The Next Step Wiki
Register
Advertisement
"Nice. Nice teamwork."/This article may contain information about the show, Lost & Found Music Studios.


The whole Next Step has really gone up.

Giselle, in "Today I'm Getting Over You"

Click here to see more quotes.


The Next Step Dance Studio, usually referred to as The Next Step, is the studio in which the series is based, located near Lost & Found Music Studios. The studio is currently owned by Nick.[6]

Cathy founded the studio in the 1980s, and acts as the head and owner until her retirement, when her daughter Kate assumes both positions. When Kate leaves to become a judge for a dance competition in the United Kingdom, she retains ownership of the studio but appoints Riley as studio head[7] After Riley goes to business school and Kate returns to the studio, Kate appoints Emily as the new studio head.[8] Kate also grants Michelle the ability to be studio head of her own troupe within the studio. [9]

After discovering that Emily and Michelle let Richelle dance on an injury and she was hospitalized, Kate fires them as studio heads[10] and hires Angela to replace them.[11] After Angela's plan to take over and redesign The Next Step is revealed, Kate fires Angela[12] and rehires Emily and Michelle.[13]

After A-Troupe wins Regionals and qualifies for Nationals,[6] Kate decides she can no longer afford to run the studio, and sells it to Nick.[14] Soon afterwards, Michelle also decides to leave, leaving Emily and Nick as the sole faculty members of The Next Step.[15] However, Emily leaves during the finals of Dancemania in favour of joining Michelle in creating their own professional tour. [16]

As the winners of the 17th Annual Absolute Dance Internationals , The Next Step Dance Studio is at one point considered the best dance studio in the world, until their title is taken by Gemini Dance Studio.[17][18]

The studio competed at the 19th Absolute Dance Nationals and won defeating Ultra Elite.

History

The Next Step Dance Studio, was opened in 1986 [19], where there was a performance of the Nutcracker. Since its opening, The Next Step has developed a reputation as being a competitive regional team. The Next Step won the 7th Absolute Dance Regionals for the first time and then went on for a small group elimination at Nationals.

In 2013, Cathy handed her studio down to her daughter Kate.

At the 17th Annual Regionals The Next Step defeated Elite Dance Academy to lift the Regionals title for the second time. They then went on to win both the Nationals and Internationals of that year and were crowned the worlds best dance studio. After struggling to qualify, the studio were defeated by the Gemini in the finals of the Regionals competition the following year. The Next Step won the next Regionals after defeating AcroNation.

The Next Step decide to compete on Dancemania: Season 13. They qualify for the finale through the resurrection round. Although they decide to disqualify themselves, in favor of allowing Richelle back into the team.

The studio competed at the 19th Annual Absolute Dance Nationals and won defeating Ultra Elite.

The studio is currently preparing to compete at the 19th Annual Absolute Dance Internationals

Development

Before it was a dance studio, the building that The Next Step is housed in was used as a chicken processing factory.[20] The studio itself was established by Cathy sometime prior to 1984[21], which is the first year a dance captain is confirmed to have been elected.[22] At some point, Lucien began treating The Next Step as a rival to his studio, Elite Dance Academy.[23]

Early stages

As the number of dancers grew, different troupes were integrated into the studio in 1995: Baby Ballet, J-Troupe, B-Troupe and A-Troupe, the troupe that competes in major competitions. When Absolute Dance established its annual global competitions, The Next Step competed at their Regional Championships from the first year that they were held.

The Next Step became Regional champions for the first time when they won the 7th Annual Absolute Dance Regionals. They went on to compete at Nationals for the first time, but were eliminated during the small group round.[24]

In 2006, Chris was hired as head choreographer[21] and in 2013, Kate took the role of both studio owner and studio head from her mother.[21]

Season 1

The Next Step's A-Troupe is preparing for the 17th Annual Absolute Dance Regionals under the guidance of their dance captain, Emily. After much tension and dispute, newcomer Michelle eventually takes Emily's title of dance captain, although the two later become co-captains and govern the studio concurrently.[25]

At Regionals, The Next Step is eliminated by Dance Inc. during the third round, but return to the competition after being selected for the wildcard spot.[26] After competing in the finals against their long-term rivals, Elite Dance Academy, The Next Step is finally victorious for the first time in ten years.

Season 2

Having gained a reputation, Chris has become marketable, and he leaves The Next Step to become co-owner of Superstar Dance Academy, a rival studio. Kate replaces him with her sister, Phoebe.[27] The Next Step decides to host the Challenge, resulting in significant changes to the A-Troupe lineup.[28]

During a dark period in mid-Season 2, Michelle leaves the studio, Emily becomes distrusted and Amanda briefly becomes A-Troupe's dance captain. This is later resolved entirely.

At Nationals, The Next Step's chances at competing in the final round are tested when Emily injures her knee in the semi-finals,[29] but the team is able to compete in the finals after Amanda steps in.[30] The Next Step wins Nationals for the first time ever, but the celebration is cut short when the dancers discover that they are due to be evicted from their studio.[30]

Season 3

The building in which the studio is housed is bought by none other than Lucien in an attempt to squander the studio's chances of winning Internationals.[31] Dance battles are arranged to settle the dispute. Thankfully, Lucien's plan backfires, and Kate is able to keep the studio.

Emily is compelled to leave the studio due to her unhealed knee injury,"[32] leaving Michelle as the sole dance captain. However, with worsening problems at home, Michelle also steps down and Giselle is granted the title.[33]

For the first time ever, The Next Step goes to Internationals.[34] The team wins the competition, making The Next Step Absolute Dance International champions for the first time.[17]

Season 4

Kate steps down as studio head to judge a dance competition in the United Kingdom, and names Riley as the new studio head in her absence.[7]

Unlike previous years, the studio has to win a qualifier competition in order to compete at the 18th Annual Regionals. Due to Noah's untreated back injury, the team does not place high enough to qualify in the first qualifier.[35] Riley later pulls the team out of the second qualifier, fearing that they will lose a dancer due to the rule that the winning team can poach a dancer from another team.[36] At the final qualifier, the studio is victorious and finally qualifies for Regionals.[37]

After an extended period of time without a dance captain, Skylar is selected for the role after completing a series of challenges.[38]

After various mishaps, including Sloane's disqualification and Michelle being hospitalised, The Next Step loses Regionals in the finals to Gemini Dance Studio, stripping them of their regional title.[39]

The Off Season: Season 1

Gemini Dance Studio goes on to win Nationals and Internationals, thus stripping The Next Step Dance Studio of all titles.[18]

Season 5

After Riley steps down as studio head to attend business school, Kate names Emily as the new studio head.[40] After clashing with Emily over her choice of dancers during A-Troupe auditions, Michelle decides to form TNS West, a rival troupe made up of the dancers Emily rejected. A-Troupe itself becomes known as TNS East.[9] Emily makes Richelle the dance captain for TNS East, [41] and Michelle makes Piper the captain for TNS West.[42]

Since only one team from a studio can compete at Regionals, a dance battle occurs between the two teams to determine who will go, which TNS East wins.[43] However, the entire studio is eventually disallowed from competing after Kate becomes aware of the increasing conflict between the two teams.[44]

Eventually, TNS East and TNS West merge into a unified A-Troupe and are allowed back into the bid for Regionals.[45] After it is decided that there should only be one dance captain, Noah is selected for the role after an anonymous vote.[46]

After creating a qualifier video which is selected by a panel of judges, A-Troupe officially qualifies for Regionals.[47]

The Off Season: Season 2

It is revealed that Kate fired Emily and Michelle as co-studio heads after discovering that Richelle was allowed to dance on an injury, and that she subsequently closed The Next Step for three weeks.[48]

Season 6

Kate hires Angela as studio head, replacing Emily and Michelle.[11]. After Angela's plan to take over and redesign The Next Step is revealed, Kate fires Angela[12] and rehires Emily and Michelle.[13]

After learning that the studios competing at Regionals will be divided based on the age of their dancers, A-Troupe unanimously decides to compete in the Senior Advanced Division in order to keep Noah, their only 18-year-old dancer, on the team.[49]

Emily and Michelle's A-Troupe successfully wins Regionals and qualifies for Nationals, regaining the first of the titles that they lost to Gemini.[50]

Season 7

The Next Step Dance Studio officially celebrates its 30th birthday with a Christmas party, which reunites many previous members of A-Troupe. The current A-Troupe also perform a dance piece inspired by The Nutcracker. Emily plans this with the knowledge that The Nutcracker was the first production performed by The Next Step's dancers after Cathy opened the studio.[51]

Following this, Michelle steps down as studio head to pursue a professional dance career.[52] Kate also sells the studio to dance enthusiast Nick, feeling that she can no longer fulfil the role of studio owner to the best of her ability.[53]

After Noah and Jacquie decide to leave, there is at least one open spot on A-Troupe.[54] Angela's daughter, Lily, returns to The Next Step to ask if she can audition. Emily lets Lily audition, but the news is met with confusion as to whether Lily deserves the spot. After confronting Angela, A-Troupe comes to the realisation that Lily really does want to be part of the team, and she becomes the tenth member of the troupe.[55]

For the first time, The Next Step holds auditions for alternates for the Nationals team, and B-Troupe, J-Troupe and dancers from outside the studio are seen auditioning. At the end of the auditions, Cleo and Heath are selected as the alternates.[56]

After receiving an official invite, A-Troupe decides to audition for Dancemania, a popular reality TV show.[57] A-Troupe auditions and subsequently gets cast in the show; this however forces them to choose between Dancemania and Nationals. A-Troupe ultimately chooses Dancemania, despite losing Summer as a teammate and dance captain and Cleo as an alternate.[58]

Nick hires Angela as a Dancemania coach, due to her expertise on the dance show.[59]

In an attempt to get to Nationals, Cleo convinces Emily to allow B-Troupe to be assessed by a representative at Absolute Dance and to hopefully be allowed into Nationals despite the drastic differences between the Regionals winning team and B-Troupe. Upon an impressive dance, B-Troupe are granted permission to compete as The Next Step's representatives.[60]

Richelle leaves A-Troupe at the 11th hour to audition as a soloist. Following a successful audition, Summer replaces her on the Dancemania team. [61]

At Dancemania; The Next Step Dance Studio lose in the opening round but were saved and were able to compete in a sudden death resurrection round. Ozzy, The Next Step's representative defeats Hard Ice and sends the team into the finale. [62]

In the finale, The Next Step and Richelle disqualify themselves in favour of competing together and to avoid a 5-year contract with deceptive judge Maria [63]

Emily leaves The Next Step to create her own tour alongside Michelle, leaving Nick and Angela as the sole faculty members.

Maria voids The Next Step's Dancemania contract. As a result, A-Troupe want to compete at Nationals in place of B-Troupe.

The Next Step Extras

Kenzie mentioned that The Next Step Dance Studio is currently getting renovated.

Season 8

After Absolute Dance delays Nationals for a year, A-Troupe decide to no longer pursue Nationals and instead decide to form Step Inside in an effort to rebuild their reputation and go pro.

Nick and Michelle run The Challenge to determine a new A-Troupe. [64] Kenzie leaves Step Inside to become A-Troupe's new Dance Captain. [65]

Step Inside hold a musical and successfully save both the studio's and their own reputation. [66] Most of the members of Step Inside leave The Next Step to take up new opportunities.

At Nationals, The Next Step Dance Studio defeats Ultra Elite to re-claim the Nationals title and qualify for Internationals.[67]

Description

In a personality sense, The Next Step is widely portrayed as a positive and respectful studio when compared to most opposing teams. Due to their "underdog" tag, the studio is often shown as lesser and as such are less arrogant or rude to their more established oposition.

The studio

The spacious studio is located in an old, russet-bricked building, near Lost & Found Music Studios. It is directly above the juice bar.

The studio's only ceaselessly recurrent room is Studio A, with an incorporated office. During the prelude to the 17th Annual Absolute Dance Regionals competition, Studio B is used. From the period after the 17th Annual Absolute Dance Regionals win to the 17th Annual Absolute Dance Internationals win, the Music Room is in use. The Lounge and the Rehearsal Room are only used after the 17th Annual Absolute Dance Internationals win, during the prelude to the studio's 18th Annual Absolute Dance Regionals loss. After the studio's 18th Annual Absolute Dance Regionals loss, Kate creates Studio 1 with an incorporated office.

A sporting goods store is mentioned to be upstairs, however it is only referred to once and never seen.[68]

Uniforms

In Season 2, all members of The Next Step receive uniforms which are designed by Zoltan and Minnow.[69] There is a different colour for each troupe: A-Troupe's are purple and blue, B-Troupe's are light blue, J-Troupe's are red, and Baby Ballet's are pink. All of the uniforms have the initials TNS on the left breast of the zip-up top, as well as the troupe's name on each shoulder and THE NEXT STEP on the back.

In Season 4, West, Eldon, and James (the boys representing TNS at Bangers & Mashups International Hip-Hop Extravaganza) had button-up jackets with red sleeves and gray torso, with TNS on the left breast written in red. The jacket also had stripes in the collar and wrists. On the back, written in red was THE NEXT STEP, with the word 'The' inside a star.

In Season 6, Angela briefly introduces mandatory singlets for girls and T-shirts for boys. The clothing was a light-blue, aqua color with TNS printed in a dark gold across the front.[70]. At Regionals, A-Troupe wore a familar light blue top with TNS in the upper right breast area. The uniform included a dark-blue jacket with black outlines, A-Troupe located on the right sleeve and The Next Step Dance Studio across the back in a large bubble font. [71]

Faculty

Current

Studio head

Studio owner

Guest Choreographer

Former

Studio owner

Coach

  • Angela (specializing in Dancemania)

Studio head

Head choreographer

Members

Current

A-Troupe

B-Troupe

J-Troupe

Unknown troupe

Former

Locations

Currently in use

No longer in use

References

  1. "It's My Party." Wikia. Retrieved on November 30, 2015.
  2. "Coming Home?" Wikia. Retrieved on November 30, 2015.
  3. "Lost at Sea." Wikia. Retrieved on November 30, 2015.
  4. "And So It Begins." Wikia. Retrieved on July 29, 2020.
  5. "Coup d'Etat". Wikia. Retrieved on June 29, 2021.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "We Need to Talk." Wikia. Retrieved on November 28, 2019.
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Welcome to the Jungle." Wikia. Retrieved on July 8, 2016.
  8. "The New Regime." Wikia. Retrieved on August 6, 2017.
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Go West, Young Michelle." Wikia. Retrieved on August 6, 2017.
  10. "Where's Richelle?." Wikia. Retrieved on October 15, 2019.
  11. 11.0 11.1 "Grave New World." Wikia. Retrieved on October 15, 2019.
  12. 12.0 12.1 "Coup d'Etat." Wikia. Retrieved on October 15, 2019.
  13. 13.0 13.1 "Summer Lovin'." Wikia. Retrieved on October 15, 2019.
  14. "Copyright Infringement." Wikia. Retrieved on January 24, 2020.
  15. "The Goodbye Girl". Wikia. Retrieved on April 19, 2020.
  16. "It All Comes Down to This". Wikia. Retrieved on October 25, 2021.
  17. 17.0 17.1 "How It Ends." Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  18. 18.0 18.1 "Amy's Personal Life." Wikia. Retrieved on May 18, 2017.
  19. "It's a Wonderful Life, Piper - Part 2." Wikia. Retrieved on December 20, 2022
  20. "Bad Moon Rising." Wikia. Retrieved on August 30, 2015.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 The Next Step Souvenir Book. Wikia. Retrieved on April 9, 2016.
  22. "Only You". Wikia. Retrieved on April 16, 2020.
  23. "Good Girls Go Bad". Wikia. Retrieved on April 16, 2020.
  24. "I Don't Know." Wikia. Retrieved on August 30, 2015.
  25. "Dancing in the Street." Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  26. "Fancy Footwork." Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  27. "My Boyfriend's Back." Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  28. "The Final Cut".Wikia. Retrieved on March 7, 2020.
  29. "You Love Me." Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  30. 30.0 30.1 "Rewind." Wikia. Retrieved on August 30, 2015.
  31. "Coming Home?" Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  32. "Secrets." Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  33. "I'm Your Captain." Wikia. Retrieved on August 30, 2015.
  34. "Welcome to Miami." Wikia. Retrieved on December 16, 2015.
  35. "Simple Twist of Fate." Wikia. Retrieved on March 3, 2016.
  36. "Nobody's Fault but Mine." Wikia. Retrieved on March 3, 2016.
  37. "Rivalry." Wikia. Retrieved on March 3, 2016.
  38. "Only You". Wikia. Retrieved on March 7, 2020.
  39. "A Change Is Gonna Come." Wikia. Retrieved on February 12, 2017.
  40. "The New Regime". Wikia. Retrieved on March 14, 2020.
  41. "Dance, Lies and Hoverboards". Wikia. Retrieved on March 7, 2020.
  42. "Heathers". Wikia. Retrieved on March 7, 2020.
  43. "East Meets West." The Next Step. Family Channel. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
  44. "TNS: Civil War." The Next Step. Family Channel. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
  45. "This Changes Everything." The Next Step. Family Channel. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
  46. "Stand and Deliver". Wikia. Retrieved on March 14, 2020.
  47. "Pointe of No Return." The Next Step. Family Channel. Retrieved on December 23, 2017.
  48. "Jacquie's Audition." Wikia. Retrieved on October 15, 2019.
  49. "All the Marbles". Wikia. Retrieved on March 14, 2020.
  50. "Piano Man." Wikia. Retrieved on October 15, 2019.
  51. "It's a Wonderful Life, Piper - Part 2". Wikia. Retrieved on February 3, 2020.
  52. "We Need to Talk". Wikia. Retrieved on February 3, 2020.
  53. "Copyright Infringement". Wikia. Retrieved on February 3, 2020.
  54. "Incognito". Wikia. Retrieved on March 14, 2020.
  55. "The Comeback Kid". Wikia. Retrieved on March 14, 2020
  56. "Alternate Universe". Wikia. Retrieved on March 14, 2020
  57. "A Star Is Born". Wikia. Retrieved on March 7, 2020.
  58. "There Can Only Be One". Wikia. Retrieved on May 13, 2020.
  59. "Lights, Camera, Action!". Wikia. Retrieved on September 2, 2020.
  60. "B-Troupe, Best Troupe!. Wikia. Retrieved on September 1, 2020.
  61. "Dance, Dance, Resurrection". Wikia. Retrieved on December 8, 2020.
  62. "Play It Again, Finn". Wikia. Retrieved on September 2, 2020.
  63. "It All Comes Down to This". Wikia. Retrieved on September 2, 2020.
  64. "I Can Do That". Wikia. Retrieved on November 17, 2022.
  65. "I Dreamed a Dream". Wikia. Retrieved on November 17, 2022.
  66. "One Song Glory". Wikia. Retrieved on November 17, 2022.
  67. "Defying Gravity - Part 2". Wikia. Retrieved on November 17, 2022.
  68. "Dance, Dance." Wikia. Retrieved on August 6, 2017.
  69. "Work It." Wikia. Retrieved on August 6, 2017.
  70. "Grave New World". Wikia. Retrieved on December 8, 2020.
  71. "No Shell". Wikia. Retrieved on December 8, 2020.
Advertisement