The Next Step returns to Family Channel with a sense of renewal and a clear plan to explore the studio’s competitive world. The premiere frame reveals how a group of young performers balances ambition with friendship, while fans get a closer look at the personalities behind the routines. This season centers on growth, confidence, and the choices that shape who earns a place in the coveted A-Troupe.
Get The Party Started, the opening episode, drops on a Friday and invites audiences to meet the core cast. The series divides the dancers into three troupes: J-Troupe for juniors, B-Troupe for recreational dancers, and A-Troupe for the studio’s fiercest competitors. In this installment, studio owner Kate and choreographer Chris stage auditions to fill the ranks of the A-Troupe, setting the stage for rivalries, alliances, and dramatic breakthroughs.
The show blends documentary realism with scripted scenes. Viewers watch the dancers in the studio and hear their on camera confessionals, offering glimpses into personal hopes and insecurities. All the performers are active dancers in real life, which means the audition footage includes genuine past performances. The repertoire on display spans a wide spectrum from classical ballet to street styles and precise tap, underscoring the range of talent assembled in the studio.
From the outset, Emily stands out as the central figure in the ensemble. She has trained at the Next Step Studio since early childhood, a timeline that underscores her leadership on the floor. As Dance Captain and the driving force behind the E-Girls, Emily sets the tone for the group’s ambitious, sometimes cutthroat path. Her confidence and persistence drive the studio’s social dynamics and push others to measure up.
The E-Girls embody the studio’s elite. All members belong to the A-Troupe, and their leadership is as much about personality as it is technique. The group’s name is explained in playful myths among the dancers, with some saying it comes from how their names end with E, while Emily hints that the nickname honors her own initial, dubbing them the Emily Girls.
Eldon is portrayed as a quiet but persistent romantic interest for Emily. After the auditions, he invites her to hang out, but she politely declines. He has long harbored feelings for her, a fact not missed by the studio’s other dancers. James even labels Eldon as a clingy presence during a camera confession, while Eldon explains that improving as a dancer would hopefully earn Emily’s attention and a chance to prove himself.
Then a new dancer named Michelle enters during the auditions. She aims for the A-Troupe despite not being part of the studio, a move that immediately captures Emily’s attention and unsettles the status quo.
Michelle’s audition proves to be extraordinary, and it quickly shifts the room’s energy. Dancers who had dismissed outsiders begin to reassess. Some say they recognize Michelle but cannot recall from where. Stephanie, Emily’s closest ally, learns that Michelle has previously won Miss National Soloist and reports the news to the E-Girls, while Michelle speaks to the camera about wanting to avoid special treatment because of her past triumph, hoping to blend in and earn her place on merit, not reputation.
The episode closes with the final A-Troupe lineup posted for all to see, but the camera lingers on the moment rather than revealing the names. Viewers are left with a cliffhanger and the sense that the decision will not please everyone. Kate’s final remark hints that Emily may be upset about how the choices shake out.
Fans are already looking forward to the next episode of The Next Step. Those who have followed the show can share which character has stood out so far, sparking conversations about talent, loyalty, and backstage politics.
Viewers can catch The Next Step during March Break and on Fridays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Family Channel, where new episodes continue the blend of dance artistry and character drama that keeps the studio in the spotlight.