“The D Las Vegas will hold live, open auditions on Fremont Street Experience’s Third Street Stage in a search for 100 Dancing Dealers,” read the press release. One problem: Only about 40 women showed up. And of those 40, only 13 made it to the stage. (The rest were eliminated earlier.) The good news: If you were one of those 13, you gotta like your odds!

Co-choreographer Katie Kenner worked with the girls before they took the stage, teaching them the 60-second routines they were to perform before casino owner Derek Stevens and a midafternoon Fremont crowd. It was a tricky assignment, because, ultimately, the girls will not be doing choreographed dances; they’ll be go-go-ing.

“I tried to choreograph something that wouldn’t intimidate the auditionees,” Kenner explained.

At 3:55 p.m., the emcee took to the stage and told the crowd that the D was “Picking the most beautiful girls in Vegas to be our dancing dealers.” He encouraged us to applaud, to “please let them know how good they’re doing and how beautiful they really are.”

The first heat walked out and danced to the first minute of The Wanted’s “Glad You Came.” Then the music cut abruptly, and the girls did it again, and then again. Then they freestyled. Next, the second heat. They had some trouble with the choreography, but their freestyle dancing was solid.

“With the limited time they had,” Kenner said, “I think they did well.”

And the D’s rebranding is evidenced by more than just the live auditions and dancing dealers. They’re selling D T-shirts in the gift shop, and they’ve got a cloth D sign riveted to the casino front facade. That said, and with at least 87 dealer spots open, the property still has a long way to go.