the score is 8:4 (the game clock shows 17:17). Lemon and Plum rejoice, amazed of Bruce's dancing moves, but the cousins are very worried, expecting troubles... and soon a trouble happens: Berrykin Bruce goes the wrong way, scoring own goals! The other players and the Berry girls are shocked. Soon the score is 14:14 when the time is 18:42, "thanks" to the Groove Booties. Bruce yells that he cannot control his feet, and the other players try to stop him, but fail.

The first half of the game ends, and the orchestra stops playing. The Booties become still. Bruce sighs in relief, but a few moments later the orchestra begins playing again, and so are the Booties. The Berry girls and Berrykins cheer for Bruce, but he shouts it is not funny, his dream shattered. Strawberry tells her cousin they must find a way to remove the Booties and turn them off. Apple looks around and sees a Berrykin selling popsicles to the Baby Berrykins. That gives her an idea: since the Booties are powered by Sparkleberry juice, freezing the juice will stop them.

While Berrykin Bruce struggles not to fall, much to his surprise the cousins grab him and shove his feet into the ice chest, after asking permission from the seller. Within a few seconds, the Booties become inactive. Berrykin Bruce sighs in relief. Apple removes the Booties off his feet, puts them inside the ice chest and closes the lid tight. Bruce dances of joy, the Berrykins and other Berry girls look at him worriedly. He assures them he danced on purpose. Apple apologizes for ruining the game, but he explains that the score is even and they've got half the game to go.

The game continues, and Berrykin Bruce scores another goal a second before the game ends. The Berry Bitty Bombers team wins at a score of 15:14. The spectators cheer. Lemon states it is the best Berryball game ever. Apple remorsefully admits that she almost ruined it with her boots. Strawberry tells her cousin that she hopes the latter learned her lesson. Apple admits she did, in addition to explaining that she felt left out and she also wanted show off a little on the way. Plum invites her to come back to dance class. Apple declares that there's no way she'd come to the class with all the babies. Plum smiles and says since baby blue class is not advanced enough for Apple, she created a new class, between beginner and advanced levels. Sour, Sweet, and Blueberry have already signed up. Plum gives Apple a hot pink ribbon. Apple is overjoyed.

Meanwhile, two Berrykins take an ice chest (the one with the Booties) and pour its contents on Berrykin Bruce, who is

holding the trophy. He and the other Berrykins laugh, and do not notice the Booties lying still on the ground among the scattered ice cubes. Berrykin Bloom says that now that the game is over, he has one year to take care of the grass and prepare it for the next game. He turns on the sprinklers. The rhythmical noise makes the Booties active again...

Quotes[]

Berrykin Bruce: (supervising the training) Berrykin Brand! You call that hustle?! I've seen slugs with better hustle!

------

Plum: You guys ready to dance?
Strawberry: As ready as well ever be.
Apple: Sweet sugar snap peas! Dancing! I love dancing! Can I dance with you guys? Huh?
Strawberry: Umm... well...
Apple: I mean, I’ve danced in many places, but never here. A video of me dancing in Berry Bitty City Style would sure look great on my Berry Best Bits page!
Plum: You see Apple... we are not just dancing. This is a ballet class and...
Apple: I know what are you thinking. Got the grooves but does she know the moves? Well... I once danced with the Melon Man of Mango Mensa. It was a bright moonlight night on the mores of Mango Mensa. The Bongo Beans has just begun beating boogie-woogie the beat when the all of a sudden out of nowhere, I just...
(Apple sees the girls practice the ballet) Hey! Wait up.
Strawberry: I’m sure you are a great dancer, Apple. It’s just... well... this is really going to be a challenge.
Plum: See, this is a black ribbon ballet class.
Lemon: It's the highest level. We all have to work our way up.
Apple: I can figure out anything. This will be a piece of pie. Or easy as cake. Or you know what I mean.
(Apple tries to practice the ballet, but doesn't see that the other girls walk away)
Plum: And well... arabesque, glissade, tour jeté, pas de bourrée, pirouette, and chaînés off. Got it?
Apple: Ara who?
(the girls practice while Plum is speaking)
Plum: Arabesque. Glissade. Tour Jeté. Pas de bourrée. Pirouette. And Chaînés. And next...
(Apple tries to keep up, but stumbles and falls straight onto her friends)
Apple: Sorry.
Plum: You know Apple, you do have some talent. You're welcome to try my other ballet class. It starts right after this one.
Apple: Oh yeah! What color of ribbon do they wear?
(Apple is in group with baby Berrykins)
Apple: Baby blue...?

------

Berrykin Bloom: Please, steer clear, my dear. Shoes leave footprints. Unless you've got some kind of magic shoes... (chuckles and walks away)
Apple: Magic shoes, yeah, right... (stops as an idea comes to her mind) Wait a minute... magic shoes!

------

Lessons[]

Apple learns that while it is good thing to experience something new, she should start from the basics and progress patiently rather than try shortcuts.

Trivia[]

Cherry, Orange, Blueberry, Raspberry, and the twins have no speaking lines in this episode.
The only season 4 episode in which Sweet is shown without glasses (when she is at Lemon's salon).
The final appearance of Berrykin Bruce in the show.
The Groove Booties have some similarities with Lemon's Moody Hair extensions ("High Tech Drama"):
- They are made of Sparkleberry juice and electricity.
- They soon become independent and get out of control.
- They cause a lot of mayhem and havoc.
- They are very naughty!

Goofs[]

The readout of the game clock makes no sense: when the time is 17:17, the score is 8:4; when the time is 17:30, the score is 14:10. It is very unlikely that twelve goals have been scored within 13 seconds.
When the time is 18:42, Berrykin Bruce tells Apple they've got half the game to go; the game ends less than two minutes later.

External links[]

The Berry Bitty Dance Disaster at the Internet Movie Database