As the 12th and final episode of the first season of "The Prancing Elites Project" began Wednesday night, a medley of scenes from previous episodes showed the many situations the dance team's members have faced: scorn at the Saraland Christmas parade; Kentrell Collins with his "baby"; Jerel Maddox looking at his apartment after a fire; Tim Smith discovering that a boyfriend has ransacked her house; Adrian Clemons searching for a job; and, in one of the season's most moving episodes, Kareem Davis sharing that he is HIV positive.
All of these moments and more have given the Prancing Elites such high ratings that Oxygen Media announced earlier Wednesday that there will be a second season of the show and that it will be an hour long.
Wednesday night's episode focused on the fact that the Prancing Elites couldn't seem to find a Mardi Gras organization that would let them march and dance in a parade - despite the fact that female J-stetting dance teams regularly perform, wearing the same style of uniforms. All they want is to march down the street during Mardi Gras.
"I cannot wait for the day when people stop looking at my gender and start focusing on my talent," says a frustrated Kentrell, the team captain.
Meanwhile, Adrian is seen visiting his sister, Adricia, and teaching her adorable young daughter some of his dance moves. They have a brief conversation about their mother, who in an earlier episode promised to come see her son compete and then didn't show up.
"You know how mama is," his sister says, reminding him that she didn't like his becoming one of the Prancing Elites at first, either.
At their rehearsal studio, all the members sit on the floor as Jerel hears yet another rejection via cell phone. "Due to scheduling and parade lineup, we're not going to have you guys join our parade this year," says the disembodied voice of a woman.
"Is it because we're gay?" says Jerel, and she insists that it's not.
All five team members were visibly dejected. "Giving up is what they want us to do," says Tim in a soft voice.
They would not give up. Kentrell announces his intention to go to a meeting of secret Mardi Gras societies. As he rides in the back seat of Kentrell's car, Tim seems nervous about being in a bad part of town.
"What's so secret that they have to be back here in the killer world?" she asks.
Kareem reminds her that she's "like, six feet tall" - no reason to be frightened. "If anything, you'll scare any thug or ruffian before they scare you."
They arrive at the secret meeting place, where Kentrell tells them he's the only one allowed to address the group. "My nerves are off the freakin' charts," he confesses. "But I'm ready to go in and do battle."
As Tim and Kareem press their ears against the door, they hear the audience laughing after Kentrell introduces himself. "I'll just wait," he says as the group continues to titter at the idea of an all-male dance troupe.
When he emerges, he tells the others that the Prancing Elites "didn't get any Mardi Gras parades."
But Kentrell decides he "won't take no for an answer."
And so, they decide to stage a peaceful protest at a daytime parade by making posters ("We heart Mobile Mardi Gras" and "Dance is life, love, etc.") as the vendors start going down the barricaded streets.
"I'm so jealous of this parade," Adrian says. "I wish I was in it. That (rejection) hurt my feel-goods."
One fan, a mom with three children in tow, stops to tell them how much she supports and appreciates them, bringing the tough Kentrell to tears. They start walking sadly along Government Street when, right in front of the Mobile Carnival Museum, two women approach them from the Order of Venus, a newer Mardi Gras organization. They extend an invitation to the Prancing Elites to be in their parade, and the team members hoot and holler and dance in response.
"Y'all done turned my frown upside down," Adrian says happily.
He goes to his mother's house to tell her about being in the parade and asks her to come see him.
"If I could, I would," she says, indicating that she has to work and might not be able to make it. But she does tell him she's proud of him and always has been. "Hopefully, I'm gonna be there," she says.
Finally, the team is dressed for the Order of Venus parade, wearing white leotards accented by sparkly gold headbands and belts and fierce matching eye makeup. They stand in a circle telling each other they love each other and hugging. And then, as the colorful floats roll, the motorcycle cops speed by, the bands play and the spectators cheer, they finally get their opportunity to dance.
As Adrian marches, he recognizes lots of people he knows, always looking for his mother and - yes! - he spots her, standing behind a barricade, holding a stuffed animal and dancing. "She's cheering louder than everyone!" he says proudly. He feels "a feeling like I've never felt before.... Now I know I have my mother's support."
They beam, they shine as they strut down the street in the best possible ending to the first season.
"Mobile now feels like family," says Jerel. "To walk down these streets and have Mobile, Alabama, cheer us on - damn."