Regan is the first MALE dancer to be spotlighted in this feature, AND the first dancer from the last two seasons of Solid Gold to attempt to answer some of the burning questions YOU have about the changes that took place on the show at that time. We think you'll agree -- Regan was very candid and straightforward with his responses, which makes for some interesting reading! As with Deborah and Lezlie, Regan chose to answer WAY more than the required 20 questions!!! Regan, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to participate in this featureŠ we know your fans appreciate the thoughtfulness you put into each answer. And a special thank you to all of the Solid Gold fans that took the time to submit such great questions -- YOU made this feature possible! Thank you! :-) So without further adieu, here are Regan's answers to your questions... enjoy!

(NOTE: If a question was asked by more than one person, Regan answered it only one time. Regan's answers appear in their entirety.)


What was your first professional dance job?

Two weeks out of High School I went to Sun City, South Africa and danced in a Vegas-type production show called "Voila" for three months. It was a real eye- opening time for me.


Are you married? Any children?

No and no again.


What are your hobbies?

Don't have any really. Perhaps spiritual reading and walking in nature, if those count.


What are your favorite movies? TV shows?

I used to have answers for these questions, not any more though, sorry. I watch less than a dozen movies a year and even less television.


Have you kept in touch with some of the dancers you've worked with?

A little bit, yes. I still work with Darrell Wright occasionally. Up to a year or so ago I used to see Paul Thorpe at auditions regularly. An occasional letter to/from Leslie Cook. I run into Gigi every few years it seems. Audrey B. has worked as a massage therapist on a couple of sets I've worked in the last couple of years.


Has dancing always been what you wanted to do?

It was the first thing I really wanted to do, yes. After becoming so successful so early I was soon looking for other things to do.


Were there ever any romances among the dancers?

Sure thing! ;-)


What was the Solid Gold audition process like for you?

Twice Anita Mann called invitation only auditions for Solid Gold. Both times she did not hire anyone new. Rumor had it that it was a motivational thing for the current dancers.

Lester's audition was a huge affair. I pulled out every trick I had to spice it up and to get noticed. After about 2 quick cuts of people, he told a small group that I was in that he needed to see that we could do just his choreography, nothing extra. I listened, and I did what he asked though I felt I was being boring!

The next day I was at a callback on the Solid Gold rehearsal set, I was the only male blond. There were only about six guys there. I felt good. Some of my peers thought I was a shoe in.


Which did you like better: performing regularly on a TV show or dancing in films? Which was more fun?

Though Solid Gold was definitely more work, you knew what you were doing from week to week, who you were working with and for, and generally got to relax into the job and just dance. And there was a lot of dancing to learn, I liked to dance and that was the more enjoyable job for me.


What is it like to be a dance double, where people get to enjoy your work but not see your face?

Interesting. Fun. Good residuals! It was fun meeting Steve Martin.


What is your best memory of Solid Gold, and why?

Being a lead male dancer for Lester Wilson on a consistent basis. Why? Because he was a dance genius of his era.


Have you ever done any choreography during your career?

Just my own stuff in a pure dance sense. With a little bit of help from my partner, Julia Snyder, I choreograph all the routines of the Tweaksters. Some of these have a lot of dance in them. See Tweaksters.com for more info.


What happened on your first day of Solid Gold?

Well, I met the other dancers who had been chosen. Beyond that, I don't remember much. It was quite a while ago!


What were Jamilah and Eileen like to everyone the first day being the only veteran Solid Gold dancers at that point?

They were great. Quite supportive. Jamilah had worked extensively for Lester previously.


Did they share any horror stories with you?

Probably. Don't remember too much really.


Or tell you what was great about being a Solid Gold Dancer?

I remember Eileen talking about the money. Jamilah about the previous work schedule...


Did you actually get to work and start dancing your first day, or do you get time to meet everyone etc?

Both.


Did all of you ever get together outside of the show?

Rarely. I remember at one point Paul, Darrell and I went to Westwood and saw a movie and hung out to get to know one another early on. Other than that, we would sometimes work together on different gigs during hiatus.


Were you close friends with Paul and Darrell, the other male dancers on the show?

Sure, we shared a dressing room! We got along quite well.


What was your rehearsal/taping schedule like on Solid Gold?

Rehearse four days. Tape two shows worth of material in three days(with additional rehearsals as needed). Off four days. Repeat. Well, actually I think we had Sunday off during the first week, so we had three consecutive days off at the end of the two-week cycle.


Which Solid Gold dancer do you think you danced best with when paired up?

Jamilah opposite and for partner work Gigi.


Since you and Jamilah did so many numbers together and since both of you seemed to unofficially take on the role of "lead dancers" - did either of you ever get to choreograph any routines?

No. Often when Lester was choreographing, he would do a move...we would repeat it and I would just keep going doing something. Sometimes he would use what I did, often not.


Speaking of Jamilah :o) You and she were BRILLIANT together!!! The chemistry was amazing between the two of you!!

Thank you kindly. She was fun to dance opposite.


Do you still keep in contact with Jamilah?

No. Occasionally I hear some gossip about what she's up to, but nothing first hand for years now.


What was it like to work with her?

All good. She had a girl when she was very young. At the time I was the youngest dancer on the show -- twenty. When her daughter was going to her high school prom, she joked that I should be her daughter's date! To this day I don't know if she was serious or not!


Why did Audrey leave after one season?

I don't believe she was asked back.


How did your current project The Tweaksters get started?

On a whim I started learning how to juggle and I met my partner while she was doing the same. We both wanted to learn how to pass to another juggler, so we practiced together. Months later, we started dating. Years later we started building our show.


Not that you would ever come to Wisconsin, but do you go on tour with the act?

We frequently travel. Actually the IJA's (International Jugglers Association) next meeting is in Wisconsin. So we may very well be in Wisconsin this summer. July I think. Of course we might be working elsewhere too.


Do you have any other projects going on right now?

The Tweaksters keep me quite busy. I occasionally go out on commercial calls as an actor and various dance calls.


You've probably met so many cool celebrities over the years. Who was your favorite?

Mel Gibson was quite likable.


What was it like working with Madonna in her Material Girl video?

Terrific. She asked me back to work a second shooting day for a scene in her dressing room. If you watch close, you can see me and her together. She paid me $50 big ones for this!


What CDs are in your stereo right now?

What a great question! Are you ready for this? I have a 5-disc player. All five are associated with the eastern world of India. Sheila Chandra - The Zen Kiss, Martin Tillman - Eastern Twin, Krishna Das - Live on Earth (two disc set), and Gurumayi Chidvilasananda chanting Om Namah Shivaya. Run out and buy these titles today!


Any advice for people who want to do what you are doing?

I believe I am following my calling. My advice to you and others is to get in touch with yourself and your calling. Meditate. Pray. Spend peaceful time alone in nature. Be cheerful always. Ask yourself, Who am I?

If, after the above, the answer seems to be dance, then dance. Dance all you can. Try and take lots of different kinds of classes, but even more importantly dance by yourself, for yourself, to expand yourself.


Did you ever have any embarrassing moments on Solid Gold or any other dance job?

Absolutely. For a bit with Arsenio Hall, all the dancers slow danced for a few minutes to a tune that was a part of his bit. My partner was Jamilah. By the middle of the tune I had a fully erect penis and a fully red face.


If you were on the TV show Survivor, what would your one luxury item be, and why?

Not sure. Don't watch the show. Don't know the rules.


If the producers created a Solid Gold reunion show, would you participate?

Oprah Winfrey has tried to do this at least twice. I told them I would help them locate other dancers, and if they really needed me I would participate. Don't think it happened either time.


What are your general plans for the future?

Grow closer to God. Continue evolving the Tweaksters.


How long do you plan to stay in the business?

However long it seems like the right thing for me to do. Right now it is.


Will we see you in any movies or TV shows soon?

The short answer is no. I have done a few bits lately, but even my mother would have a hard time spotting me.


Did you watch Solid Gold before you became a dancer? If so, which dancer(s)influenced you, if any?

I liked Tony a lot. I liked his style. Several television dancers at that time had energy, a few had technique. Tony was not afraid to sacrifice technique for style, but he had more technique than a lot of people realize.

When I was a little older I took a class from Tony. It was by chance really, the regular teacher could not make it and Tony filled in. I was impressed by his inventiveness, which was a direct offshoot of his style.


What was it like working with Lester Wilson?

An education, a blessing, a drag, and a great party all at the same time.

I mentioned before him being a dance genius of his era. He was gifted, and he was secure enough with himself to trust himself. I was a dancer that worked for him, and I considered him a friend, though we never saw each other outside of working.

His original assistant was Michael Peters, not for Solid Gold, but years ago. I had just started working for Michael when Lester hired me. Michael and Lester did not talk to each other. So I was one of a very few people that was a part of each of their respective careers. This made for some interesting moments.

In the middle of my second year I decided to go to Italy with Michael and be a lead dancer for him there for three months. I had to leave Solid Gold to do it. The day I went in to tell Lester, the rest of the cast and I were greeted with the news that Solid Gold was ending its television run. The rest of the season would be made from previous shows.

That meant that I did not have to tell him, so I didn't. Later I learned that he was miffed by this, though he still hired me for various things. Later still I believe I learned why...while I was in Italy, I sent Lester a poem about my working relationship with him and my relationship with Michael. I later learned that Lester's mother framed the poem.


During your years on Solid Gold when the countdown format of the show was dissolved, who chose the songs that would be danced to each week?

Good question. Probably the producers with some input from Lester.


Would Lester decide who danced to what?

Always.


Why did Eileen Fairbanks leave early? :o(

Lester did not think too highly of her dancing, so he didn't use her much. She had other things going on and decided to pursue them.


Do you know anything about the transformation from Solid Gold 85-86 to the drastic change in the show when you came aboard?

Well, everybody behind the scenes were the same - to my knowledge - with the exception of Lester of course. And seeing how the new look and feel for the dancers was so closely his own personal look, it leads me to believe that he was the main cause of the change.

Although I came to love all of new dancers I was so sad when the old dancers left, especially Nicole Romine and Pam Rossi, I have always wondered why they changed the show so drastically and why most of the dancers left?

I do not believe I've ever met Nicole and Pam. My personal watching of the show had waned a bit by then. I was never told why they made such a drastic change. I do know that by this time Solid Gold's ratings were slipping due to the rapidly growing popularity of MTV.


Were they fired or did they choose to leave?

I do not know.

In that same regard, why were Jamilah and Eileen the only ones who stayed?

As I mentioned previously, Jamilah was a Lester favorite before Solid Gold. I know Eileen wanted to come back, and the producers liked her. But the producers also deferred most questions and decisions concerning dancers to Lester.


How did you get into dance?

My parents put me in a tap and tumbling class (taught together in the same class) when I was three. I took my first real jazz dance class when I was fifteen. After that, I put lots of energy into dancing. It just seemed so joyous to me. I couldn't seem to get enough of it.


What subjects did you study formally?

For the sake of my parents I finished high school. The last two years of high school I quit the sports teams and often played hooky driving an hour's drive into Los Angeles to take dance classes.

After I graduated high school, I don't think I've taken a formal, academically accredited class.

 

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