This first episode basically provides the background as to what the season will be about. The Next Step is a dance studio in Canada, and in the first episode, teenage dancers whose lives are devoted to dance compete for a spot on the coveted A-Troupe. Auditions took place, and each teen dancer showed off his or her moves to the adults who would decide on the members of the groups. There is a sort of "queen bee" of the teens named Emily, who heads the A-Troupe and is the studio's best dancer. The episode made it clear that drama and tension will certainly sprout from her.
The audition portion of the episode was very interesting. Some of the girls who spoke about themselves very highly and as if a spot on the A-Troupe was guaranteed failed to dance as impressively as some of the more humble ones. It was also interesting when the new girl, Michelle came along, and seemed to put all the cocky dancers in their places when she danced. The dancers, especially the girls, spoke about Michelle as if she were inferior, so I found it nice how Michelle rose up like a dark horse and performed ten notches above the other dancers.
Tiffany, who is played by Tamina Pollack-Paris, is shown to be a standout actress in the show. Her personality is very bubbly and optimistic, yet it doesn't seem artificial or forced at all; she seems like a genuine person. Brittany Raymond's portrayal of Riley, Emily's younger sister, also stood out. While Emily seems like a diva who simply wants to hold her tiara as the head of A-Troupe, Riley seems much more down to earth. She doesn't say anything rude about others, and seems to be a complete foil to her older sister.
Since it was merely a pilot episode, the general moral of the show cannot be said. However, it could be said that we should throw words to the side and simply let our actions do the talking. Words are merely words, while actions actually prove our abilities and what we have to offer the world.
The talent and the genuine passion that the teenagers have is a nuance that stands out. Without the abilities of the teenagers, the concept of a dance competition and drama show would not appear realistic. Although some of the teens dance more impressively than others, all of them clearly have the skills. They are all truly passionate about dance, and it is nice to see that while they perform.
The episode meets the KIDS FIRST! criteria and would suit kids the ages of 9-15. Girls would enjoy it more because of the typical drama that females tend to endure, although boys would like it as well. This first episode would receive a 3.5/5 star ranking from me, and the rest of the episodes of the season would be interesting as well. Reviewed by Carissa Payongayong, age 15
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