Episode 5 Taking the Next Step

This is Taking The Next Step, the show where talented young

dancers compete for an amazing prize - to get a role on the hit

TV dance show, The Next Step.

1,300 hopefuls applied.

Successful dancers performed for our industry experts

at regional auditions.

-Come and get your ticket.

-Oh!

We're making dreams come true in here!

THEY CHEER

Now the 53 best from Regionals face our judges again in

Manchester at Nationals.

They are professional dancer and

former Pussycat Doll, Kimberly Wyatt.

Star of stage and screen, John Partridge.

And, director and choreographer, Simeon Qsyea.

Bring it.

Today, it's all about the choreography.

It's your time to shine.

Dancers must master a routine set by Simeon.

Boom, boom, boom. That's all I want.

Develop a signature move.

The signature move was good, though.

I don't even remember what it was.

"And choreograph their own Next Steps style routine." How was that?

Oh, nerve-racking.

Only 20 will make it through to Day Two of Nationals.

The decision is...

Who will be Taking The Next Step?

Welcome to Day One of Nationals!

CONTESTANTS CHEER

Dancers, a huge congratulations on making it this far. I think

it's time to welcome in our three judges. Kimberly, John, and Simeon!

Hello! How you doing?

Hello! Hi! Yes!

Go, go, go, go!

Kimberly, the pressure is on today, isn't it? So what have the dancers

-got to do to get through?

-We're in Nationals now, which means

they have got to pull it out the bag. We need to see them at

their best. How they work together, how they take on a task and

ultimately, how they perform it. So, you've just got to do it.

-You got to go for it.

-LAUGHTER

It's going to be tough, isn't it? John, what are you looking for?

I'm looking for performance, character, personality and charisma.

Simeon, these dancers have got to prove that they've got

-what it takes.

-Yeah.

-So what's their first challenge?

-First challenge

for you guys, you'll learn a piece of choreography from myself.

OK. CONTESTANTS CHEER

Yeah, come on! Hup!

POP MUSIC PLAYS

Woo!

THEY CHEER

So you guys will take all these steps, and we'll adjust them.

So you're going to put your own style, your own flavour.

-Are you ready?

-CONTESTANTS: Yeah!

Find a way that you can stand out. For me, in

the Pussycat Dolls, I had my signature move, the Standing

Leg Tilt, that separated me from the rest of the girls.

-What is it about you that makes YOU stand out?

-You ready?

-CONTESTANTS: Yeah!

-Good luck!

It's the first of two challenges

-today and the first cut will be from 53 to 30.

-Get out of here!

At Regionals, everyone had a chance to prepare their own audition

routines, but now the choreography is being set for them.

Boom, boom, boom! Five and six. Go back, let's go.

Simeon is taking the dancers through the steps in groups.

And they have just ten minutes to memorise his choreography.

Two, three and four. Now, the hand doesn't need to be a click.

You might want to do something more exotic. One, two, three and four.

Play around with it, yeah? When we do this turn to the side

you can make it anything you want. So I can be here, I can go up,

and down. As long as we finish on exactly the same timing,

I don't mind what you do. Cool? That's all I want.

CONTESTANTS: One, two, three, and four...

'Whether they dance ballet, tap, contemporary or street,

'everyone is expected to put their own stamp on the routine.

'And everybody must deliver a signature move.'

Seeing some style come out. Some individuality.

There really is nowhere to hide at Nationals, and the dancers

are rehearsing outside under the watchful eye of Kimberly and John.

-What are you looking for?

-We're looking for technique, we're

looking for character, we're also looking for team playing and

-we're not seeing too much of that right now.

-Really?

Adapting the steps isn't coming easy to everyone.

-Alex is struggling a bit. I kind of saw that coming.

-Yeah.

-He's tap, isn't he?

-He is tap, yeah.

The new routine may be proving tricky for 13-year-old Alex,

but it was a different story when he first auditioned in London.

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?

Then when I saw you, I was like, "OK, I'm looking at this cool cat,

"you're sitting, you're performing, you're dada dada dada ba ba!"

-So, yeah, well. Well done.

-Thank you.

It's time for tapper Alex and his group to face the judges. Can he put

his own spin on Simeon's routine?

Five, six, five, six, seven and...

POP MUSIC PLAYS

I feel it went a bit bad because I mucked up and I went too early.

I think I did put it back on track, but I don't really know.

Tap dancer Alex and his group have

had their chance in front of the judges.

And, a nonstop stream of auditions follows.

-How was that?

-Good.

High-fives! Well done, guys! Well done!

53 dancers are battling for just 30 places in the next round.

On a scale of one to ten, how do we think it went?

-Ten.

-While some dancers are brimming with confidence, others are

finding the new choreography a challenge. How was that?

-Ah, nerve-racking.

-Nerve-racking? I bet.

And the judges are watching their every move.

-You look in shock.

-Ah.

-How was it, Tallulah?

-It was just like...

You're all a bit out of breath, aren't you?

The auditions have been relentless.

Stand up!

All our dancers today have their sights set on the ultimate goal -

that guest role on The Next Step.

And everyone is hoping to stand out with their signature move.

I think the thing about making a signature move is just that,

it's like, it's your plug, you know? It's... When you get out on

stage, you plug it quick, and the audience goes wild, you know?

And I think that comes from who you are as a person.

What inspires you? Is it jumps and turns, or is it something artistic

-that's cool and that's smoother?

-Hmm. Thanks, Eldon. I'm sure I

can have a crack at this.

What do you think? Terrible.

Erm, back to our dancers and their signature moves.

We've had Leg Lifts...

Well done.

We've seen some leaps.

Thank you.

And we've had some that are, shall we say, unique.

Hoping to stand out in her group for all the right reasons, it's

11-year-old street dancer, Hollie.

I can't believe you came out here so nervous when you can dance

like that. You need to believe in yourself! I want confidence!

And I mean it, because you're good!

Thank you.

-Can Hollie prove to Kim she was right to believe in her?

-Hello.

CONTESTANTS: Hello.

So this is it, Nationals. It's your time to shine.

Take the floor. Space yourselves out. Simeon's going to count you in.

Five, six, five, six, seven and...

Thank you very much, guys.

-How did that go?

-Yeah, it was really good.

-Really good? You seem

-really positive.

-Yeah.

-Any smiles from the judges?

-Could you tell?

-Yeah!

-Really?

I don't think it went how I

planned, but hopefully,

you never know, fingers crossed.

While Hollie and the other dancers take a well earned break, the

judges must decide who stays and who goes. The judges are

deliberating just behind me. They have the task of choosing 30

to take the next step. There's going to be some tough decisions

and we will have to say goodbye to 23 dancers.

I would not want to be in their shoes right now.

Now that was a strong yes from me, because I really felt that she

pulled it out the bag. She gave me energy. One of the only ones

that really performed.

With such a big cut coming, this could be bad news for some of

the friendships that have formed since Regionals.

Esha and Erin bonded at their first audition in London when they had to

-perform together in a call-back at the end of the day.

-So we've

decided to take both of you through to Nationals!

Now were you in different groups when you went into your challenge?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-So you don't know how each other have done.

-No.

-And what would happen today if one of you went through and

-one of you didn't?

-Ohhhh!

You had to bring that up, didn't you?

Yeah, sorry! It is the awkward truth. It might happen,

you'd never know! How would you feel?

-I'd be happy.

-Happy for her.

-But I would be upset as well.

You guys are so supportive of each other. It's really nice.

The mood backstage is upbeat. But 23 dancers will be going home.

Back in the audition room, Kimberly, John and Simeon, have been

locked in serious discussion.

I wanted him to come and smash it, but he was struggling.

That is a definite yes from me.

I haven't fought for many, but this is one I will fight for.

-Signature move was good though.

-I don't even remember what it was.

-I kind of just don't want to give up on him.

-As soon as it

came time to perform, turned it on.

-Yeah?

-We happy? We agreed?

-Yeah.

The 30 have been chosen.

The dancers have been placed in groups to hear either a yes

or a no from the judges. Erin and Esha are in different groups,

but, will both dancers survive the cuts?

All of you have amazing qualities as dancers, and we have felt so

-inspired by you.

-There are positives and there are

negatives with all of you.

But we've needed to deliberate to find out whether or not

you're through to the next round.

We have reached a decision.

We've decided that you will be going through to the next round!

Congratulations!

THEY CHEER

So, it's great news for Erin!

-Bet you guys are just feeling ecstatic, aren't you?

-Yeah.

Well, guess what? Challenge Two next!

CONTESTANTS: Ohhhh!

But, will Esha be joining her?

You will not be going through to the next round. I'm sorry.

You should be really proud of yourselves. Do you feel all right?

-Yeah.

-You feel good? Feel proud?

-Yep.

So it's the end of Esha's Next Step journey and she's not the only one.

Unfortunately this time you will not be Taking The Next Step.

It's been an amazing opportunity and I'm glad that I got this far.

-You going to keep dancing?

-Definitely.

-Do you need a fourth

-dancer in your crew?

-Yes.

-Yeah...

-That was a "no," Roan, wasn't it?

No...

But for others, it's the result they've been desperate to hear.

You will be going through to the next round. All of you.

It's only going to get harder for you because you are through

to the next round!

THEY CHEER

And that is Challenge One done, who's up for Challenge Two?

CONTESTANTS: ME!

Me too! Off you go, tell your family, get ready, OK?

There's plenty to celebrate backstage as 25 dancers have

earned their places in the second round of Nationals.

But with just five places left, there can only be good news

for one of our final two groups. Who has done enough to make it through?

Hollie or Alex?

Hello.

I just want to say congratulations on getting this far.

The stakes have been incredibly high.

Do we see potential in you? Yes.

But we're actually looking for somebody to be a star.

Do you have that star potential?

So, after much deliberation,

we have come to a decision.

And our decision is...

..that we will not be able to take any of you to the next round.

I'm a bit disappointed I didn't get through,

but I'm all right in the end.

Cos it's all about the experience, isn't it?

I have to tell you that it's only going to get harder,

because you are through to the next round!

CHEERING

APPLAUSE

I'm in a lot of shock right now,

and I'm really excited and really happy.

Tears of joy for Hollie. But it's the end of the road for Alex.

So, our 30 remaining dancers are edging closer

to that guest role on The Next Step.

Can Hollie and Erin make it through to Nationals, Day Two?

All right, we're onto our next challenge. And this is a tough one.

We are going to break you into dance troupes,

and in your dance troupe,

it's up to you to create and choreograph a performance.

I always say you're only as good as your weakest link.

You all want to be able to shine in this piece.

Of course you'll be judged as individuals,

but if the group is good, then the individuals will shine.

So, we want you to work as a team.

But also, you're all fighting for that number one spot.

The stakes are high. Don't blow it.

-Let's do this!

-Yeah, come on! Come on!

Our 30 dancers will be working in troupes of five, and they

have to come up with a routine to The Next Step track Coming Home.

# I'm coming home. #

When I'm dancing in a group on The Next Step,

I feel very connected to them, and I feel like that's very important.

# I'm coming home Coming home, coming home. #

I think it's amazing when we mix

everyone's different styles together,

because it gives the group dynamic, as a whole.

# I'm coming home Coming home, coming home. #

Just like A-Troupe, our dancers have different disciplines.

So one of their challenges will be to mix different dance styles

within their group.

Each troupe has just 15 minutes to come up with a routine, and all

three judges will be watching as they develop their ideas.

11-year-old Hollie is the only street dancer in her troupe.

Her team-mates are ballet dancer Harriet,

contemporary dancer Molly,

lyrical dancer Milan,

and modern dancer Jay.

The other dancers' styles share similar moves,

so how will Hollie blend with her troupe?

So you roll like this...

Rehearsals are over.

It's time for Hollie and the rest of the troupe to bring

their routine together for the big performance.

OK, guys. This is it.

I don't want you to finish this performance

and feel that there was anything you could have done better, OK.

Really go for it. We're looking forward to it, OK?

MUSIC: Coming Home by The Next Step

Five, six, seven.

# I'm coming home

# Yeah, I'm coming home

# I'm coming home

# Coming home, coming home

# I'm coming home

# Coming home to you

# I'm coming home

# I'm coming home

# Yeah, I'm coming home

# Coming home, coming home

# I'm coming home

# Coming home to you. #

I was really surprised by this one.

I was really...happy. Yeah.

What was it like to dance as a group together?

-It was nice, yeah.

-Nice, yeah.

-Was it? Was it something you would want to do again?

-Yes.

-I bet.

You looked good as a group, actually.

But, of course, it's not up to me.

How were the rest of our troupes coping with Kimberly's brief?

You all want to be able to shine in this piece.

Of course, you'll be judged as individuals but,

if the group is good, then the individuals will shine.

The next troupe have gone for

a combination of street and contemporary.

-Pretty amazing.

-Pretty amazing.

I'm feeling quite proud.

-How did it go?

-Good.

# I'm coming home

# Yeah, I'm coming home. #

Erin's troupe perform with a routine

that still leaves time for everyone to have a signature move.

# I'm coming home Coming home, coming home. #

-Well done.

-Well done.

-I know, I know.

And it looked a lot better than your group from this morning.

Do you feel you gave it everything and really worked as a team?

-Yes.

-I think we just feel we really did.

-Yeah.

-Good.

Some dancers are adopting different dance styles

to help their troupe blend.

Khyrese was trying his best to do Kyle's style.

-I love that.

-Yeah.

While others, like street dancer Lance,

are sticking to what they know best.

# I'm coming home... #

This one was just doing a solo the entire time,

he didn't really care what was going on.

Were there couple of mistakes in there?

ALL: Yeah.

-We kind of, sort of...

-We all followed each other.

Yeah, we were, like, kind of connecting.

I think we all came together at the end, yeah. All of our solo bits,

we kind of showed off what our strengths were.

Let's hope the judges think the same.

# Coming home, coming home. #

25 dancers have performed,

and the last group are ready to take to the stage.

It's street dancer Joe,

modern dancers Ellie and Macy,

and contemporary dancers Jessica and Khalid.

At Regionals, Kimberly wasn't sure Khalid

was the right fit for the show.

Do I necessarily think you're THE Next Step dancer?

I'm not so sure.

Now it's time to perform, can Khalid use this Next Step dance challenge

to prove he could be right for that guest role?

This is your time to really show us what you've got.

Bring it.

MUSIC: Coming Home by The Next Step

# I'm coming home

# Yeah, I'm coming home

# I'm coming home

# Coming home, coming home

# I'm coming home

# Coming home to you

# I'm coming home

# I'm coming home

# Yeah, I'm coming home

# Coming home, coming home

# I'm coming home

# Coming home to you. #

-You look a bit unsure. How did that go?

-Well, I think, I...

-Yeah.

-..I found it all right.

-It was all right.

-OK, and...

-It was great!

Aw, were you great?

I can only just hope that it went well.

And, like, I gave my all, so then I just hope that

they can see that I gave my all, in order for me to get through.

Everyone has had their chance to show the judges

they have what it takes for that guest role on The Next Step.

For the final time today, Kimberly, John and Simeon have to make a cut.

I want to start this off,

and be like, this one here absolutely blew me away.

I second that. I loved her.

So, 30 of our dancers have performed,

but only 20 will make it through to Day Two of Nationals.

But who will it be?

They're deliberating right now.

He was into himself in this performance.

Is he into himself?

I think he's only into himself, which is why I...

I just don't get that thing from him.

When it comes to the next challenge, I don't feel like she'll do as well.

And I need to bear that in mind.

He just seems a bit of a one trick pony.

If I have to judge based on this challenge... Oof.

-This girl was the weakest link...

-Yes.

..in this challenge, but within this group, they helped her to shine.

-And that's what we asked them to do.

-Yes.

Here we go. Three, two, one...

NO!

Really?!

Yeah.

For the judges, this has been the toughest cut yet.

-Job done, guys, it was hard and it's done.

-Job done.

And it's been a nerve-racking wait backstage.

So, the judges have made their decision, and now all these dancers

are about to find out whether they're staying or going home.

Can I please have Chloe, Milan, Ellie B, Jude and Joe, please?

The dancers are being called into new groups for their results,

and it's time to face the judges.

Can Hollie make it through to the next round?

I know it's been an extremely long day

and we've really put you through your paces.

And seeing all of you take on these challenges and show us

the best of what you got, it's been a real privilege.

You guys did well.

But was well good enough?

And now, it's time to find out who's going to go

to the next round of Nationals.

We've discussed and we have come to a decision.

You guys are going through to the next round!

CHEERING

Congratulations!

-Can you believe it?

-No.

You guys have come to Nationals, you've done challenge one,

-challenge two, and you're through to Day Two.

-Yes!

-Does that feel amazing?

-Yes!

So, it's good news for the first group.

Will Hollie and her group join them on Day Two of Nationals?

You will not be going through to the next round.

I'm so sorry.

Sadly for Hollie, it's the end of her Next Step journey.

I am disappointed that I didn't get through,

but it was an amazing experience.

It's been an anxious wait for Erin and her group.

You guys...

are going through to the next round!

WHOOPING

Erin's made it. And those 20 places are being filled.

Well, guess what, you've made it through Day One at Nationals.

-Woohoo!

-And now you've got to make it through Day Two!

CHEERING

It is a yes! You are going through to the next round, well done!

-Can you believe it?

-No.

As the final two groups face the judges, only five places remain.

Has Khalid done enough to prove he could be right for The Next Step?

This is Nationals.

We knew what would happen, and we've been surprised.

We've had some real big highs,

but we've also have some lows, and some shocks.

Whatever happens, you walk out of here with your heads held high,

because we have all seen something so special and unique

in every single one of you.

We've discussed and we came to a decision.

And that decision is...

that this time, you won't be going through to the next round,

but you have done so well.

-Do you feel proud of yourselves?

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-And what will you take away from this experience?

Just to never give up, really.

Never give up. Keep dancing.

Get ready, cos you're going to the next round.

SHRIEKS OF JOY

-Are these happy tears that I'm seeing?

-Yeah!

-Very happy tears?

-Yeah!

-You guys have just smashed it. Do you feel good?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Khalid and Erin have made it through Nationals Day One.

You guys have been brilliant.

Thank you for bringing your positive energy,

your amazing attitudes and really showing us

that you've got something special inside every single one of you.

But right now, you should congratulate yourself,

give yourself a huge round of applause!

CHEERING

Yeah! Well done!

So, there we have it. Our final 20 dancers, who have all made it

through to Day Two at Nationals.

-Woohoo!

-High five!

CHEERING

As the opportunity to win

that amazing guest role on The Next Step gets closer,

the challenge facing our remaining

20 dancers gets tougher.

I'm so nervous for this audition.

What are you doing?

What happened?

Don't miss any of the drama -

only on Taking The Next Step.

# Stand up. #