Chapter 10
Dean
“Do you have a minute to talk about Benny?” Jordan asked as he walked into Dean’s studio.
“Ugh! I guess.” Dean groaned and dropped his face into his hands. “Benny is a great guy and a fantastic dancer. And I hate that he’s leaving.”
Dean could feel his stress level creeping upward.
His bookings had been steadily increasing, each venue bigger than the last. He had very few open weekends or blocks of time available over the next few months, not to mention the massive undertaking he was planning for the very near future.
He didn’t have time to lose an important staff member and then hold auditions to replace that person.
He couldn’t be mad at Benny for leaving, it certainly wasn’t his choice but life would be so much easier if he’d just stay.
“He doesn’t want to leave.” Jordan dropped into a chair next to Dean. “But he has to move back east to help his family. Since his dad died, his mother and brother can’t do it without him. He feels terrible about leaving you in a lurch.”
Dean deflated, immediately feeling guilty for blaming Benny for his stress.
“Oh no, tell him not to worry about me! Let him know that he can use me for a reference at any time. And we need to plan a going away party for him.” Dean sighed.
“But we also need to schedule a date to audition a new dancer.”
“I’ve already drawn up an audition announcement for the trades.” Jordan handed his iPad to Dean, showing him the document. “If you approve, I can post it today.”
“This is great, Jordan. Thank you. Please, post away. And let’s schedule auditions as soon as possible.”
Within an hour, applications came in fast and furious.
There were the usual, ridiculous unqualified applicants. How on earth does someone working at Target or Walmart as a greeter, with no actual experience or credentials, justify even a remote qualification for the position of professional dancer?
Then, there were the applicants who seemed too good to be true…from Broadway, traveling productions of Broadway shows, reality dance competition shows, local ballet and theater groups, and on and on.
In the end, they had just over fifty applicants who were actually qualified for the job.
It was an embarrassment of riches, and a good problem to have. With so many applicants in such a short time, auditions could be scheduled quickly without affecting any upcoming performances.
“Do we have to audition all these people?” Jordan huffed as he sifted through the resumes and head shots of qualified applicants spread across Dean’s dining table. “We’ll be here for days, maybe weeks!”
Dean chuckled. “I think we should narrow it down to twenty, maybe twenty-five. Although, all of these,” —Dean swept his hand over the stack of resumes and head shots— “look like great choices, but I don’t think we’ll have time to audition all fifty of them.”
Jordan sighed. “I need more caffeine.” He stood and headed to the kitchen. “You want some?”
“Yes please, and make it a double!”
Jordan returned to the table with two large bottles of iced coffee.
“Okay.” Dean rubbed his hands together. “First, we should go through and select those that fit our aesthetics…body type, overall look, about the same age as the other dancers, etc. That should help us narrow it down a little.”
Dean didn’t necessarily have a specific “look” requirement for his dancers.
His only specification was an all-male dance troupe.
He didn’t care about ethnicity, hair color, hair style, etc, but they should all have the same body type—muscular but not bulky; a dancer’s body—and all be about the same height as Dean.
Of course, they all must be fantastic dancers, but it was also about the visual aesthetic.
On stage, from a distance, everyone needed to fit together seamlessly, with no visual disturbance in the lineup, just one long line of fabulous, muscled dancers.
Jordan grabbed the first headshot from the pile. “I think this one is a no. He’s well known in the reality TV dance world and I can see him having conflicting scheduling issues, which is something we don’t need.”
“Agreed.” Dean took the headshot from Jordan and placed it on the edge of the table.
“Okay, this is the NO pile.” They weeded out a few more in the same manner…
all great dancers, but a little too well known in the dance world.
The more well known you were, the more bookings and projects you got.
Dean didn’t need last-minute hiccups with his performances because a dancer was double booked.
“This one too. I think he’s a no. Hardly any experience, only high school dance and a couple of community theater productions.” Jordan handed the headshot to Dean.
Dean was about to agree, but he took a closer look at the headshot.
“Wait a second. I don’t know Jordan, there’s something about his picture.
” Dean continued to study the headshot. He was a young guy, brown hair and eyes, square jaw with a dimple in his chin, very handsome.
It was the eyes that captured Dean. There was a sadness behind his eyes, something Dean connected with.
“You know I always follow my gut, and my gut is telling me that this guy deserves an audition.”
Jordan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dean, I get what you’re saying, but we have to move fast. We only have a couple of weeks before your next performance, so we need someone with experience. We don’t have time to train an absolute newbie.”
“Jordan.” Dean leveled him with a stony look. “I’m not saying we’re hiring him. I’m saying he’s worthy of an audition.” Dean tilted his head with a half-smile. “I seem to remember someone else I took a chance on, and look how great that turned out.”
Jordan dropped his head slightly. “Ugh, I know, and I can’t thank you enough for taking a chance on me.
” He sighed with a shrug. “You’re the boss.
” He picked up the headshot, took another look at the face staring back at him, and placed it in the YES pile.
“Okay David Swisher, you just scored yourself an audition.”
After a tedious morning of sifting through applicants, Dean and Jordan managed to narrow it down to twenty-one potential dancers. Jordan contacted each applicant, informing them that auditions would be held in two days.
Jordan had worked for Dean for almost six years, and Dean knew his triggers, when he was close to the edge of a meltdown. Dean could feel the tension building within Jordan throughout the process. He needed to settle him down.
“Hey, J, how about we call it a day? Let me take you to lunch as a thank you for your help with all this.” He motioned over the sea of papers on the table. “You pick the place.”
Jordan smiled, his shoulders relaxing. “I’d love that. Thank you, Dean.”
A few days later and the second floor of Dean's building, which held the headquarters for Harris Entertainment, was almost ready for auditions. Jax and Harry carried a folding table through the second-floor lobby area.
“Let’s put the registration table here.” Jordan directed, pointing to a spot just in front of the entrance to the rehearsal studio.
“Okay, you two are going to man the registration table. Everyone’s name should be on this list.” Jordan placed an iPad down on the table.
“If they’re not on the list, call me and I’ll deal with it.
Check everyone off when they arrive and have them complete this form, then send them inside the rehearsal studio to wait.
Got it?” Jordan looked at both dancers with a haughty stare.
“Ma’am, yes ma’am!” Jax bolted to stand at attention, military style, snapping his hand to his forehead in a mock salute.
Harry followed suit, snapping to attention with a salute next to Jax.
Jordan rolled his eyes. ”I’m surrounded by idiots,” he mumbled as he walked into the rehearsal studio. He heard Jax and Harry snickering in the lobby and rolled his eyes again.
Jordan set up the table inside the rehearsal space for himself, Dean, and Sean, Dean's lead dancer, to sit and observe each audition. He checked the sound system to ensure everything was in working order and gave the rehearsal space one more check…good to go!
Mercifully, all twenty-one dancers arrived on time and without incident. The large group of young men milled around the rehearsal studio, some practicing, some warming up and stretching, some sitting quietly, and some nervously pacing.
A hush fell over the dancers as Dean entered the room with Jordan and the dance troupe on his heels.
“Good morning, everyone. Thank you all for coming today,” Dean greeted the group.
“If you’re not already aware, my name is Dean, and my stage name is DJ DVLN.
My dance troupe” —Dean gestured to his dancers standing to either side of him— “travels and performs with me for all my shows. I have one spot available, which is what you’ll be auditioning for today.
This is a full-time position, and it begins immediately.
Obviously, I’m looking for a skilled dancer, well versed in multiple styles of dance.
But aside from technical skills, I’m also looking for personality and performance.
So bring it with everything you’ve got. The person that gets the job is the person that can blow my skirt up.
” Dean winked and everyone collectively chuckled.
“Alright,” Jordan stepped forward with his iPad. “We will audition each of you individually, in alphabetical order. Our first victim is Mr. Adams. The rest of you can wait in the common area.” Jordan gestured out the door.
Auditions progressed smoothly. Honestly, each dancer was amazing and highly skilled. It would be a tougher decision than Dean originally thought.
David entered the studio and stepped in front of the table.
“Hi. Please tell us your name and where you’re from.” Dean smiled, hoping to put him at ease.
David nervously shifted on his feet. “Um…hi. M-my name is David Swisher.”
Sean and Jordan turned their heads and snorted at his last name. Dean shot them both an icy stare.
“And where are you from, David?” Dean prompted without moving his scolding eyes from Jordan and Sean.
“Modesto, California…sir.”
Dean noticed David’s shaking hands and the uneasy shifts in stance. “David, are you nervous?”
“Yes, sir…um…I’m actually quite nervous…sorry.” David looked down at the floor.
“You know you’ll be performing in front of anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 people, right? If this makes you nervous, how will you handle that?” Jordan asked with an incredulous tone, and Dean gave him another stern look.
“Oh, that’s not a problem.” David lifted his head with a smile.
“When I’m in front of an audience, I turn on and show out.
My dance teacher used to call me Jekyll and Hyde because of how I change when I’m onstage.
I feed off the energy of the crowd, knowing they are enjoying the show.
But this…” David waved his hand toward the table.
“Me standing here alone, with you sitting there judging my every move, this shatters my nerves.”
Jordan and Sean had doubtful looks on their faces, but Dean sat with a slight smile, as if he knew exactly what he was saying.
“It’s okay, David. I still get nervous before every show too. If you’re nervous, it shows you care about what you’re doing.” Dean said, with a slight twinkle in his eyes. “I have an idea. Jordan, go grab Jax. Bring him in.”
Then Dean stood and walked around the table toward David and Jax entered the studio with a confused look on his face a few moments later, walking to Dean when he waved him over.
“Alright, we’re gonna dance together.” Dean placed Jax on one side of himself and David on the other, with everyone facing the mirrors instead of the table.
Dean demonstrated a simple choreography sequence for David and motioned for Jordan to start the track.
As soon as the music began, David’s eyes lit up and his body sharpened as he shifted into performance mode.
The three of them moved in perfect unison.
It was as if David had been dancing with them for years; he was seamless, effortless, and perfect.
Dean stopped the music. Not only was he impressed by David’s technical skills, but also by how quickly he picked up the choreography.
“Excellent work, David. Thank you, Jax.”
Dean placed his hand on David’s shoulder. “Now, do you think you can show us your prepared solo? I’d really love to see it.”
David smiled with an enthusiastic nod.