Re-Match The Next Step

Previously on The Next Step...

Guess what? Elite snuck into another Regionals and won,

which means they're coming to Nationals.

What is going on, Amanda?

I'm still at Elite.

I can't believe that Amanda did this to us.

Who are those girls? LOD is Life of Dance.

Yeah, they're definitely going to be our competition at Nationals.

I can't believe it's almost Nationals.

So much has changed at The Next Step since we won Regionals.

The drama Amanda has caused, it almost tore the team apart.

You feel ready?

Yeah.

But we got through it and now we're stronger than ever.

All right. Well, the bus is waiting. So, let's go to Nationals.

We're going to Nationals and we're going to win.

We are arriving at Nationals and I couldn't be more excited.

Everybody talks about it all year long and now we're finally here.

Wow, Miss Kate, there's so many more teams here

than there were at Regionals.

Well, of course. It's every Regionals winning dance team.

There were 32 teams at Regionals, 64 at Nationals.

All of the winning teams at every region in the country

come to Nationals. It's double the amount of teams.

And by the end of the first round, half of them will be gone.

Every round at Nationals is an elimination round.

And the first round is male soloist.

If your male soloist doesn't win, then your whole team is going home.

Kate! Bonjour.

That French accent again.

I want to wish you and your team a great best of luck this week

at the competition. Eh?

I just have to hold it in.

Bonjour, everybody. Good luck to you.

Hey, team.

I do feel weird seeing The Next Step again.

I didn't think they would qualify for Nationals after I left them

with only nine dancers.

I guess I underestimated them.

Hi, uh, I'm Kate. This is Phoebe.

Uh, we're here to sign in for The Next Step.

OK, uh, form's right here

and who will be your volunteers for the scavenger hunt?

I'm sorry. What scavenger hunt?

You could pick three of you and if you complete all the tasks

on the list, you get tickets to tonight's Shawn Desman concert.

Shawn Desman!

So, like, can anyone do the scavenger hunt for the team?

-You have to be on the team.

-Right. No. Obviously.

But like, chaperones, teachers, owners, sisters?

No.

I want to do the scavenger hunt, but, apparently, I'm too old.

Whatever.

Great, thank you. All right, who's going to do it?

-Yeah, I'll do it.

-Great.

-I guess I'll do it too.

-Three amigos! Perfect. There you go.

-Sweet.

I don't think Elite is the team we need to be worrying about.

It's LOD. They won Nationals last year.

LOD stands for Life of Dance,

but everyone calls them Ladies of Destruction.

They basically destroy the competition.

They only have one male dancer and it's just

so they can go through the male solo round.

To the registration desk!

Oh. Whoa. You all right?

We were up against great studios at Regionals

but the studios here at Nationals

are ten times better. The competition is fierce.

Welcome to the 17th annual Absolute Dance National Championships.

I'm your host, Chuck Anderson, alongside my esteemed

colleague, Tre Armstrong, who's no stranger to these circumstances.

Having been in this arena before as a dancer and a judge,

it's really awesome to be here just enjoying the show.

Tre Armstrong is a very big deal in the dance world.

I mean, she's a phenomenal choreographer and dancer.

She's worked with people like Jay-Z, Ludacris, and even Rihanna.

How about the dancers at this very moment.

What are they feeling right now?

Well, over the next few days, they're going to be in

pins and needles. They're going to be up and down emotionally

and I hope that they didn't eat too much of a big breakfast,

because they got to keep it down.

Let's get to the nuts and bolts of this competition.

Of course, six rounds.

Male solos, then it goes to small group, duets, female solos,

semifinals and then the battle for the Absolute Dance trophy.

It's as simple as this, folks. It's one off.

They go up against each other. The winner moves on, the loser...

that dancer and his team go home.

Settle in. We're going to be here for five days.

It's going to be a long journey but it's going to be a dandy.

Let's get this party started. Let's go to the stage right now.

We're joined by Shawn and Sandra.

APPLAUSE

Welcome, ladies and gentleman,

to our 17th Absolute Dance National Championships.

We've got some amazing talent over the next few days.

And we've got a special guest performance from our own

Shawn Desman, performing at the Welcome Nationals.

All right, though. Let's kick it off with our male soloists.

I'm so excited to get on stage.

I can't wait for that adrenaline,

but my solo isn't until tomorrow.

I guess that'll give me some time to go and check out the competition.

And now we have our first male solo of the day.

Joanne Chapman School of Dance.

Let's see how he does!

# When this sky just won't stop falling

# When the world can't hear you calling now... #

-He's pretty good.

-Yeah.

He's actually won Mr National Soloist last year.

-No way!

-Yeah.

So is the female competition just as fierce?

You bet.

Watching the male soloist round, is extremely intimidating.

There are some phenomenal dancers here.

I mean, we have great dancers too, but I don't know

if it's going to be enough.

Right now, we're doing our first mission for the scavenger hunt.

Basically, what we have to do, is to find this

certain seat in the auditorium and take a picture.

14, 13, 12, 11, 10... Tess.

Hello.

Of course, Tess and Amanda are in the exact seat that we need to

take a picture in.

-I mean, of course.

-You have to move.

-Why would I move?

-So we can get a photo in the seat.

I'm not moving.

You know, she's just afraid that we'll

take their spotlight at the party.

-Tess, just move.

-Why?

-It's fine.

-No.

You don't want them to make it to the party, do you?

I mean, the party's just supposed to be fun.

We don't need to mess with The Next Step all the time.

-So, you're not going to move?

-No.

-I'm done arguing with her.

If she's not going to move, she doesn't have to move.

But I'm still going to get my picture.

-OK, here we go.

-All right. Yes. Work that.

-Yes. Angle. Yes. All right, we got it.

-Let's go, let's go.

Thank you so much, Tess. I really appreciate it.

It's actually pretty funny seeing Emily on Tess' lap.

I wish I had a copy of the picture.

All right, all right. Number six.

Find a rack of costumes.

OK. I think we got it.

The scavenger hunt is going really well.

I couldn't have asked for better partners than West and Giselle.

I mean, they're so fun.

-Oh, it's a riddle.

-OK.

Basically, we have to figure out this riddle

and we have to put the costume on and take a picture.

This person keeps his sandwiches in a launch box.

-Launch box?

-OK, don't worry. I got this. I got this.

-OK, go for it.

-Launch... launch box. Lau... launch box!

He's a Frenchman.

I'm really good at riddles in general.

-Nope.

-No.

It's like... launch. You go launch box.

Oh, guys! Like an astronaut. Launch.

Oh! Launch box.

Astronaut. Of course. I knew that.

-Oh, right here.

-Oh, there it is. Haha, sweet.

That is the ugliest costume I've ever seen.

Which one of you two is putting it on, then?

-BOTH:

-You.

I don't think I should be the one to put on the costume.

I mean, that costume is not flattering. Nor clean.

-Uh, no.

-Awe, come on.

Does it look like a ballerina...

You're putting on this astronaut costume.

I agreed to put on the costume because West is always saying

that you have to try new things.

And who knows, maybe it'll be fun.

I feel like Emily is a completely changed person.

Recently, she's been more happy and just more fun to be around.

You know, she's actually really cool. You know, I like it.

-So... oh, oh.

-Oh.

-Come on.

The next task is pretty easy.

We just have to figure out this riddle and find a costume

and put it on.

Although Emily looks like she's struggling a little bit.

-Gloves.

-Let them eat cake?

-Marie Antoinette.

-Oh. Perfect.

-Yes! You're looking fab.

-Got to go full out.

Guys, I just got a text. Max's dance is coming up next.

I got to go.

I like to think to myself as a level-headed person

but if Amanda gets to see Shawn Desman and I don't...

I'm going to scream.

Now Elite lost region seven against The Next Step. We remember that.

We thought it was the end of the line for them but no, not the case.

They moved on to another region and then qualified,

taking advantage of a loophole in the rules.

Absolutely. And you know, Chuck,

the dance captain actually used to be with The Next Step, so I hear.

Elite, opening up their run

here at the Absolute Dance National Championships.

I'm really curious to see Elite's performance.

I mean, their soloist, Max, wins at Nationals every year.

He jests at scars that never felt a wound.

But, soft. What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief,

That thou her maid art far more fair than she.

Be not her maid, since she is envious.

-Is this Max from Elite?

-Yeah.

Her vestal livery is but sick and green.

Max's solo is particularly amazing especially because he's

kind of communicating with his whole body and his facials, as well.

And none but fools do wear it, cast it off.

It's just he's a lot better than I expected.

It is my lady, O, it is my love!

O, that she knew she were!

She speaks yet she says nothing. What of that?

Her eye discourses, I will answer it.

Max kind of has a little bit of Daniel

and a little bit of Eldon in his dancing.

He's graceful like Daniel but has the power of Eldon at the same time.

It makes for a really good combination.

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,

Having some business, do entreat her eyes,

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.

-What if her eyes were there, they in her head?

-He's good.

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,

As daylight doth a lamp, her eyes in heaven.

Would through the airy region stream so bright,

That birds would sing and think it were not night.

See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand.

O, that I were a glove upon that hand,

That I might touch that cheek!

APPLAUSE

-That was really dramatic. Fantastic.

-Wow.

Man, I don't know how the judges pick the winner

and now that the entire losing team has to go home, this is insane.

And the winning team, the male soloist,

Representing Region 17 moving his team forward to small group

is Elite.

It would have been nice if someone else eliminated Elite for us,

but I'm not surprised. They came back even stronger than before.

I'm down for this photo, too.

Whoa.

Right now, we have to get a photo with Shawn Desman.

And this is the last mission on this scavenger hunt.

We really got to make this happen.

Is this the line?

Yeah, this is totally the line.

There's no way Shawn Desman's going to get through this whole

line before his concert starts. It's impossible.

We have to think of something.

If we don't make it to this party, we'll never live it down.

-Oh, I just got a crazy idea.

-What?

-What if I acted like a celebrity?

I'm pretty sure we can get to the front of the line.

OK, that is a crazy idea.

What? Celebrities talk to celebrities all the time.

-It's not happening, West.

-I love it. I think it's genius.

-Let's do it.

-What?

-All right.

I think West's idea is brilliant.

I mean, if we play it right and pull out our best acting abilities,

this could save us a lot of time.

The fact that Emily agreed with it and she wants to go for it...

I mean, it's pretty good to have someone on your side.

-Let's do it.

-All right, take that off. Gather close.

OK, let's do it.

If we're going to make this work, we're going to need a costume.

You know, something interesting.

I can't believe people are just letting us borrow their clothes.

This idea might actually work.

You're The Compass. Recording artist. You're amazing.

-You're his fan. Security.

-OK.

-OK, cool.

-On three, hands in.

One, two, three.

Back it up, ladies. It's Compass.

-Too kind, thank you.

-Everyone! Compass, Compass, Compass.

All right, everybody. I need silence.

Hey, Shawn. How's it going? It's The Compass.

You know I'm in town. You know, you probably don't recognise me

cos of these cool shades.

Yeah! Yeah, yeah. Compass. Yeah, Compass.

-Excuse me.

-How's it going, man?

Good to see you. You in town...

Yeah, I'm in town for a couple of shows.

Shawn is completely falling for this. He has no idea who we are.

-Let's get a pic, man.

-Yeah, let's do it.

I'll take a picture. I'll take it.

Sorry, just me and Compass.

Just me and Shawn, please. Thanks. Back it up.

Smile.

I don't want to admit it but West is actually pretty smart.

-Good to see you, man.

-Take care, man.

-Have fun with those autograph signings.

-Bye, Shawn! Bye!

Bye.

Having completed the task is the best feeling.

I think the team is going to be so excited

and we're going to have so much fun tonight.

Right now, we're all just hanging out at the Nationals party

before Shawn Desman comes to perform.

I'm so happy Emily, Giselle and West got the tickets.

I can't believe The Next Step showed up considering

-they're the weakest team here. Right, Amanda?

-Um, sure.

I know I've messed with The Next Step before,

but now we're at Nationals and I just want to win fair and square.

You know, Tess, I'm pretty sure we already beat you so, bye-bye now.

-Run along.

-Whatever. Let's go, Amanda.

-Bye, guys.

-I'm happy that Emily, West and I were able

to come through for everybody.

But I'm even happier that we get to see Shawn Desman in concert.

Ladies and gentleman, Shawn Desman.

HE SINGS

After seeing how tough the competition is, this concert

is exactly what we need to relax.

HE SINGS

I gave Emily a hug because, you know, if it wasn't for us,

then our team wouldn't be here at this welcome party.

Most dancers will never experience what we're experiencing right now.

It's incredible. I'm pumped. I'm ready to just... kill it.

Yo, Eldon is amazing.

And I feel bad for anybody that has to go up against him tomorrow.

HE SINGS

Dancing at this party is... it's just so fun.

You know what I like about Nationals?

This is where greatness happens.

HE SINGS

Not going to lie.

I'm definitely intimidated by some of the teams that are here,

but it's OK.

It just makes us stronger.

Nationals is just a whole other level.

It's so much bigger than we could have ever imagined.

I have dreamed of coming to Nationals my entire life

and now I'm here.

HE SINGS

We have been through so much as a group together.

It's really been a ride.

My adrenaline is just pumping.

But tomorrow, Nationals is going to see what The Next Step can do.

APPLAUSE