director hico personally visits thelee farms , gently persuading tulu to accept an empty seat in the apprenticeship program along with the other sixteen-year old students since has been one of her life long dreams as well as mamas dream for the good obedient daughter then tulu shows up as apprentice while mccamy , rusk , hixson , and baycliff pose as dancers , being assigned as the apprentices escorts to protect and watch over tulu .