Make It Happen

'Glenwood, Indiana.

'Population: 918.

'Miles from Chicago: 291.

'Dance schools: zero.

'I've got one dream, one shot.

'Today, everything could change.'

(# Radio plays CHE'NELLE: "Teach Me How To Dance")

# Could you, could you, could you teach me?

# Show me that again

# Could you, could you, could you teach me?

# You take the lead

# Straight up! Do you have rhythm underneath your feet?

# Does the beat flow through that fine body?

# Do you enjoy sweatin' all on me?

# Whoa! Did you just bust that move freestylin'?

# Do you do much choreographin'?

# You're wildin' out, boy, great timin', I like a man who can dance

# Showin', swingin', bangin', teach me how to dance

# Could you, could you teach me, teach me how to?

# Could you, could you, could you teach me?

# Teach me how to dance... #

I'm off to the garage. You wanna lift?

No, thanks.

I'm gonna work the routine a few more times.

- Big day, huh? - Yep.

So you're packed?

Almost.

OK, see you later.

- Hey. - There you are.

- Missed you at the party last night. - Sorry, Wayne. I had to finish packing.

- I burned you some travelling music. - Oh!

So, are you nervous?

Not really. I'm more excited.

Come on, it's the Chicago School of Music and Dance.

I know. I've only been dreaming about it for as long as I can remember.

The girls I'm up against, they trained with the best teachers and choreographers.

So you are nervous.

Don't worry. They'd be crazy not to take you.

Has your brother lightened up at all?

Hmm, you know how Joel can be.

- He doesn't get it. - He's just gonna miss you.

This means me and my two left feet will have to find a new dance partner!

- You aren't that bad. - Yeah, right!

All right, good luck.

- Get out of here. - OK.

- Good luck, Lauryn. - Thanks, Marty.

- Frankie quoted me 500. - (Joel) Course he did, he's a crook.

I'll do it for 250. Pick it up after lunch.

See you then.

Hey, Clueless, I think she wanted you to pick her up after lunch.

Last month after payroll, you're plus 600.

Good month.

That's still 1,800 behind for the month before last.

OK.

I guess I'll be hitting the road.

Joel... why am I on the schedule?

Sorry, wishful thinking.

Come on. I'm 21. It's now or never.

If I nail this audition, I'm gonna be in Chicago till my classes begin.

Look, I got some interviews together for you.

Qualified bookkeepers to replace me. Resumes are on my desk.

15 grand a year tuition... I don't know how you're gonna pull that off.

With a part-time job, Joel.

I promised after Mom and Dad died,

I'd do whatever to keep this place running.

But I can't work in a garage all my life. You know I've trained to be a dancer.

Yeah, I know.

All right.

I'm outta here.

Boss, if she don't work here no more,

you think I could date her?

Not if you want to live.

# Take the other road, go where I wanna go

# Just like a jigsaw puzzle, some piece is out of place

# You've lost your own perception on how to win this race

# Cos everybody in the world seems to sing the same song

# Marching to the same beat, playing from the same drum

# But I ain't afraid to keep my own eternity

# I live my live, I do it my way... #

- Excuse me, where do we check in? - Up there.

243. Next!

- Name? - Lauryn Kirk.

Lauryn Kirk? 252.

Next. Name?

Thanks for coming in. 251?

- I give her about a minute fifteen. - You're kidding.

If you last more than a minute, you're lucky.

Thank you. Thank you, Stephanie, that's enough.

That's not what we're looking for, but thanks for coming in.

Enjoy your time in Chicago. Who's next?

Number 252.

Yeah, hi, how are you?

Hi, I'm Lauryn Kirk from Glenwood, Indiana.

- So, what have you brought for us? - It's... er... a piece that I put together.

- May we see it? - Yeah.

That's OK. This is your time, don't mind our schedule.

Hello! Hello, hello, stop! Stop!

We received 2,000 tapes.

You're one of the 300 people here today, congratulations.

But now I need more.

I... I don't understand.

We're looking for dancers who can express real emotion,

not fragments of it.

Something softer, more sensual, more feminine.

More honest.

Thank you, Miss Kirk.

Who's next?

OK, let's get right to it.

Right here.

Thanks.

252, huh?

I remember that cattle call. It's a tough school.

You auditioned?

Oh, I don't know if I'd exactly call it an audition.

I lasted all of a minute and 12 seconds.

Should I even ask?

It's harder than you thought it was gonna be, huh?

At least my brother back home will be thrilled to know I didn't get in.

Yeah, all my brothers and sisters live in the same town where we grew up.

They thought I was crazy moving here. My dad didn't speak to me for weeks.

Did it get better?

Yeah, now he calls me all the time.

That school only lets in one percent.

That's like 20 out of the thousands who apply,

so don't be so hard on yourself.

Hello?

So how'd it go?

OK.

- You didn't get in? - 'I didn't say that.'

- So you did get in? - They don't tell you right away.

- Well, what does it look like? - Looks good.

- 'That sounds believable.' - Look, Joel, I'm tired. OK, I...

- 'Call me as soon as you know.' - Yeah.

I gotta go.

Wait! Stop!

Stop! Wait, stop!

Stop!

Hey, are you all right?

Let's get you out of this rain. Call the tow company from my place.

Come on.

I really appreciate this.

No problem. Trust me, I've been there.

When I first got here, I got knocked down so many times I lost count.

And the looks, like you're just some hick from...

Indiana? Mm-hmm.

Oh, what am I gonna do?

My brother thinks I'm going to dance school. What do I tell him?

"I didn't get in. And, oh, yeah, they towed my car, too."

I can't go home. There's nothing for me there.

- So don't go. - What, you mean stay in Chicago?

If you don't mind sleeping on the couch, crash here while you figure it out.

Wait, you don't snore, do you?

Not the last time I checked.

Lauryn Kirk.

- Klirk? - No. Kirk.

- No, I don't have you down here. - I think it's...

You gonna have to go wait over there.

Excuse me. Can I ask who you're with?

Oh, I was... er... I was invited... here by a friend.

- Through the service door? - Right... er...

- Can I see your ID? - Yeah, of course...

- I'm really sorry about this. - That's OK.

Lauryn Kirk from Glenwood, Indiana.

"Corn and cars", that's our motto.

I like corn.

Actually if you just give me your phone number,

we can settle this, and it's kind of a house rule...

- Hey, you made it. - Hey.

- Is this guy giving you a hard time? - No!

But I thought he was the manager.

The manager? No, Russ is the music director.

Guilty.

- Nice try. - Well, it almost worked.

Sort that out later. I wanna introduce you to Brenda.

Bye, Lauryn Kirk!

Brenda, this is Lauryn and vice versa.

You've been looking for her, for the bookkeeping job.

Thanks, but I'm not adopting any more strays.

I need you upstairs getting ready.

Wait, wait.

I know you don't want a stranger looking into your books,

but I know QuickBooks, I can do payroll in my sleep,

and your quarterly 1087 is due in seven days.

If you pay your crew in cash, you'll need a perfect Schedule E to avoid enquiries.

I've cranked those out like clockwork for my family's business since I was 17.

But if you just need me to file stuff, I can do that, too.

- You done? - Yeah.

Fine. Trial basis, $12 an hour, and no benefits.

OK.

This is where the girls change. This is your home away from home.

You get paid every other week.

You'll start at 3:00 and stay till we close.

If you can't find something, look harder. It's all in here somewhere.

You can start...

...by organising the January receipts.

No problem.

Oh, by the way, the other bookkeeper... lasted about a week.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ruby's,

the hottest spot in Chicago!

# Hold the door, while I let myself in