Pathways to Performance Partnering! (Japanese: 踊れヤンチャム、魅せろフォッコ!明日へのステップ!!Dance, Yancham — Captivate, Fokko! The Dance for Tomorrow!!) is the 50th episode of the XY series, and the 849th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on November 13, 2014 and in the United States on February 7, 2015 as the first episode of the eighteenth season.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
As our heroes head to Coumarine City, a lunchtime squabble between Clemont's Chespin and Serena's Pancham gets out of hand when they bump into a Smoochum and Farfetch'd. Their Trainer, Nini, is planning to enter her first Pokémon Showcase, just like Serena. The two girls decide to show each other their performances and get feedback from Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie as well, but they have an unexpected audience...
Team Rocket is lurking nearby, and Jessie decides she just has to have Nini's Smoochum as her Pokémon Showcase partner. She disguises herself as a choreographer and coaxes all the dancing Pokémon into a small performance space...and then Team Rocket's balloon takes off with them! Chespin and Pancham finally decide to work together and discover they're a pretty good team, sending the villains blasting off again. Nini and Serena say their goodbyes and promise to meet in the Pokémon Showcase as rivals!
Plot
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