Dance Jam Productions

GET YOUR GROOVE ON! LOCAL TEEN SHOW HOSTING DANCE CONTEST!

The local popular teen dance show, Dance Jam Productions, is looking for regulars. Mataya Black Hawk and Jarek Thanos meet by chance one day and end up as dance partners at the contest the next. When they become one of twelve finalists, they have to work together to create a dance routine. As the final Dance-Off draws near, Jarek shows his interest, yet Mattie keeps him at a distance for fear he will discover her secret. A secret hidden for so long that even her closest friends don’t know. But that’s the least of their problems.

Local teens are becoming pawns in a twisted scheme and all clues point to Dance Jam Productions. Is it coincidence that the victims were dancers on the show? Will Mattie come to terms her past to find love with Jarek? Is there a price to pay for being a regular on Dance Jam Productions? Mattie and Jarek intend to find out before they become the next targets.

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The Girl

Mataya Black Hawk

Nickname: Mattie

Height: 5′ 5″

Eyes: pale blue

Hair: dark brown

Likes: dancing, working at Rhythm Station, the show “Dance Jam Productions”, and Jarek Thanos

Dislikes: keeping secrets from her friends

The Sitch

A local dance contest, a twisted scheme, and a long buried secret. Do Mataya Black Hawk and Jarek Thanos have what it takes to be regulars on the hottest teen dance show in Phoenix?

The Story

Dance Jam is fifty percent personal experience and fifty percent dream. The summer before our senior year in high school, a friend and I were bored one day. We decided to play some music and lip synch to it. We came up with the name Dance Jam Productions on a whim and we were the hosts, Downtown Sophie Brown and Pepe. The show itself was modeled after MTV’s The Grind and another teen dance party show in the early 80′s called Dance Party USA (Kelly Ripa was a regular). There were similarities with both shows: hosts, people coming down to a studio and dancing while being filmed, and music news. But there were some differences, too: The Grind had musical guests, what I call a “dance lesson” segment, and you had to audition to be on the show. Dance Party did quick movie reviews, had regular dancers that put on dance routines and lip synching routines, and you could be on the show whether you knew how to dance or not. I took aspects of each show and made it into a “real” show for the story.

Mattie and Tykota, her guardian, came from a reoccurring dream. I don’t know how long it existed, but it was very vivid. Every night, it picked up from where it left off and once again, I was “living” a different life. I kept telling my friend–the one who created Dance Jam with me–”I’m going to write about this someday”. It seemed the right time to put my dream on paper. Once I started writing Mattie’s story, I stopped having the dream.

And the Critics Say…

“Celise Downs has created a charmingly real cast of characters who grip heart and mind as they struggle with real life angst, danger, and intrigue in Dance Jam Production’s. Readers will emphasize with characters, recognize daily situations and be pulled right into the terror and suspense of the fictional plot by the very smooth blending. An entertaining read for the 13-17 YA readers and not bad for a lite afternoon read for adults either.”

~ Charlene Austin, Writers and Readers Network

“This book is one-third love story, one-third mystery and one-third action-adventure. The words entice you to read on and all elements of the plot are strategically placed in a fashion that will captivate your imagination. The end of the story is much like a new beginning and we are certain to find Mattie, Jarek and Tykota enthralled in another adventure soon. Celise Downs has created a new type of hero, based on reality and created from flesh and blood as opposed to ink and paper.

This book is a must read for young adults and adults, there is something for everyone at Dance Jam Productions.”

~ Tyrone Vincent Banks, Betsie’s Literary Page

“I couldn’t put this book down! I liked this book. It didn’t seem like a mystery at first, so when it unfolded it was unusual and fun to read.”

~ Elizabeth Ripley, 13, Portsmouth, NH

“I liked that the main character was able to take down the bad guy and that it was much more girl-empowering. The plot was well-paced, though the climax was over too quickly, I thought, but I always want good things to last for longer. Incidentally, I liked how just enough clues were laid out to make the reader figure out the bad guy before the book made it to the same conclusion. It makes readers feel smart, and everybody likes somebody who makes them feel smart. All in all, fantastic book. I hope to soon be reading a lot more in the same vein.”

~ Shanna Mann, 18, Tomkins Sask Canada