Last fall, Renee Scherck-Meyer conjured up the courage to do something on her bucket list when she tried out for the Milwaukee Bucks Grand Dancers, a squad of older adults who perform on the court during the team’s games at Fiserv Forum.
“I saw a performance of the Grand Dancers when I was not yet old enough to try out and I said to myself ‘That looks like it is a total blast to do.’ So, I promised myself that I would try out as soon as I was eligible even though my dancing background consists merely of me dancing in my kitchen,” she said.
But when Scherck-Meyer reached the minimum age requirement of 55, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, putting her plans on hold.
“Once the auditions came back in full force, I decided that I was still going to go,” she said. “When I went to try out, I was immediately greeted by about 150 other auditioners and I thought ‘Well at least this will just be a fun night of dancing.’”
To her surprise, Scherck-Meyer got a callback after the initial audition and eventually made the squad. “I never in my wildest dreams thought I would beat out all of those people,” she said.
Scherck-Meyer took part in what she described as her “rookie year” this past season. “It’s been the most fun thing I’ve done as an older adult,” she said.
But there’s far more to Scherck-Meyer’s story as a Grand Dancer than attaining her goal of making the team.
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On an emotional high after being selected for the squad, she began rehearsals with her teammates in September in preparation for the upcoming season. After her doctor noticed that Scherck-Meyer’s breathing was heavier than normal, she ordered a set of scans that led to a devastating diagnosis.
“That’s when they discovered the tumors,” she said. “I have stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and tumors were found in my liver, lungs and brain.”
Scherck-Meyer had an initial battle with breast cancer five years earlier.
“Renee came in last year as a rookie and we saw a lot of potential in her personality. She brought a lot to the auditions,” said Kate Ulrich, senior director of live programming and entertainment for the Bucks. “It was pretty quick after that when we found out that her cancer was back. What’s really cool about her being part of the team is that every single person fully embraced her and decided that they were going to be in this with her and make sure that they lifted her up and helped her in any way we could.”
The grim diagnosis didn’t slow Scherck-Meyer or dampen her enthusiasm for performing with the Grand Dancers. She credits the care she’s received at Aurora Sinai Medical Center for keeping her going and a message she received early on from a Grand Dancers’ teammate.
“She told me to exercise like my life depends on it, because it does,” Scherck-Meyer said. “So, I told my doctors that dance is part of my exercise routine, and I didn’t want to give that up. I got medical clearance and continued to perform. I spoke with the coach and the team about it. I told them that I planned on doing every performance, and I did. I hit the ground running and never took any time off.”
She expressed gratitude toward her teammates, whom she described as “extended family” for supporting her throughout the season.
“It’s a great group of people,” Scherck-Meyer said. “I think it’s because we are all sharing the same love for dance and performance that it makes it easy to become really bonded with each other. They were very supportive, and I appreciate that.”
Ulrich said that Scherck-Meyer never let her diagnosis and treatment dampen her desire to be a productive member of the team.
“She not only didn’t miss a game she didn’t miss a practice either. That was something that fueled her,” Ulrich said. “She worked as hard and trained as hard as anyone else. She learned all the choreography at the same level as everybody else. She didn’t let on that there was anything else going on. Seeing the inspiration that she provided brought the team closer together and allowed them to embrace the journey with her.”
Scherck-Meyer credited the Bucks vociferous fans for lifting her mood, too.
“When we go out on that court and hear thousands of people just yelling and screaming, you can tell they really love us and that really boosts your spirits,” she said.
Performing in front of large crowds at Fiserv Forum is a thrill like none other, Scherck-Meyer said.
“You want to do so well for the fans and put on a great show,” she said. “Because of them being boisterous, it almost feels like they are part of the dance. It all mingles together. It’s all fun for us but we are also very focused on giving the audience a really good performance.”
There’s also the riveting nature of getting a close-up view of the players, including franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“There’s a tunnel where we line up before we go out and perform and we have to wait for a break in the action,” Scherck-Meyer said. “We get to see them on the court. It’s just thrilling to watch them being that close.”
Ulrich said Scherck-Meyer and her Grand Dancers teammates inspire fans and the organization.
“I aspire to be the kind of people that they are every day. I love working with them,” she said. “I’m really happy that Renee continues to allow the Bucks and me and the rest of the Grand Dancers to be a part of her journey in life.”
Scherck-Meyer and her husband of 28 years, Mark, reside within view of Fiserv Forum. They have two sons, Steven and Jackson. At a game in January, the Bucks honored Scherck-Meyer with an in-game tribute that stirred up an array of emotions for her.
“The Bucks created a video montage and the first time I saw it was that evening when they brought me out onto the court,” she said. “It was very moving, particularly when hearing the lovely things my teammates said about me. My oldest child was part of it as well, and he made me cry.”
Scherck-Meyer is gearing up for tryouts next week for this season’s squad – dancers must earn a spot every season – and isn’t letting her cancer battle deter her from her goal of being part of the Grand Dancers once again.
“I look at cancer this way. It can do things to my body, but it’s not going to take away my spirit and joy,” she said. “I find dancing joyous. It’s a wonderful activity. I wasn’t going to let cancer win. And being on the Grand Dancers is key to both my physical health and my emotional health. It gets me moving and I feel better when I move. The camaraderie that I’ve experienced with the team also helps a lot.”
Scherck-Meyer recently overcame another setback with her health as she prepared for this season’s audition.
“Unfortunately, I just had two new tumors pop up in my brain but there’s a machine called the CyberKnife that Aurora has that shoots very accurate radiation and within a week both of those tumors were gone,” she said. “I have no side effects. I’m feeling strong and I’m ready to go.”
Auditions for the Bucks Grand Dancers for the 2024-25 season will be held July 30 starting at 5 p.m. at Deer District event venue Gather, 333. W. Juneau Ave., Suite B. Advanced registration is encouraged but not required. To register, go to: www.nba.com/bucks/entertainment/grand-dancers.
