The Next Step is a Canadian teen drama series created by Frank Van Keeken, that originally premiered on Family Channel on March 8, 2013. Presented in a pseudo-documentary style influenced by reality television, the series follows the members of a troupe from the titular dance studio, as they train for and compete in various championships, while dealing with rivalries and drama from other dance schools and even among the team itself.
The Next Step has spawned digital content, live touring shows featuring its cast members, and a spinoff series titled Lost & Found Music Studios. The series has also been sold internationally to broadcasters such as CBBC in the United Kingdom, and Universal Kids in the United States—which became a production partner for its sixth season.
Beginning with its seventh season in 2020, the series moved to CBC Television's streaming platform, CBC Gem. An eighth season was announced in April 2022, with the series moving to YTV. In March 2023, CBBC commissioned a ninth season.[4]
On February 24, 2012, Family Channel announced that it had ordered 26 half-hour episodes (including S1 and S1.5),[5] and a four-episode season finale.[6] Special content was also going to be available, including The Next Step Interactive. On April 9, 2013, Family announced that it had renewed the series for a second season,[7] which premiered on March 7, 2014.[8]
On May 5, 2014, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on March 16, 2015.[9] On April 16, 2015, it was announced that the series would return for a fourth season, which premiered on February 15, 2016.[10] On March 21, 2016, Frank van Keeken announced on Instagram that The Next Step would return for a fifth season, which premiered on May 26, 2017.[11][12]
In July 2017, the series was renewed for a 26-episode sixth season, which premiered on September 29, 2018.[13][14] From then on, Boat Rocker would take over distribution from BBC Worldwide for the series, although the latter would continue to co-fund production and continue to distribute the first five seasons.[15] A 24-episode seventh season premiered on CBC Gem on April 10, 2020, and was preceded with a two-part special in December 2019.[16][17]
In April 2022, CBBC revealed that an eighth season was in production.[18] The series moved to YTV in Canada, and the season premiered on September 26, 2022.[19]
On the 3rd of October 2023, CBBC revealed there would a ninth season of The Next Step.
The series aired from March 8, 2013, to April 7, 2019, on Family Channel in Canada, and from April 10, 2020, to September 18, 2020, on CBC Gem for the series' seventh season. The show also airs on Vrak in French.[citation needed] The series premiere set rating records for Family, with at least 574,000 viewers on its initial broadcast—which set a record for Family's highest-rated original series premiere.[7]
Outside of Canada, the series has aired on Universal Kids in the United States, and CBBC and BBC Three in the United Kingdom.
On January 8, 2014, BBC Worldwide licensed the series to several international broadcasters, including ABC Me in Australia, Hulu in the United States, and CBBC in the United Kingdom.[21][22]
In August 2017, the U.S. rights to the series were sold to Universal Kids, with the network also becoming a production partner for the sixth season. Boat Rocker Media, owner of the show's producer, Radical Sheep Productions, cited a reduction in funding for the series from Family Channel parent company DHX Media as an impetus for the arrangement.[23]
Reception
In July 2020, The Next Step was praised by viewers and the media for airing a same-sex kiss, when characters Cleo (Dani Verayo) and Jude (Molly Saunders) kissed after performing a duet together.[24] This was the first same-sex kiss to be featured in the series, following a gay couple being briefly featured in an episode of the fourth season.[25]
The Next Step set up a spinoff series in its third season, called Lost & Found Music Studios, which uses a similar mockumentary format, and which features some of the cast from The Next Step. The spinoff focuses on musicians and songwriters enrolled together in a special program at a music studio.[40] The series debuted on Family Channel in Canada on December 11, 2015.[41] and later was released on Netflix.[40] The series consists of two seasons of 27 episodes.
Digital content
The Next Step Interactive
The aftershow started when an episode finished.[42] It was approximately 1–3 minutes long, and was hosted by five members: Asha Bromfield, Lovell Adams-Gray, Luke Watters, Kelly McNamee, and Samantha "Sam" Munro.[43] The aftershow talks about The Next Step and breaks down some parts to help the viewer understand storylines.[42][44]
The Next Step: The Off Season
The Next Step: The Off Season (also titled The Next Step: Off Season) is a short series that depicts events that take place between the fourth and fifth seasons of The Next Step. The series was initially released exclusively on The Family Channel App, and was made be available on YouTube and the Family Channel website starting on May 19, 2017.[11] The short series includes hints for the subsequent fifth season, as well as introducing new characters that are featured in season 5. A second season, titled The Next Step: The Scholarship, depicted events between the fifth and sixth seasons of the series, and introduced characters that would appear in season 6. A third season, titled The Next Step: Mini Episodes, presents events that take place between the sixth and seventh seasons.
Website
The Next Step has a website with information about the characters, a schedule of episodes, a gallery of shots and videos from the show and a store, with The Next Step related clothing. It also includes a soundtrack for The Next Step.[45][46]
A promotional poster for the Conestoga Mall tour date
Start date
October 19, 2013 (2013-10-19)
End date
October 27, 2013 (2013-10-27)
No. of shows
9
In September 2013, Paul Cormack of Family Channel announced that The Next Step cast would go on a tour of Canada:
"We are always looking for new and exciting ways to connect with our audience on a national level. The Next Step Hit The Floor Tour reaches viewers in their own communities, providing a one-of-a-kind, interactive experience that demonstrates Family Channel's commitment to creating unique opportunities for its fans."
— Paul Cormack, Director of Marketing, Family Channel[47]
The cast members that hosted the Hit the Floor Tour were Victoria Baldesarra, Lamar Johnson, Isaac Lupien, Jennifer Pappas, Brittany Raymond, and Trevor Tordjman. Each event consisted of the cast performing on stage in groups, and a Q&A session where the audience could ask questions and get "takeaways" for attending the event. The first 200 attendees were given a wristband, which would get them an autograph signed by the hosts.[47]
Due to the attendance numbers at the previous six malls, Family Channel moved the event in the Kingsway Mall in Edmonton, Alberta from inside to the parking lot.[48]
The Next Step: Live on Stage (2015)
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The Next Step: Live on Stage was a cross-Canada tour that took place in the winter of 2015. It was the second tour for the show.[49] The documentary film The Next Step Live: The Movie depicts the events of this tour. Castmembers on this tour were Victoria Baldesarra, Brittany Raymond, Trevor Tordjman, Jordan Clark, Lamar Johnson, Isaac Lupien, Jennifer Pappas, Logan Fabbro, Samantha Grecchi and Myles Erlick.
Wild Rhythm Tour (2016)
The cast of The Next Step put on a third tour in 2016. This was the first international tour by the cast, and was initially scheduled to hold performances in Canada, Spain, England and Ireland;[50] subsequently show performances were added, including in Portugal, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand.[citation needed] The European and Australian legs of this tour are depicted in the documentary film The Next Step Live on Stage: Show the World.
The cast for the Wild Rhythm Tour were Victoria Baldesarra, Trevor Tordjman, Jordan Clark, Taveeta Szymanowicz, Isaac Lupien, Myles Erlick, and Briar Nolet, with newcomer Isaiah Peck, who was to star as Henry in season 4, also performing on the tour;[50] Lamar Johnson was added to the tour cast later. Szymanowicz was only on the Canadian leg of the tour, while Brittany Raymond performed in some of the European shows but could not go to the shows in Australia and New Zealand because of a family issue.[citation needed]
The cast of The Next Step went on tour in 2017 to Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Dublin, Ireland.
The cast on this tour was similar to the Wild Rhythm Tour but with a few additions. The main cast included Victoria Baldesarra (Michelle), Jordan Clark (Giselle), Brittany Raymond (Riley), Myles Erlick (Noah), Briar Nolet (Richelle), Isaiah Peck (Henry) and Shelby Bain (Amy). For the Australian & New Zealand Leg, the show also included cast members Trevor Tordjman (James), Lamar Johnson (West) and Issac Lupien (Eldon). For the UK & Ireland leg, the shows also included Alexandra Chaves (Piper). In Australia & New Zealand the show was hosted by Disney presenters Adam Roberts & Ashleigh Wells (from Hanging with Adam & Ash). Trevor Tordjman was originally meant to perform on the UK leg of the tour but had to pull out due to the filming of Disney Channel's Zombies, and Isaiah Peck missed a couple of the UK shows.
The Next Step: Live on Stage (2017) dates and locations
Nine of the season 6 cast toured Australia,[51] Scotland, England,[52] and Ireland,[53][54] in September, October, and November 2019. The cast for the Absolute Dance Tour were Isaiah Peck, Shelby Bain, Alexandra Chaves, Berkeley Ratzlaff, Sage Linder, Dylan Ratzlaff, Liam Mackie, Noah Zulfikar, and Briar Nolet.[54] Victoria Baldesarra joined for the Australia leg of the tour, with Myles Erlick joining on the UK leg.[citation needed] Alexandra Chaves missed the first few UK shows due to health issues, but rejoined in Manchester initially doing fewer dances before recovering completely towards the end of the tour.[citation needed]
Fans also had the chance to meet and greet the cast and have their photo taken with them. The meet and greet included watching them rehearse, a private question and answer session, a signed poster and a VIP meet and greet lanyard all before the show. They did two shows on some days, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, whereas on other days, they only did one.[citation needed]
