A dozen way-hot dancers were weeks into rehearsals for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” London comeback stint when the King of Pop died Thursday. And two of them are Colorado kids.
Misha Hamilton is from Larkspur. We don’t have much info on this dood — except a website that says his mom, Irene Brecher, is a ballet teacher and he used to dance around the house in his underwear.
The other, Tyne Stecklein, is a Denver girl who started dancing at Miller’s Dance Studio in Aurora when she was 3. Her mom, Andrea Stecklein, is an instructor there. When Tyne was a teen, she started taking classes at the International Ballet School in Littleton.
Hundreds of people vied for the 12 dancing positions on April 12 — because being a backup dancer for the King of Pop is the tops.
Jackson was seen at the auditions, greeting the dancers — looking healthy.
From the vid: “Hi Michael — my name is Tyne. I am just overjoyed right now. I remember being a little girl and watching ‘Thriller’ on TV with my mom and thinking that was the coolest thing in the world. I can’t believe that I’m going to be on stage with you.”
Almost.
Book ’em.
Dick Kreck is retired from columnizing in The Denver Post — but he’s still writing books.
His latest is “Smaldone: The Untold Story of an American Crime Family.”
The Smaldones were Denver’s Corleones for 50 years, folding the tent in the ’80s.
They liked bootlegging, gambling, stealing and loan-sharking.
Lotsa Smaldone relatives, North Denverites and Kreck fans mobbed Gaetano’s restaurant Wednesday night for a book signing. The Smaldones used to own the joint, so it was just like the old days. You got a problem with that?
The book, already No. 2 on the local best-seller list, is a loving history of a tough family.
Kreck got Chuck and Gene Smaldone, the sons of boss Clyde Smaldone, to help out, so the book is filled with some great photos and family stories.
“They were no angels,” says Kreck, “but they weren’t like they were portrayed in the newspapers.”
Kreck will talk Smaldone with a slide show at Tattered Cover LoDo, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. And look for an excerpt from the book in next Sunday’s Denver Post.
Water, water everywhere.
The Q Worldly Barbecue and Blues & Jazz Lounge (2817 E. 3rd. Ave.) won Top Bar For Live Music in 5280 magazine’s Top of the Town issue, which came out Friday.
But the timing wasn’t exactly perfect, as the joint was flooded Thursday and had to shut down for repairs. That’s what you call the blues.
It should be open in a few days, for sure by Friday for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival and July 4 weekend.
A sprinkler malfunctioned in the kitchen just as the lunch rush was beginning — within minutes the club was flooded with hundreds of gallons of water.
So it’s going to take more than a sponge mop.
City spirit.
Add Elvis Costello and the Imposters to the Labor Day lineup at Jazz Aspen Snowmass . . .
Sez who: “The next time you shoot my picture, I’m going to punch you in the nose.” — Clyde Smaldone
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at .
