Neither the winner or runner-up of HBO Max reality series Finding Magic Mike was named Mike, but Johnny Dutch and Nate Bryan found the magic within themselves to finish first and second, respectively. Although their reasons for competing to obtain a four-month gig as dancers with Magic Mike Live at Sahara Las Vegas were personal and specific, they both found themselves immersed in hero’s journeys in which the experiences superseded expectations and led to unexpected self-discoveries.
Dutch and Bryan were not professional dancers prior to the series and weren’t even the most prominently featured competitors in the premiere, which whittled 25 contestants down to 10. Former Olympic track-team aspirant Dutch did provide the episode’s dramatic high point when he became momentarily overwhelmed by emotion during an interview.
“Anything I did, I can say I was proud of, and I tried my best,” says Dutch. “I really enjoyed my experience. The auditioning process was grueling just because there were so many guys and you had to retain all this choreo(graphy) within so many hours, and then you had to do it in front of the creative team. It was overwhelming at times, but overall, it was very positive.”
Bryan, who debuted in the Sahara Las Vegas show along with Dutch on Jan. 27, found performing live more comfortable than living the unscripted reality life. “On the TV show, I guess it was a little more nerve-wracking because there were cameras taping for millions of people across America,” says the former minor league baseball player. “I’ve gotten messages from Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia. It’s crazy to think there was such a big outreach, but in the live show, it’s a different beast. I’m not there for competition. It’s my actual work.”
Still, Bryan’s nervousness during his professional debut wasn’t far removed from the first leg-shaking time he stood in a minor league batter’s box. “I was like, ‘I don’t even know if I could swing the bat right now.’ So much adrenaline. It was kind of the same thing with this.” He says he found his groove on his fourth night of performing. Bryan currently continues to get butterflies in his stomach when he hears the audience screaming as he prepares to go onstage, but he’s also in a new relationship with someone he could have only met through Finding Magic Mike. For Dutch, the nerve-wracking part was explaining Finding Magic Mike to his family. He says he relates to one of the main characters in Magic Mike the movie, who came from a conservative background.
“They’ve come to be very supportive of the whole process,” says Dutch, who found it difficult to find direction after retiring from track and field. “Being an athlete, I’m very competitive. That was the first thing on my mind: ‘This is a competition, and I have to win it, right?’ … Once I was there, I found it very welcoming and very positive. It was just a great space to be myself and try something new, to not be so scared and shy … to really be myself and not be apologetic about it.”
Sahara Las Vegas, ticketmaster.com
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