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Step It Up & Dance: Meet the Dancers

by Lynn on February 20th, 2008

[Photos: © 2008 NBC Universal, Inc.]

“Step It Up & Dance,” which will premiere on Bravo on April Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 10 PM ET/PT, is a reality competition series where contestants will learn what it takes to make it big in the cutthroat dance industry. Celebrated actress and dancer Elizabeth Berkley will serve as host and Emmy Award nominee and Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell will mentor the 12 dancers chosen from around the country, as they master every conceivable dance style, from ballet and ballroom to Broadway and burlesque.

World-renowned director and choreographer Vincent Paterson (Madonna’s “Blond Ambition” Tour, Michael Jackson’s “Bad” Tour), known for his creative work in film, television and music, and choreographer Nancy O’Meara (”Hannah Montana,” “High School Musical Tour”), who has worked with some of the best selling artists currently touring arenas around the country, will serve as judges for the competition.

Whether it’s a music video one week or a Vegas spectacular the next, Bravo’s new dance series will feature challenges in which the dancers audition for a range of parts, designed to showcase their versatility and moves. As the competition gets fierce and contestants are eliminated, only one person will get the final “call back” and the chance to perform, with the ultimate dancer winning $100,000. [photos courtesy of NBCUMV]

Cody
Age 27, Surrey, British Columbia – currently resides in New York, N.Y.
An alumnus of New York’s prestigious The Juilliard School, Cody is currently featured in the cast of “New Grease Broadway.” He also played Eddie in the Billy Joel musical “Movin’ Out,” both in London’s West End and on Broadway, and toured with “Mamma Mia!” Cody can soon be seen as Nick Hoffman in the feature film “Center Stage 2,” and as a featured dancer in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” starring Brad Pitt, both to be released this year. Other credits include dancing in acclaimed director Julie Taymor’s film “Across the Universe” and singing in Barbra Streisand’s choir for the Democratic National Convention. Cody is an avid golfer and hockey enthusiast

(follow the jump for the rest!)

James
Age 24, Charlotte, N.C. – currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.
Born and raised with three older sisters and a twin brother in Virginia, James always had a passion for dance. At 14, he and his family relocated to Charlotte, N.C. and in May 2006, James graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he studied media production and Spanish. While in college, James founded a dance group called “Misconception.” It was there that he learned a lot about himself not only as a person, but also as a dancer. He has been training in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and jazz funk for over ten years and has performed on stage with Perez Hilton and Grammy-nominated R&B singer, Shanice. He describes himself as honest and outgoing and says he’s always making sure that everyone around him has smiles on their faces.

Janelle
Age 18, Modesto, Calif. – currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.
At 18 years old, this California native is already a veteran performer with several tricks up her sleeve. Janelle first started dancing at the age of two and at four years old began taking Tae Kwon Do with Black Belt Hall of Famer Ernie Reyes, Sr. Janelle was the youngest member of The Ernie Reyes Next Generation Team, and performed all over the world with martial arts legends and Hollywood action stars including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris. By the time she was seven, Janelle discovered acting and moved from her home in Santa Clara to Los Angeles in order to pursue her latest passion. She landed several national commercials, television guest spots, and some film work, but she always continued her dance training. At 12, Janelle moved to Modesto, Calif. and became a competitive cheerleader. After several years of training at Starstruck Cheer and Dance, she became an instructor/choreographer/coach for their dance team as well as a head instructor at Jamz cheer camps. Currently Janelle is living in Hollywood, Calif. pursuing her goal of becoming “known.”

Jessica
Age 22, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
A California girl through and through, Jessica was raised in San Luis Obispo, Calif. in what she describes as a “beachy” family. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara as a dance major and upon graduation, decided to pursue her dream of professional dancing. Jessica was classically trained in modern, ballet, and improvisational dancing at the Academy of Dance and was a member of the Civic Ballet for four years. She describes herself as energetic and goofy. Through this experience, she says she is looking to prove herself as a dancer and challenge herself against these other, more experienced opponents.

Michael
Age 24, Houston, Texas – currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.
With his diverse ethnic background (Black, Latin and German) and an international-urban edge, Mike describes himself as a “raw, beautiful and passionate performer who is in love with dance.” Born in Germany, Mike grew up in a military home and at the age of nine moved to Houston, Texas. He earned a scholarship to the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center and also studied at Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center, Millennium Dance Complex, and the Debbie Reynolds Dance Academy. Now, an established dancer trained in jazz, ballet, modern dance and salsa, Mike finds he is most passionate about the raw expressive energy of hip hop. He has performed in major shows for Kelly Rowland, Hillary Duff, and four-time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera, among others. Though dancing is his heart, Mike is an advocate for change and is involved in a variety of charities, teaching and hosting dance mentoring programs, LGBT organizations, handicapped Americans and underprivileged minority communities. He lives by the motto, “life is my canvas, the beat is my soul, crank it up and watch me roll.”

Nick
Age 26, Houston, Texas – currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.
At the age of four, Nick was so inspired by Kevin Bacon’s performance in “Footloose,” he knew right then that he wanted to be a dancer. His mother, an author/librarian, and father, a painter/graphic artist, both supported his love for dance and instilled a strong work ethic and sense of determination. A Houston, Texas native and graduate of Oklahoma City University, Nick now resides in Los Angeles as a technically trained professional dancer and actor. He has appeared in several music videos including: Jessica Simpson’s “Boots,” My Chemical Romance’s “Helena,” Finger Eleven’s “Paralyzer,” and Duran Duran’s “Falling Down.” Nick can also be seen in a variety of roles on television, film and stage, most recently appearing as Theodore’s dance double in the “Alvin & The Chipmunks” movie. Described by his friends as energetic, funny, charismatic, and always looking for trouble – this single (and straight) dancer may just spice things up with the girls in the house.

Oscar
Age 31, Bologna, Italy – currently resides in New York, N.Y.
Born and raised in a small town outside Bologna, Italy, Oscar always knew he wanted to be a dancer. At the age of 14, he decided to leave Italy and accept a scholarship at the Heinz Bosel Stiftung School of Music and Dance in Munich, Germany. After graduating with honors, Oscar went on to dance around the world. He has performed with such prestigious ballet companies as Jeune Ballet de France, National Ballet of Marseille, Roland Petite, London City Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Peter Shauffus Ballet, Hartford Ballet and The Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He has also appeared on Broadway and in feature films such as “Step Up” and “Enchanted.” In 2007, Oscar graduated from the Aveda Institute of Cosmetology and currently works at the Warren Tricomi Salon in Manhattan.

Michelle
Age 30 - Hometown: San Diego, Calif.; Resides in New York, N.Y.
Michelle’s life growing up in California was mainly focused in and around the dance studio. Her mother says she could dance before she could walk. This Filipino firecracker has studied a variety of different genres including Philippine folk dance, ballet, jazz, modern, ballroom, hula, hip-hop, Lindy Hop, and theatrical. Michelle has been performing since the age of eight and now at 30, she is a professional dancer and can be seen in Disney’s “The Lion King” on Broadway, as well as in the Disney movie “Enchanted” and Rob Marshall’s “Memoirs of Geisha.” She hopes to use this opportunity to showcase her skills in different genres and give homage to all her dance teachers and fellow performers.

Adriana
Age 25 - Hometown: Shrewsbury, Mass.; Resides in Queens, N.Y.
Often described as a Jennifer Beals look alike – this avid Red Sox fan was born and raised in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, where she served as a captain on the UMASS Dance Team, Adriana made her way to New York. She was accepted into the internship program at the Broadway Dance Center, studying under Ginger Cox. She soon joined Cox’s LiNK dance company and has since performed at various events including the International Dance Festival in New York, and On with the Dance, benefiting Dancer’s Responding to Aids. She was a featured dancer in the opening ceremonies for the U.S. Open, Spain’s Le Cirque-The Company, as well as the Future Stars Gala for CMI Productions. She has also served as a choreographer and actor on several independent films and is currently working with Bloch footwear to develop new dance shoes for both the student and professional dancer. Adriana is inspired by her mother and says, “My mother’s strengths and struggles have inspired my work.”

Tovah
Age 21 - Hometown: Chicago, Ill.; Resides in Chicago, Ill.
Tovah was born and raised in the south side of Chicago. At the age of four, she was already flipping through Vogue Magazine and putting on shows for her babysitter. She began her dance training at the age of six with the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center and went on to study with the San Francisco Ballet, Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. After graduating from the Chicago Waldorf School, Tovah joined the Universoul Circus, performing ballet and aerial work. She is currently a member of the Elesta Dance Company in Chicago and specializes in what she calls “hipllet,” a blend of hip-hop and ballet.

Miguel
Age 24 - Hometown: Delano, Calif.; Resides in: Los Angeles, Calif.
A graduate of the University of California, Irvine, Miguel has a degree in dance with an emphasis in choreography. A talented and competitive dancer, he was trained in jazz, tap, hip-hop, modern, ballet, and lyrical dance at Edge Performing Arts Center and Darlene’s Dance Workshop. Miguel is an accomplished choreographer with credits including the sold-out Hannah Montana “Best of Both Worlds” Tour, MTV’s Rob & Big, and Robin Anton’s Pussy Cat Dolls in Las Vegas. Miguel describes his point of view as unapologetic, forward, and a little offbeat. Miguel can also play the saxaphone and is an amazing whistler.

Nicole
Age 29 - Hometown: Farmington Hills, Mich.; Resides in Chicago, Ill.
A go-go dancer from Chicago, Nicole takes after her mother, who is also a former dancer. Nicole has trained at some of New York and Los Angeles’ best-known studios, including Broadway Dance Center and Edge Performing Arts. Skilled in jazz, hip-hop, tap, ballet, and theatre jazz, she also has modeling, acting and choreography experience and has taught dance for over ten years. She has trained with some of the best in the business, including noted choreographer Wade Robson and Grammy Award-winning producer and artist Jermaine Dupri. Nicole describes herself as fearless, goofy and spontaneous.

Reality TV, TV, Television, dance, dancing, step it up, Bravo

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POSTED IN: Dance Reality Stars, Step It Up & Dance