How To Dance

Karaoke superstar Nick Freeman dazzles the audience every Friday at his favorite bar. Outwardly, he exudes confidence. Internally, he’s guarded about reactions to his cerebral palsy, especially from prospective lovers. One night, he sees Hayley Burke gracefully dancing with her boyfriend. Hayley, a professional dancer, meets Nick and asks him to dance, but she gets embarrassed when she realizes he uses a walker. Nick drops his facade and speaks coldly to her before leaving, assuming that would be the last interaction. However, the following Friday, they meet again, this time with Hayley as the newest bar employee. Eventually, they strike up a friendship that grows into something more. David Bendena adequately narrates Dutton’s intriguing debut, which is told from both characters’ perspectives. As Nick, Bendena smoothly displays his snark and annoyance at strangers’ microaggressions while amping up the charm during performances. However, Bendena’s range seems limited, as all the women characters sound similar. Meanwhile, Hayley, who stays with her initial boyfriend for half the story, isn’t well developed.