Britney: Inside the Dream

It was in the sunshine state that Britney first basked in the national spotlight as a ‘mousketeer’, dressed in a brown Mickey Mouse jacket with yellow arms. Chuck didn’t pay much attention to this side of the new recruit because his perspective was obtained behind the scenes, with Britney off-duty. He, more than anyone at Disney, was the monitor of Britney’s educational progress as a child, with a vested professional interest in her development as a girl, not a talent.

Chuck was lead tutor and principal at the ‘Mickey Mouse School’, located in a bungalow building near the costume department, a 100ft walk from the sound stage where production was based. It was under his tutelage in ‘bungalow No. 4’ that Britney attended class to ensure her education didn’t suffer. But it wasn’t her academic abilities that concerned the ‘mouseke-tutor’ that first day in May 1993; it was the patent innocence and naivety writ large on the face of a child who looked more like an intrigued tourist than a star in the making.

For a moment, Chuck might have been forgiven for believing that the mother and two daughters had wandered in by mistake from the Disney-MGM theme park in the Lake Buena Vista division of Orlando: ‘I look at this kid—the sweetest, cuddliest, huggable little thing you could imagine—and I think to myself, “She’s tiny—what is this cutesy doing here?” Nothing about her gave the impression that she was ready for any of this,’ he said.

‘She stood before me looking more like someone who should be riding a bike back and forth to gym class, not showing up for Mickey Mouse Club. She seemed out of place. Everything she radiated was that of an innocent babe in the woods.’

On that first day, parents and new recruits were allowed to wander freely around the lot in an exploration of their new world when a smiling Britney wandered into the classroom where Chuck was on hand to meet and greet. As she walked in happily, he first noticed her tiny frame, but then something else struck him: the way she found a diversion in her sister, Jamie-Lynn, in the stroller: ‘She was so solicitous of her baby sister. She fussed her, attended to her and bent down, grabbing her little finger. It was strange, almost as if she was emulating her mum, mimicking what she would do.’

This young starlet was not, as was the norm, bursting into his classroom with passion and child-like vigour. What Chuck observed was more the passive curiosity of a shy visitor. In his mind, he tried to match the reality of what stood before him with the sure knowledge that all seven new ‘mice’ had come through a rigorous and exacting audition process. As he explains: ‘I thought, “How did this little sweet thing survive that process?” The way she looked, filled with wonder, made it appear as if someone had just plucked her from Louisiana and placed her down at Disney and she’s going, “Wow!”’

He knew that Britney must be enormously capable to get beyond the likes of Matt Casella, but physically, ‘she was an eleven-year-old who looked eight’ and her tiny frame and evident fragility made him privately question whether she was sufficiently equipped for the industry as a whole: ‘Though she had a basic talent, I did not know if she had the sophistication necessary that made many child-stars stand out.’

It says a lot about Britney’s raw innocence that Chuck so easily detected her vulnerabilities on first impression, without even understanding that here was a girl whose unconscious definition of performing was rooted in attention that brought approval, that in turn equalled love. And there was Lynne, still happy and supportive, so everything remained normal, stable and okay in Britney’s mind.

It’s highly unlikely any potential pitfalls crossed either mum or daughter’s thoughts in the manner that they crossed Chuck’s. Indeed, he knew they had entered an image-conscious arena and such awareness would only be magnified as Britney neared the threshold of puberty a time when facial and bodily features are liable to dramatically change. Whether parents realised it or not, Disney’s prerequisite for wholesomeness meant that the camera needed to keep liking the face and that the physical structure projected ‘the right image’ to a young audience. For instance, a flat-chested twelve-year-old wouldn’t be retained if she suddenly turned inappropriately voluptuous. Britney’s look encapsulated the sweet and innocent image Disney was all about, but she hadn’t yet entered puberty.

‘Talent alone didn’t carry them through,’ explained Chuck. ‘I had been at MMC four years when Britney arrived and had seen four kids get cut out because they did not look right; their appearance changed as they developed. I saw Britney’s bright eyes and trusting smile, and thought she’d never cope with such rejection.’

One wonders how this truth sat comfortably with Lynne’s stated vehemence against the harsh vanities of the beauty pageant system to which she was so fiercely opposed. Had this Disney truth emerged, would she then have withdrawn Britney from this Mickey Mouse Club dream? But Lynne would not be aware of such expectations.

Indeed, based on the first-hand account from the experienced tutor, she appeared as naive and wondrous as her daughter: ‘Lynne was as awed and overwhelmed as Britney. I looked at the three of them and I could not understand how they got here. I thought, “This business is going to be too much for people like this.” It was impossible not to like them because they are wonderful, kind-hearted folk, but it was also hard not to worry for them. Not because of The MMC—because it did things the right way and really took care of its kids—but because of the industry they were choosing. Britney had a talent; she was capable and conscientious, but I never became convinced that she was ever equipped or prepared for the journey ahead. I thought the industry would destroy her,’ not make her,’ he admitted.

But Britney had proved she was more than capable, earning her stripes three months earlier at the ‘audition camp’ where she’d first met fellow novices Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling, who would grow up to become a Hollywood actor known for his roles in Notebook, Fracture and Lars and the Real Girl. Only Jessica Simpson would be rejected, falling short with a seven-and-a-half out of ten mark for her vocals. Executives believed she ‘wasn’t ready’. But Britney impressed across the board, earning an eight-and-a-half for both acting and dancing, and a clear eight for vocals.

It was an excellent score, eclipsed only by the vocal tally of Christina Aguilera, whose extraordinarily unique sound earned her a near-perfect nine-and-a-half and an eight in both acting and dancing. Justin Timberlake wasn’t so hot when it came to his acting score (seven-and-a-half) and his dancing was marked half a point lower than Britney; he, too, scored eight for vocals. But the all-round talent of the new crop was obvious and each would help the other to become more polished performers.

Mickey Mouse Club choreographer Myles Thorough-good, who was responsible for whipping their dancing talents into shape, said: ‘Each one of them brought their own range of talents. Vocally, I think Britney learned a lot through others but she also taught others a lot about dance because she arrived fully trained and with lots of ability’

The new ‘mouseketeers’ developed a three-musketeer philosophy, sticking together and helping each other within their newfound Disney family. Britney was tightly bound throughout every step of the experience with Justin, Christina and Ryan. She couldn’t believe her luck. And luck’ was how she viewed it. She didn’t believe it was her right to be there, she simply felt blessed to be granted the opportunity. In pre-teen America, being selected as a ‘mouseketeer’ was the child’s equivalent of ‘getting to the Olympics’, according to Disney acting coach Gary Spatz.

Lynne’s wisdom was vindicated: belief and focus brings about achievement in alignment with God’s providence.

Chuck Yerger was not, at first, aware of how far Britney had travelled: ‘I didn’t know she had studied and rehearsed in New York and then done Star Search. But that’s because nothing carried over from those experiences to suggest she was a seasoned pro. There was no sense of “I’ve been to the wars”. Nor did I see a passion in the eyes or drive that so many child stars have, the one that says, “I’m doing this to get ahead in life”. My evaluation was that she saw the mouse club as an adventure.’

But Britney was there to take her chance and this particular opportunity combined two dizzying fantasies: to appear on daily television, but also to be part of the Mickey Mouse story from a theme park where the promise of a two-week vacation was normally sufficient to send kids wild with excitement. For the girl from a low-income town in Louisiana, just visiting Disney World had always been a farfetched dream. But she was now installed as another incarnation of the Mickey Mouse mantra which encourages all children to believe in their dreams, with a pip-squeak voice that, on all Disney parades, quickly adds: ‘Gosh! Everybody can imagine…’

When the curtain went up on Season 6 of The All New Mickey Mouse Club, Kentwood was glued to its newly installed cable channels, watching Britney make her onscreen debut in the fall of 1993. The show’s cheerleaderesque theme tune cued in the seven new recruits, along with the more established, older stars, with the catchy lyrics that spelled out Mickey Mouse’s name: ‘Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me? Emm-Eye-See…Kay-Eee-Why…Emm-O-Yew-S-Seeeel’

And there, flashing up onscreen as the music continued, was a girl with a full, brushed fringe, excitedly announcing herself as ‘BRITNEY!’ alongside the other notable recruits announcing their arrival: ‘JUSTIN!’…‘CHRISTINA!’…‘RYAN!’

As with every show’s opening, ‘mouseketeers’ bounded and skipped onto the set of an American diner before a studio audience made up of giddy children. The staple diet of the family-oriented content for these half-hour variety shows comprised comedy sketches based around school and home life, or parodies of family game shows. Its skits were classical Disney—promoting messages of sharing, goodness and kindness. The upbeat tempo of pop music song and dance was weaved around a theme-for-the-day. It was colourful, bubbly, fast-paced and fun, appealing to the milder sensibilities of the early nineties.

Looking back now, the show smacks of low budget but this was an era when cable television was a premium and video gaming hadn’t completely entranced children with the now-seemingly basic Sega Genesis game system and the Nintendo Game Boy. ‘Mouseketeers’ reached into living rooms throughout America, inviting viewers to be part of the Disney family and allowing them to relate to the likeable, everyday personalities of the kids who had brought Mickey Mouse Club back to life in 1989, reviving a format first launched by Walt Disney himself in 1955, before ABC dropped it after a four-year run.

In 1993, the show was aired Monday to Thursday at 5.30pm. It was the most-watched afternoon series on the Disney Channel, which reached 5.6 million cable subscribers and its popularity was reflected in the mailbag: an estimated 250,000 fan letters were received during its modern-day run. But that popularity created a punishing schedule for Britney and friends, with demands that would be asking a lot of a seasoned pro, let alone an eleven-year-old. A real graft lay behind the ever-happy smiling faces in weeks that comprised three days of rehearsals followed by two days of filming.

They were long, intense days, demanding three dance production numbers and two on-location music video-shoots each week, alongside the comedy skits, parodies and promotional work. And all educational needs had to be accommodated, too. Britney lived like this for the four months between May and September filming, and then returned to Kentwood in time for the show’s airing. What amazed both her tutors and coaches was that she kept smiling throughout. There were many backstage dramas, as might be expected with a bunch of pre-teens and adolescents working together in a creative environment. But Britney is not remembered for being crabby or throwing tantrums. Choreographer Myles Thorough good says: What struck me was her attitude: it was exemplary. She was a true workhorse with a great energy. If I remember anything about Britney it was her intense focus—and her smiling face.’

For the first time, Britney learned on the job about working with TV cameras, lighting and top musical directors and choreographers. She grasped the concepts and imagery applied to dance routines and how they were intended to relate to the audience at home; she became ever more mindful of the connection between artist and audience; that the folks at home needed to relate to the themes within each routine or music video. If the likes of Britney, Justin and Christina walked away with one creative message it was, quite simply, ‘Know your audience and relate to them’. This in itself, as would become clear with her first hit single ‘…Baby One More Time’, would provide an invaluable education for the years ahead.

Disney policy also dictated the kind of things that were appropriate to say and laid down rules about good conduct. ‘Mouseketeers’ were expected to uphold the same squeaky-clean behaviour as Mickey and Minnie. They were told that projecting the proper image was essential and that their public conduct reflected on Disney’s image. Here was Britney’s first lesson in commercially minded PR: wholesome, clean, butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-the-mouth behaviour. She was listening to her elders and doing exactly as she was told; being trained in how to sing, dance, hold herself; conduct and help ‘sell’ a corporate image. The unspoken message was clear: behave this way, follow the rules, keep everyone happy and success will follow.

As Chuck explained: ‘Everything had to be very wholesome and exemplary. She practised how to sign autographs, how to flash the right smile, how to answer questions. These kids would be sent out into the theme park to do “meet-and-greets” with adoring fans and so they underwent training in the Disney technique, as young ambassadors of Disney’

A picture starts to emerge of Britney as an eager-to-please, malleable young girl who auto-responded to whatever direction she was given; an actor in her own life receiving offstage direction. Believe in God, and you will be protected. Perform for Mum, and you will be secure and make her happy. Sing, dance and cartwheel, and the talent contest shall be yours. Conduct yourself accordingly and you, too, can become part of the Disney magic. She was continuing to grow and be shaped by an environment with constant directions from outside of her. It’s unclear, if not doubtful, whether anything in Britney’s development emanated from her core, naturally and authentically. It seemed that everything was invested in the reverence she displayed towards adults, and the performance she created.

Chuck Yerger noticed this was a tendency that carried over into her school work: ‘She was absolutely insistent about doing everything the correct way, in line with what her teachers expected back home. The reverence she showed towards teachers was striking.’

In the US, he says many teachers adhere to ‘procedures’ and ‘ways of doing things’, such as essays having to be written on specific lined notebook paper; punch holes should be three, not four for a ring-binder; all submitted work should not only carry a name but the period of day that the piece was written; blue pens for this, black pens for that. It is an educational code of discipline that fusses over small details. Life at Park Lane Academy was clearly no exception—and Britney was adamant about honouring it.

Chuck further explained: ‘She knew what pen should be used, and in what ink; where her name should go and the precise width of the margins. I asked her why it was so, and she said, “I have to do it this way. My teachers will not like it, if not.” She was very much aware of her teachers’ expectations and her goal was to please them. So we learned to trust Britney and followed the requirements she gave us.’

Britney the pupil was forever punctual, perky, polite and pleasing—and never slacked on her homework: ‘She always delivered. The very idea of not doing homework and giving an adult the chance to say, “Tut, tut, tut—you’ve disappointed me” was unthinkable to her,’ said Chuck.

However, such conscientiousness doesn’t suggest Britney was a teacher’s pet wanting to impress with an academic brilliance. What Chuck observed was more of an unquestioning trust in her elders. This was also mirrored in her compliant performance mentality.

Chuck recalled: ‘In all that she did, Britney gave the distinct impression that if an adult says do something, you do it. She truly felt that all adults and people in authority were good people, who had her best interests at heart. If a responsible adult says, “This is how it should be” then she believed that person. It really was that inconceivable to her that anyone could steer her wrong and she carried that mind-set into her early performing life.’

All this most likely stems from being raised in an out-of-control environment so all these unconscious behaviours are an attempt to feel in control. She can’t control her feelings or her parents so she chose to control her pens, the way she wrote, the way she does things. It brings order. Children really do need boundaries and limits, and I would think Britney was trying to be good because she wanted to be liked, because she wanted peace. She was looking for an authority figure but there wasn’t one at home so she looks around her other environments. Her reverence is a need to look up to someone, someone in authority, someone who gives her instructions and control. It’s not as conscious as that—more of an impulse as a response to what had happened around her but it makes her especially open to the instructions of anyone around her in a position of trust. From properly representing the image of Disney to adhering to rule systems from school, Britney would have been so mould-able because she didn’t have a developed sense of self. Consequently, you are liable to become what people ask of you. She would be the sheep that followed, as reared in childhood.

It all confirms Chuck’s initial impression that this Kent-wood lamb could be in trouble in the entertainment industry. ‘What hope did she have when, in her heart, she invests all that unquestioning belief in those who say “This is good for you” or “Follow this advice, trust us”? All I ever saw in her eyes was a trust that required guidance, as opposed to a selfish and driven passion.’

Life at Disney also taught Britney to be without Lynne: parents were not allowed on set except on the two days of the week when the show was taped. Lynne, together with the other parents, would laze poolside or go shopping at the malls.