Episode 4 Taking the Next Step

This is Taking The Next Step,

the show where talented young dancers compete for an amazing

prize - to guest role on the hit TV dance show The Next Step.

1,300 dancers applied to take part.

I'm going to do my audition for Taking The Next Step.

And we've travelled the length and breadth of Britain...

CLOCK CHIMES ..on a quest to find the best.

Today we're in Cardiff. Glasgow. London. Manchester, are you ready?

-ALL:

-Yes!

Nervous!

I've been practising and practising like crazy.

-If I was in The Next Step...

-It'd be a dream come true.

Show us what you've got.

From ballet to bhangra, performers from every discipline turned out

in a bid to impress our three judges.

We're making dreams come true in here.

THEY SCREAM

They are - professional dancer and former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt,

star of stage and screen John Partridge,

and director and choreographer Simeon Qsyea.

But which dancer will join these guys and the rest of the cast?

It's Taking The Next Step.

CHEERING

The clock is ticking on our regional auditions.

Time is short and the pressure is on.

As our remaining auditionees fight to secure the last few

slots at Nationals.

We only have a few places left and we need to know that the people

-we're giving this ticket to deserve it.

-Don't make us fight for it.

When it's your time to shine, shine, turn it on.

We're making this show right now, right here, today.

There is no time, dude. You've got to be ready now.

LINDSEY: As ever, John is focused on performance,

Kimberly on technique,

whilst for Simeon, quality of movement is key.

So can 13-year-old Ellie deliver that killer combination?

-How are you feeling?

-I'm nervous but I'm excited as well.

-Now, I've got to say, you look phenomenal.

-Oh, thank you.

You look absolutely amazing. Can you give us a spin, a little twirl?

-You look brilliant. Are you ready to go in there?

-Yeah.

-High-fives.

Go impress those judges. Off you go.

-Hi, Ellie.

-Hello.

-How are you today?

-I'm fine, thank you. How are you?

-Oh, you're nice and bubbly. I like a bit of confidence.

-Yeah.

What style of dance will you be doing for us?

I'm doing modern today.

-Modern. All right, well, the floor is yours.

-Thank you.

Work.

# I can't help myself

# I'm addicted to a life of material

# It's some kind of joke

# I'm obsessively opposed to the typical

# All we care about is runway models

# Give me something

# I wanna be retro glamour

# Hollywood Yes, we live for the fame

# Fame

-# Doing it for the fame

-Fame

# Cos we wanna live the life of the rich and famous

-# Fame

-Fame

-# Doing it for the fame

-Fame

# Cos we gotta live the life of the rich and famous. #

Ellie, you better work.

HE LAUGHS

That's what we like.

Ellie, really solid audition.

It takes confidence to do what you just did and to come up here

and just give Johnny that snap and say, "Work!"

I really enjoyed it.

-Oh, thank you.

-You need three yeses to get through to Nationals.

Johnny?

I loved your dancing, but to be honest,

-that's not really what I'm liking the most, I like you.

-Oh, thank you.

I think you've got sass, I think you've got confidence.

Cos we're not just looking for a dancer in this, Ellie,

we're looking for somebody that can act and hold a story arc

and I think that just might be you.

Thank you so much.

I loved it. It's a yes from me.

-Hmm.

-Oh, stop messing about.

Now, a lot of dancers come out here and they're dancing to the music

and they don't always connect with it.

You gave us the vibe of the track and then even the clap-clap,

you was like bap-bap, and I was like, "Oh, OK, so someone

-"who actually listens."

-Simeon?

-It's a yes from me. Come on.

-Sweetheart, it is a yes from me.

-Come get your ticket to Nationals.

-Yes!

-Thank you so much.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Go celebrate.

-Go celebrate.

Bye, Ellie!

-Ellie, what happened?!

-I made it!

-How are you feeling?

-I'm so excited. I'm so happy.

-Yes, yes, yes.

-Work.

-Work.

LINDSEY: Success for Ellie.

Now time to let Nan know the good news.

-OVER PHONE:

-'Hello, Ellie. How have you got on?'

-I got through to the next part.

-'Oh, I bet you're over the moon.'

-Yes.

Ellie's confident performance wowed the judges...

..but with so much at stake, not every audition ran smoothly.

-MUSIC STARTS MOUTHS:

-Sorry.

That's OK. Can we...

MUSIC STOPS Hey. Hey, that's OK.

Take a deep breath and know that we're on your side.

# Well, you only need the light when it's burning low

# Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

# Only know you love her when you let her go

# And you let her go. #

You're just absolutely scared to death, you poor thing.

Auditions aren't ever easy, but just remember that the show must

go on and it's just your one time to dance.

It's a no from me today.

And the outbreak of nerves was proving infectious.

I'm worried, being a performer with

so much other competition around you,

how will you handle those nerves?

-I'm sorry, but it's a no from me.

-OK.

You've got to take that nerve

and you've got to let it fuel your performance.

And I think today, they went the other day

and pulled your performance down.

It's a no today.

I know that you're nervous but you've got to find ways to battle

through that and really show us that you deserve a spot in the Nationals.

'Next to perform, it's 13-year-old Ovie.'

Ovie, my friend, come on over.

Now, on just the other side of this door, there are three judges

waiting to see you dance.

I hope it goes well for you and I hope you can impress them.

Get in there. Go for it. Good luck.

But will he keep his cool under the spotlight?

-Hey, Ovie.

-Hello.

-How are you?

-I'm good, thanks.

-Do you watch The Next Step?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, what's your favourite character?

-West.

OK. Are you going to show us a bit of West today?

-A little bit, maybe.

-A little bit. All right, then, let's dance.

The floor is yours.

# Begging, begging you

# Put your loving hand out, baby

# Begging, begging you

# Put your loving hand out, darling

# Walked away, won me then. #

-Ovie, have you ever auditioned before?

-Not really.

-So this is your first audition?

-Yeah.

Ovie, your nerves worry me. Your nerves really worry me.

Come out of yourself, dude.

Ovie, I can see you've got everything there. It's there.

I can see it. And I was just like, "Just perform, a little performance.

"Just give me a face, give me a smile, give me a mood."

Now I'm stuck. I'm thinking to myself, "Do you have what it takes?"

We want to give you a chance. We like you.

But we need to know that when you go to the Nationals, you're not

going to be just another guy in the Nationals.

We only have a few places left and we need to know that the people

we're giving this ticket to deserve it.

Let's run the track again. Give it to us, yeah?

-Give me face, Ovie.

-Let's have some fun!

Face, come on. Don't be so... It's only us.

LINDSEY: It's Ovie's time to shine and now he needs to deliver.

# Begging, begging you

# Put your loving hand out, baby

# Begging, begging you

# Put your loving hand out, darling

# Walked away, won me then. #

You need three yeses to get to Nationals.

-It's a yes from me, mate.

-Thank you.

I feel like you've done enough.

I feel like that even in that small change, that small progression,

-you progressed enough. So I'm going to say yes.

-Thank you.

How long have you been dancing?

For as long as I can remember.

-CLEARS THROAT

-As long as I can remember.

Ovie, I love you to pieces and I saw some really special

qualities in you, but I think you need some more experience.

It's a no today, Ovie, though.

-Thank you. Keep dancing.

-Thank you. Keep on dancing.

'It's just so annoying you need those three yeses, isn't it?

'Cos you were so close.'

But I think, if anything, that shows how brilliant you are

that you were that close to getting through to Nationals.

That's a very high level to be at

and you should be really, really proud of yourself.

Ovie's dancing impressed

but his nerves stood in the way of a place at Nationals.

For a professional dancer,

learning how to handle these nerves is simply part of the job.

My kind of nerves, when I get out on stage, it turns into adrenaline.

It turns into, "OK.

"The audience is here to watch me, I'm going to perform my best."

It's all in the way you think about it.

Next to dance, it's 11-year-old Lance.

I first got into dancing when my sister brought me

to a dance class and then I started doing it from there.

I do break dancing, locking, house, hip-hop and yeah, that's it.

-Feeling ready?

-Mm-hm.

-Fist pump. Go smash it.

I like that spin!

Well, he certainly seems confident enough but will that natural

swagger survive under the scrutiny of our three judges?

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Lance.

-Yeah.

-Do you watch The Next Step?

-Yeah.

-Who's your favourite character?

-I like the one that's, you know,

that break dance all the time.

-He always tries to impress the girls.

-That's West, yeah?

-To impress the girls?

-THEY LAUGH

-Is that what you do?

-Huh?

Is that why you break dance, to impress the girls?

-Sometimes.

-Yeah, sometimes.

-A little bit, maybe?

-Lance...

I'm excited.

Do it. Blow us away. We can't wait, yeah?

# When I signed my deal I felt pressure

# Don't wanna see the numbers I want to see heaven

# You say, "Could you write a song for me?"

# I say, "I'm sorry I won't do that happily"

# When I go home I tend to close the door

# I never wanted more

# So sing with me

# Can't you see?

# I don't have money on my mind

# Money on my mind

# I do it for, I do it for the love

# I don't have money on my mind

# Money on my mind

# I do it for, I do it for the love I do it for the love. #

-How old are you?

-11.

-Amazing!

Thanks.

This show we need dancers,

but we also need performers and you gave us that today.

But I want to see a bit more in your character.

That means a bit more right now. I want to see Lance right now.

I want you to stand there and be like, "I'm Lance.

"I just throwed down."

-Great dancing, great work.

-Thanks.

I really liked it. I liked your dancing.

I wasn't that hot on your performance, Lance.

I think there's more in you though. I'm going to go to a vote.

It's a yes from me.

What can I say? I believe in you, Lance. It's a yes from me.

That just leaves me.

-Have you got more performance in you, Lance?

-Yeah!

-HE CHUCKLES

-That's it.

What does that say?

"Ticket to Nationals."

That's yours, mate.

That's where you're going.

-Thanks.

-Well done, dude.

-Well done. Did a good job, yeah?

-Go celebrate.

-See you, Lance.

-Thank you.

-Peace!

-Peace.

-Peace out.

THEY SCREAM

I loved him. I just want to bottle him up.

See you at Nationals.

Whoohoo!

So as our whistle-stop tour around the country gathered pace...

..who would join Lance in the next round?

# I've got thick skin and an elastic heart. #

In Cardiff, we saw Milan, 15.

Ticket to Nationals.

Boom. That just happened.

Alongside 14-year-old Jamie.

It's a yes from me. We'll see you at Nationals, Jamie.

Congratulations. Yes!

While London witnessed the unique skills of bone breaker Damani.

# It was nothing but a quick think kids games, kiss chase

# Just a quick fling

# Now I'm hoping you never go missing

# Now I'm telling you you can hold this ring. #

-How long have you been doing it?

-Two months.

-Two months?

-Yeah.

-Two months?!

Two months!

Wow! You're going to Nationals.

Over 300 miles away, in Glasgow, we saw Imogen, 15.

# Unconditional

# Unconditionally

# I will love you unconditionally. #

I feel like you need to come over here and take one of these.

-Welcome to the Nationals.

-Thank you.

-Go celebrate.

And then Manchester, with 14-year-old Ilia.

# Say something I'm giving up on you. #

-Come get your ticket to Nationals.

-Thank you very much.

Thank you, love. Well done.

Finally, back to where we started - in Wales with 11-year-old Reyaz.

# Love sick I've got that fever

# Love stupid, I know it

# I know cos I'm a fool in love. #

-Here's your ticket to Nationals.

-Yes!

Well done.

Talk to me. What's happened?

I did it.

So why are you crying?

Because I'm really happy.

THEY SHRIEK

It's party time for Reyaz

and for every other performer who's made it through to Nationals.

I got through!

But that 11th hour flurry of tickets has

piled on the pressure for the dancers who are yet to audition.

And as the clock continues to tick, it's time...to tap.

Those feet don't lie. Those rhythms don't lie.

Those rhythms had me going.

I'm a rhythm baby. I like the rhythm in the body

and the rhythm of how we relate to music and you delivered.

Boom! Boom! Boom! I liked it. It was really, really good.

Looks like you're going to Nationals, Sophia. Bring your taps.

And for one tapper, winning a guest role on The Next Step would really

be something to shout about.

I go to an all boys school and I don't tell anyone there

that I dance.

It's a bit annoying because I sometimes win cups and trophies

at festivals but I have to, kind of, hide it and not tell anyone.

I know that other boys at my school watch The Next Step so it would be

quite funny if they see me just pop up in one of the episodes.

I think this would be a cooler way

than me just telling them that I dance.

Alex, come join me. Are you feeling confident?

-Yeah, I'm confident.

-Good luck, OK?

-Thank you.

-I'll be right here. Go for it.

-Hello!

-Hello.

-What's your name?

-Alex.

-Alex.

-How long have you been tapping, Alex?

-Three years.

-Three years. Try not to be nervous.

-No.

-We're on your side. All right?

-In your own time, mate.

-Thank you.

-Good luck.

# Hit the road, Jack

# And don't you come back

# No more, no more, no more, no more

# Hit the road, Jack

# And don't you come back no more

# What you say?

# Hit the road, Jack

# And don't you come back

# No more, no more, no more, no more

# Hit the road, Jack

# And don't you come back no more

# Whoa, woman, oh, woman

# Don't treat me so mean

# You're the meanest old woman

# That I've ever seen

# I guess if you said so

-# I'd have to pack my things and go

-That's right

# Hit the road, Jack

# And don't you come back

# No more, no more, no more, no more

# Hit the road, Jack

# And don't you come back no more

# What you say? #

JUDGES CLAP

I loved it. I really loved it.

You're so at ease when you start tapping and performing.

You're doing some serious tapping, some advanced moves,

and you don't miss a thing.

-But you're so comfortable.

-Yeah.

-It just comes.

-He's like, "Yeah, I agree, I agree."

"I'm pretty comfortable." The charisma is awesome.

Really enjoyed it. Well done.

I really, really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed your performance.

-Oh, thank you.

-It was loose and I liked it.

Choreographically, I'm very rhythmical, especially

when there's music involved. And you were, like, getting down.

I like when I see dancers sit on tracks, no matter what style it is.

A lot of the time I wasn't even watching you, I was listening. Are

you, not just in time, but how are you playing around with the music?

And then when I physically saw you,

I was like, "I'm looking at this cool cat."

You're performing, you're da-da-da-da-ba-ba.

-So, yeah, well done.

-Thank you.

Alex, we need to take a vote.

You need three yeses to go to Nationals.

-It's a very excited yes.

-Oh, thank you.

Simeon?

-Of course it's a yes from me.

-Thanks.

-What does that say?

-"Ticket to Nationals."

-It's yours, dude.

-Thank you.

-Well done.

-Well done.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

-Nice, nice, nice.

-Loved it.

-Go celebrate.

-Congratulations, Alex.

See you, mate. Bye-bye.

LINDSEY: So Alex taps his way to Nationals.

His natural rhythm really impressed our judges, especially one of them.

Choreographer to the stars Simeon was always on the hunt for dancers

who could bring a track to life.

That track's about feeling

and I wasn't getting that feeling from you.

I want something very internal, something very true.

Do you like to improvise?

Um... Kind of.

Tell me why you don't.

Just in case I go wrong.

Exactly. And that's, for me, where lies the problem.

Dance is not about getting it right and wrong,

it's just about expressing yourself.

What I was getting was a bit move, move, move.

And I really wanted to get this, more of a dance sense from you

-and I wasn't really getting that connection.

-OK.

Technique is important

but that won't necessarily get you to the Nationals.

These auditions are not about tricks and flips.

I'm looking for a dancer that has musicality and passion.

So will our next auditionee, 15-year-old Khalid

have what it takes to win over Simeon and his fellow judges?

-Hi.

-Hey, what's your name?

Khalid.

Are you a bit nervous, Khalid?

-Yeah, very.

-It's totally cool. Shake it out.

Everything will be fine.

Have you trained in any styles?

Not particularly.

I started off as a street dancer because of my siblings,

my older siblings.

But other than that, no, I didn't have particular training.

-I just hope I do my best to show you.

-And you will do your best.

-Yeah, I will.

-This is your moment.

Are you ready to take the next step?

-Yes, I am.

-Let's do this.

-Thank you.

# And not feel your rain

# Set me free

# Leave me be

# I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity

# Here I am and I stand so tall

# Just the way I'm supposed to be

# But you're on to me and all over me

# Oh, you loved me cos I'm fragile

# When I thought that I was strong

# You're on to me, on to me and all over. #

Come back, come back.

Now, what's really amazing is that

when you danced, you really actually drew me in.

Now, technically it's not there

but what you do have is something special.

Is it enough for you to get to The Next Step? Not too sure.

John, what do you think?

I enjoyed it, Khalid, and it touched me and it moved me

and that's what dance, what art, should do.

Is it right for this?

I'm not sure.

You're a little artist and you're just discovering that,

you're just figuring that out, but I think the possibility,

the potential, what we could maybe bring out in you is really special.

Are you ready? Are you hungry to learn and improve yourself?

Definitely.

I just feel like not everyone does contemporary and is a guy and black,

yeah, OK, I know that.

But I feel now... No, I'm not going to hide it away any more.

I'm going to show everyone that I can do this.

This is what I love to do and I'd love to do this as a career

and a life choice.

I just really, really want this.

I understand exactly where you are because I've been there.

And you can see that I'm the proof that there is an end goal.

And I'm still growing. I'm still learning.

I'm learning off these guys. So it doesn't stop.

But this is a competition.

We have to vote.

John, yes or no?

Yes.

Kim?

Do I necessarily think you are THE Next Step dancer?

I'm not so sure.

But do I think you offer something that's a bit different

and might be really interesting?

Yes, I do. It's a yes from me.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

So this is the time when you walk to me

because you are going to the Nationals.

-Thank you so much.

-You earned it, Khalid, you earned it.

You earned this.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

-I really appreciate it.

-Thank you so much.

-Now go celebrate.

Come back with some fire, yeah?

'It's a ticket to Nationals for Khalid.'

Ticket! Oh, my goodness.

How are you feeling? You look really emotional.

They gave me this opportunity

so I'm going to take it with both hands and just keep practising.

I've got a ticket now. I'm just, like, shaking.

You are shaking so much.

He's one of the last to make it through to Nationals.

So, judges, that's it.

We're kind of at the end of our first round of auditions.

How did it go in general?

Wow. It's been interesting and I will say I'm feeling good.

It's taken the entire process to get there but I think we've got

a little bit of everything.

We've got some really good characters.

JUDGES CHEER

I've learnt some things. I've learnt the stank face.

There has been a few people that really surprised us all, I think.

Wow, Molly. Wow. You're like a little pocket rocket.

-Maisy, I'm fan-girling over you. It's a yes from me.

-Thank you.

I think you might be the person that I've been waiting for.

I'm excited about you.

Girl, you brought me to tears.

-What does that say, Sam?

-Come get your ticket to Nationals!

Thank you so much.

See you at Nationals. Thank you.

-Well done, Anna.

-I nearly had a heart attack.

THEY SCREAM

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

ALL: We're going to Nationals!

I didn't want it to end.

That's lucky, Kim, because

it isn't going to any time soon.

So this is it - Nationals.

Next time,

it's the start of Nationals.

You're all fighting for that number one stop.

And if you thought our regional auditions were tough...

-How was that?

-Oh, nerve-racking.

..hold on, because things are about to get a whole lot tougher.

What happened?

# Stand up! #