A/N: I really am working on making these chapters longer for you guys! Please enjoy and make sure to review!
January 11, 2013 – Brittany Pierce and Mercedes Jones get coffee in L.A.
I am nervous. This is it. This could be my big break into choreography. In less than a month my choreography is going to be displayed for millions and millions of people to see. And I owe it all to Madonna. I didn't even know she had recommended me until Mercedes Jones (I swear I almost died when I found out it was her) called me and offered me the chance to choreograph her performance for the Grammy's. And today we are having coffee so we can run through the specifics of what she wants for the dancing.
I walk into the coffee shop and the first think I notice is how cozy the place feels, it catches me off guard. I don't know why but I was expecting the place to be more professional and kind of intimidating. I really don't know why considering I don't even know what Mercedes is like in real life. She always seems super-nice but sometimes that's just in act in Hollywood.
I order a caramel macchiato and find a seat near the back of the shop, it's not long before Mercedes shows up and orders her coffee, coming to sit with me. I get up right away and extend my hand for her to shake but she simply ignores the gesture and pulls me into a hug. It is so unexpected, and surprising, and comforting, it makes me think maybe Mercedes is just super-nice.
"I'm sorry, I'm kind of a hugger" she says as we sit down.
"No don't apologize at all I'm kind of a hugger too, I just wasn't sure how professional you wanted to keep things" I say.
"Professionalism is great, but I am all about getting to know, and being friends with the people I work with."
"That's great, I wish more people in the industry were like that" I say sincerely.
"It would be nice wouldn't it" she says with a chuckle. Her laugh is infectious and I can't help but smile at it. "So Brittany what do you have in mind for the performance?" she asks.
And just like that she has caught me off guard again. I stumble over my words, I wasn't expecting her to just hand of the performance to me, I was thinking she would have a precise vision of what she wanted, yet her she is giving me all the power and letting me do whatever kind of choreography I choose for one of her most beloved singles "Sparkle".
"Well I, I uh, I was thinking it would be really fast-paced and bouncy, completely hip-hop, with just a little soul…"
As soon as I started talking about dance I regained my confidence and by then end of the meeting Mercedes was thrilled with my ideas.
"I can definitely see why M recommended you to me, you have some great ideas" She said as we walked towards the door together.
"Thanks I am really thankful for the opportunity you've given me to prove my skill not only as a dancer but as a choreographer too" I said as we exited the building.
Just as we walked out into the daylight cameras and reporters came out of nowhere flocking to take pictures of Mercedes and I, but Mercedes carried on as if they weren't even there.
"It's to my advantage really, I know this performance is just going to blow everyone away. I will see you at the studio on Wednesday?"
"Yeah" I said distracted by all the flashes around me.
Mercedes began walking towards her car as all the reporters followed her. I watched as she calmly and quickly got into her car and drove away, no fuss, no conflict, it was pretty impressive really.
February 1, 2013 – Mercedes Jones arrives for Grammy dance rehearsals
This was our third to last rehearsal before the performance, and overall I was feeling pretty confident. After Mercedes and I selected the back-up dancers, we went straight to work teaching them the routine I had created. They all picked it up pretty easily, now it was just about working out all the little kinks and making sure the entire routine flowed together without a single hitch.
Mercedes came in and set her bag down. I had decided on really basic choreography for Mercedes after meeting with her costume designer Kurt (was it Hummel or Hammel?). The outfit he had picked out for her was absolutely stunning but it really restricted her movement and thus a lot of dancing for her would hinder her performance.
"How's it coming?" She asked as she came to stand by me.
"It looks good, I'm just having them run through it a few more times to make sure we have everything smooth and flawless" I said.
One of the really cool things about working with Mercedes was she got really excited about things as they pulled to a close. She was always very interested in the movements, but now watching it really come together, you could just tell she was dying to get up there and give an amazing performance.
Mercedes and I had become good friends over the last couple of weeks. I went to dinner with her and her boyfriend Anthony a few times and she had introduced me to some of her friends in the business. I am just so thankful for the opportunity she's given me to really make this dream a reality.
February 9, 2013 – Mercedes Jones wraps up Grammy rehearsals
It is the day before the show and Mercedes, Kurt, Anthony, the dancers, and I have been here for over six hours. Mercedes did a couple sound checks, Kurt did a mock run through the dress changes, and I had been working with the dancers all day. I swear they have done this dance probably more than a hundred times, but I am determined that everything must go off without a single misstep.