BEAUTIFULMAG COVER STORY | TURNING TABLES

 WHAT IS A PRIVATE DANCER? OR A HUSTLER? ARE THEY IN CHARGE, OR SIMPLY TOLD WHAT TO DO? ARE THEY IN IT FOR THE FUN AND THE PLEASURE OR SIMPLY THE MONEY? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY DECIDED TO TAKE CHARGE, AND GET THEIR CLIENT TO PERFORM FOR THEM? TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH PLEASURE AS THEY GIVE THEIR CLIENTS? IF THEY TURN THE TABLES WOULD THEY LIKE AS MUCH TO RECEIVE AS TO GIVE? AND WHAT ARE THE DEEPEST DREAMS OF THOSE WHO ANSWER YOUR FANTASIES?

 You can easily recognize them if you take a close look. They emerge from busses and tube stations, well protected against cold weather, sport bags over their shoulder and, most of all, stars in their eyes. They are dancers. Underground dancers. Commercial dancers. Chorus dancers. Ballet dancers. They practice a profession, which is among the most competitive ones. Not always because they want to. But because they need to. It is who they are. It is in their blood.

 Karl Bowe is a dancer. Not just a dancer. He is a professional. He’s been at it for as long as he can remember, always moving and turning and swirling. Karl was born and raised in the United Kingdom but has moved to The Netherlands not too long ago. Maybe because the competition in his profession is killing in London and The Netherlands is the closest thing to having a mature international entertainment industry. Or maybe this is where the love of his life is and he simply chose to be with him at all times. Karl studied dance at Northern Ballet School and Northern School of Contemporary Dance and is currently touring Australia, being caste in the Jesus Christ Superstar stage musical. But at the end of this month, Karl will be returning home, in The Netherlands, where he shares his life with Dennis.

 Dennis van Gorkum is Dutch. His name probably already gave it away. Living in the city of Nijmegen, he makes a living as a travel agent and loves hitting the gym hard. Recently he has also discovered the pleasures of modeling and putting that amazing body to use in front of the camera. Dennis is also the life partner of Karl Bowe and it was through Karl that he got in touch with British photographer Nige Rorbach.

 For Nige Rorbach, Karl Bowe and Dennis van Gorkum, the Turning Tables shoot was one of many firsts. Nige Rorbach has had experience in working with multiple models at the same time, but in contrary to working with two guys that are not together, he had some minor reservations about working with a real life couple. It was his first time and the obvious concern was thought of any arousal during the shooting. But when working with Karl Bowe and Dennis van Gorkum this soon seemed unnecessary. Not that the two young men didn't have chemistry while working together. On the contrary. But they did treat it with the highest level of professionalism. For Karl and Dennis there were many firsts. For starters, neither one of them had ever done a duo shoot before, let alone one with each other. Another first was the role Karl was supposed to play. Though a dancer, he never acted as a private dancer until now. And even though he danced for his boyfriend, it still was a whole new experience.

 But the biggest first was probably that halfway the shoot the boys reversed the scene and Karl became the spectator while Dennis seduced him with slow moving, erotic dance moves. Karl and Dennis came to realize that there is something irresistibly exciting in seeing one another in a role that is not only unknown but also slightly uncomfortable, though they soon lost themselves in a mutual excitement and sensuality. And Nige, he had the rare opportunity to witness this dance of seduction between two partners, this role play that became so intimate yet stayed so professional. And with that Karl and Dennis brought to life an almost real time setting of a private dancer and his client, but added the extra excitement of turning the tables during their play and the need to stay professional while having the knowledge they could easily go so much further. –BM-