By Kristy Johnson.

Lauren Gottlieb has gone from So You Think You Can Dance to the silver screen, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon! Scoring a role in India’s first 3D dance film, Any Body Can Dance, Lauren is fulfilling her dreams of becoming an actress.

While in India at the premiere of the box office hit ABCD, Dance Informa caught up with the talented actress and dancer. Lauren filled us in on the difficulties in filming a Bollywood movie, career highlights such as working with Tom Cruise at the MTV Awards, and what the future may hold.

Congratulations on your role in Any Body Can Dance!

Thank you! I have been waiting for this moment my whole life. I started out my career in TV, but always had my heart set on film. The fact that my first lead role as an actress was also a dance film is just one of those things I call ‘fate’. As it’s India’s first 3D dance film it’s also a part of history, and I couldn’t be more thankful for such a wonderful life experience. The film released with smashing box office numbers and broke the record for being the highest grossing film-opening weekend with a non-star cast in the history of Indian cinema. A very proud moment in my life!

Can you tell us about the character you play?

I play ‘Rhea’, an Indian girl who comes from an upper class family and is a trained contemporary and ballet dancer. After an altercation with her teacher ‘Jehangir’ (Kay Kay Menon) she decides to follow her sir, ‘Vishnu’ (Prabhudeva), to a more underground urban dance crew in the slums. All in all, it’s a story about the underdogs rising to the top, and something I think the whole cast can relate to. Through hard work and dedication we all paved our way from nothing to seeing ourselves on the silver screen.

Lauren Gottlieb of Bollywood film ‘Any Body Can Dance’. Photos courtesy of Lauren Gottlieb and Anderson Group PR.

How was it working on an Indian film? Would you like to shoot again in India?

It was a huge risk taking this project on. I had to move from Hollywood to Bollywood and jump right into a new culture and lifestyle, and film my first movie not in my language. It was all so foreign to me and such a challenge to learn my Hindi dialogues so quickly, that at times I didn’t know if it was possible. I really turned to God to help keep me on track. I had an amazing Hindi coach, Kishor Sadhwani, and together we combined my Hindi script in my left hand and the English version in my right.

Now after having months of experience living in India and learning more and more of the language everyday, I could only imagine my next Hindi film being ten times easier than the first. A huge part of my heart is in India and now I have a big platform as an actress and dancer. I’m excited for my next project in Bollywood!

You must feel grateful to So You Think You Can Dance for providing you with amazing opportunities.

I have always been extremely grateful for all the opportunities the show has brought me. It did wonders for me, the other contestants, and dance in general. Instead of dancing behind artists, we were the solo artists and our names were in lights. From there it gave me a platform to pursue other passions I had with acting, choreographing and teaching. The show has also played in 100 plus countries around the world, which is exactly how Bollywood found me!

What was it like choreographing for Tom Cruise at the MTV Awards?

Working with Tom taught me a lot! He showed me you could be extremely talented and successful, and still treat everyone with respect. He’s a very gracious man. What was also unexpected was how open he was with learning from me. I was assisting Tyce Diorio on the project, but when Tyce couldn’t make it, Tom was still all ears and worked harder than most so he could give the best performance possible.

Congratulations on being featured in Glee. Is the show as much fun as it looks?

Glee is terribly fun to work on! The choreographer, Zach Woodlee, is a dream. The rehearsals are a mixture of extreme intensity and downright silliness. We are either sweating it out or laughing our butts off, but usually we are doing both at the same time. I was in the pilot episode and most of the first season dancing with the hit rival crew ‘Vocal Adrenaline’. It was exciting to see a show go from the first episode where no one knew about it, to being a hit that everyone couldn’t stop talking about.

What’s next for you?

I’m at a huge crossroad not only in my career, but also in my personal life. I have accomplished so much as a dancer performing on stage, film, TV and movies. I now have a great platform as an actress, which is a direction I had always hoped my career would take. The life crossroad is Hollywood or Bollywood? I always let my intuition guide me. You’ll have to wait and see what the next step will be!

By Rebecca Martin.

Joshua Horner is one of Australia’s most loved dancers, performers, and TV personalities, and is also one of the country’s finest exports to the rest of the world.  Having danced up a storm with The Australian Ballet, and in musicals on Broadway, the West End and in Australia, Josh has also made a successful leap into television, being a resident judge on the Australian series of Dancing With The Stars.  If all that wasn’t enough, Josh has created works for Disney in California and is now launching a worldwide dance competition that takes place on line called Dance Upon A Dream.  Dance Informa spoke to Josh in between shows on his current tour of A Chorus Line.

Tell us a little bit about Dance Upon A Dream…

Dance Upon a Dream is an online competition for the ‘competitive’ dancer. Created by myself, Dance Upon a Dream aims to find the best of the best dancers from around the world. Each Dance Competition has its own set of rules and sometimes varies in its size of actual competitors. In some countries you win 1st, 2nd or 3rd and in others you get given a status of a high gold or a platinum. Both are equally exciting but who actually is the best? You might win the nationals in North Carolina but is someone just as good or if not better in Sydney, Australia or Toronto, Canada? What about Japan? How can we see and find out?

Dance Upon a Dream is taking the local dance competition and blasting it to worldwide proportions. Simply by using the video of your routine you can compete with people of the same age all around the world and it’s all online.

Dance star and Dance Upon a Dream founder Joshua Horner

What inspired you to create Dance Upon A Dream?

I grew up doing a lot of competitions and I always found it the best way to see how all my training was going and see how I compared to other people my age. This was way before the Internet was born. Having judged dance competitions all around the world I was judging various comps in the USA and I was blown away by the talent and kept thinking I wonder how the Australians would compare to the Americans. Clearly not everyone can just fly overseas and compete so the idea for Dance Upon a Dream was born. We always get our routines recorded and then they just kind of sit in the DVD cabinet. But now with the Internet I keep seeing young dancers sharing their talents on Facebook and youTube and thought what a perfect platform to formally categorize all these videos and compete twice with the same routine to see how you rank around the world. It’s also a wonderful way for young dancers to get noticed globally since many producers and directors are casting globally now for talent for their projects. I saw this happen with many of the young boys and girls who played roles in Billy Elliot The Musical. I even got a young man cast in the show because I saw him at a competition in North Carolina. I changed his life.

Dance Upon a Dream is also really awesome for the parents as well as the young dancers. It’s a great way for a family to sit at home and watch awesome dancers from around the world. It’s a wonderful platform for parents to help their children get noticed in the entertainment business. A small example of this success is a guy called Justin Bieber…

Who can enter the competition?

Any soloist or dance studio that competes ‘competitively’ at a competition and gets their routine professionally recorded. The ages start from 7 years old and up and the divisions are for solos, duos/ trios, small groups (up to 9 people) large groups (10 or more people) and production. We even have a Boys Award just for the ‘dance men’ of the world to compete against each other. They can also compete against the girls but if they wanted to just compete against other boys there is that option. It’s basically like an Online Dance Olympics.

For groups, the studio directors or choreographers can enter their groups. Individuals in the groups can’t enter for the group.

How do dancers participate in Dance Upon A Dream?

It’s really too easy.

1: First you dance and compete at your favourite local dance competition.

2: Get your routine professionally recorded by the video company at the competition.

3: Upload your routine/s to your very own personal youTube channel. (Get your parents to help you out with this if you’re under 14) Many studio directors nowadays have their own dance studio youTube page.

4: Go to www.danceuponadream.com and select your age and style divisions and fill out your information.

5: Copy and Paste the link from your youTube video into the Dance Upon a Dream website.

6: Finish the entry form and payment and you’re in. You can start watching your competition immediately.

How long does the competition run for?

The first competition will run for about 3 months. Just to spread the word and give a little extra time for getting your routines on camera.

After the first comp Dance Upon a Dream will run twice, maybe three times a year.

What are the categories?

There are 4 age groups:
Mini 7 – 10 yrs
Junior 11 – 12 yrs
Teen 13 – 15 yrs
Senior 16 +

Style Divisions are :
Jazz
Ballet (including repertoire variations from ballets)
Hip Hop
Lyrical/Contemporary
Musical Theatre
Acro

Competition Divisions:
Solos
Duos Trios
Small Groups
Large Groups
Production
Boys Award

What are the costs to enter?

Solo $22 USD per video
Duo Trio $33
Small Group $44
Large Group $55
Production $60

How are the winners decided?

This is the bit I love most. The winners will be decided by an array of 36 world-class successful industry judges including Emmy Award winning Tyce Diorio and Tony Award winning choreographer Christopher Gattelli. The judges also include Broadway Stars, LA choreographers and star dancers from Australia, Canada and the UK.

The Judges will score the routines and each video will have its own personal ‘Vote button’. This is where the competition is unique. We will be taking 80% of the judges scores and 20% of the public vote. From there, 20 finalists will be selected and then it’s the public vote that will choose the winner of each category.

What are some of the prizes up for grabs?

The ‘Ultimate Winner’ will receive a 3 month International Student Visa Scholarship to Broadway Dance Center in New York worth $2,450.

The ‘Ultimate Winner’ will also receive a return airfare to New York from anywhere in the world, thanks to Dance Around The World, and be featured on the cover of Dance Informa magazine in America and Australia, with a leading interview.

All winners in the Solos, Duos and Trios will win a brand new pair of dance shoes from the hottest new dance shoe company, MDM, awesome one of a kind Dance Upon a Dream onesies and t- shirts, cash prizes and features on Dance Upon a Dream TV (the Online TV Show).

Winning Groups win a Dance Upon A Dream t-shirt for every member of the group, a cash prize for the studio and a personal invite to the Dance The Magic Showcase on Broadway.

The best part about Dance Upon a Dream is the exposure that you will get by being seen by choreographers, casting directors and industry professionals alike.

For more information and to enter visit www.danceuponadream.com

The PULSE on Tour is a powerful weekend dance event featuring the most renowned instructors and choreographers of our day. The PULSE strives always to stay on the beat of what’s hot in the dance industry today, and to bring you the opportunity to learn from the most sought-after artists in the field. The PULSE on Tour features celebrity choreographers who encourage, inspire and educate hundreds of talented dancers. Dancers enjoy classes, seminars, performance opportunities, scholarships and photos with the PULSE exclusive faculty. Dancers range from 11-24 years of age.

Touring 11 cities plus 3 huge summer events with the industry’s best, The Pulse features: BRIAN FRIEDMAN - X Factor, America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars; MIA MICHAELS – Emmy Award Winner, So You Think You Can Dance, Grace, Rock of Ages (the movie); WADE ROBSON – Emmy Award Winner, So You Think You Can Dance, The Wade Robson Project, Dancing with the Stars;  TYCE DIORIO – So You Think You Can Dance, Katie Holmes; CRIS JUDD – J Lo, Your Momma Don’t Dance, America’s Got Talent; DAVE SCOTT – So You Think You Can Dance, You Got Served, Step Up 3D; GIL DULDULAO – All About Aubrey, Making The Band, Janet Jackson; LAURIEANN GIBSON – Lady Gaga, The Dance Scene, Making The Band, So You Think You Can Dance; DESMOND RICHARDSON – So You Think You Can Dance, Complexions, Chicago (the movie); BROOKE LIPTON – Glee!, Britney Spears; ROBERT HOFFMAN – Grace, You Got Served; CARMIT BACHAR - Pussycat Dolls, Grammy Award Winner, World Music Award Winner, MTV VMA W inner, AMA Winner.

The PULSE International Productions, LLC is committed to providing only the best in hip hop, jazz and contemporary dance training from the most exclusive choreographers in the dance industry.

The PULSE Summer events
Each summer workshop offers full days of classes with The PULSE faculty members. The extended weekend event also features a Performance Showcase and Solo Scholarship Program open to all participants that wish to be part of these all-student shows. Dancers enjoy a Q&A with the faculty, scholarship opportunities, a photo session with The PULSE faculty and options including colored headshots from a professional photographer onsite.

The 11th Annual Teacher Workshop, presented by The PULSE and Broadway Dance Center, is an extraordinary educational training event, open to dance educators from around the world. It’s teachers teaching their tricks of the trade. This workshop is designed specifically for Studio Owners, Teachers and Assistants ages 18 and older.

Las Vegas, NV
July 15-17, 2011 - Las Vegas Hilton

New York City, NY
July 28-31, 2011 - Grand Hyatt New York

Teacher Workshop, NYC
July 29-31, 2011

Check The PULSE Website www.ThePulseOnTour.com for details on the events or call the registration department at 1.877.PULSE.01. Register online! Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Three different levels, for dancers age 11 and older.

The PULSE will be in a city near you during the 2011 – 2012 tour!

Dallas, TX: November 5-6, 2011
New Orleans, LA: November 12-13, 2011
Las Vegas, NV: November 19-20, 2011
Chicago, IL: December 3-4, 2011
Orlando, FL: December 10-11, 2011
St Louis, MO: January 7-8, 2012
Atlantic City, NJ: January 14-15, 2012
Santa Clara, CA: February 4-5, 2012
Toronto, CAN: February 11-12, 2012
Boston, MA: February 18-19, 2012
Atlanta, GA: March 24-25, 2012

Registration opens Aug 3, 2011.

By Deborah Searle.

Tyce Diorio is a star of the stage and screen with an amazing list of dance credits. As he prepared for his Australian visit, to choreograph for SYTYCD, Dance Informa’s Deborah Searle spoke with Tyce about his career, his inspirations and aspirations.

With such artistic achievements, I asked Tyce about his dance background. Where did it all begin?” I trained in New York city at the High School of Performing Arts, the school that FAME is based on”, he shared. “I trained in modern, jazz and ballet. I also trained in Los Angeles as well - both the leading dance capitals of the world. I was very fortunate.”

I was curious as to why he started dancing. “My cousin acted on Broadway and in television and film and introduced me to my first dance teachers. Then I studied ballroom first, then ballet, African, modern and tap. I had a really versatile studio that I went to”, he revealed.  So how did this broad training develop his dance passion? “You’re so well versed in so many different things that you start to have all these influences musically, stylistically and culturally. It kept my mind working really fast”, he said.

With not only skills in dance and choreography, but in music and acting also, Tyce Diorio is an accomplished triple threat. “I sing, I act, I choreograph and I dance. It was my goal in life to be able to have all that background. I sing equally as well as I dance. And I think the acting comes with the dancing, so you have to be well skilled in that department”, he advised.

Tyce greats eager dancers at The Pulse

So how did he get his big break? “I was on a show called Star Search which is sort of like what SYTYCD is now for dancers, but back in ‘88. I was a teenager and I won the grand prize as a soloist with a perfect four star rating every week. Paula Abdul was one of the judges and she saw me. I moved to California and jumped on a world tour with her. It was my first huge job. I had done commercials prior to that”, he explained. And it all started from there. “It was just like a snow ball effect. Then I met Janet Jackson and life really began.”

More recently we have been enjoying his work on the US series of SYTYCD. I asked Tyce about his experiences with the hit television show.  “I am enjoying it. It’s been such a great journey/evolution for me. I won an Emmy Award which is thrilling. Just the whole experience has been a much awaited thing for dancers and dance since the ‘90s. So now it’s here and I’m just capitalising and riding that wave, because it’s here for a moment and then we’ll move into another faze at some point. But it’s been incredible”, he shared.  So how does he enjoy working with the team? “Nigel Lythgoe and Fox TV have been incredible and so supportive. They give us such freedom and I get to work with amazing peers/choreographers like Sonya Tayeh, Tabitha and Napolean, Wade Robson, Mia Michaels, and the ballroom experts. They are so brilliant. So has he met Australia’s Jason Gilkison? “Of course! He’s one of my favourites. His work is so stellar”, Tyce exclaimed.

SYCTYD is a wonderful experience for Tyce, but he has also enjoyed many other career highlights, noting his role in the Broadway show Fosse as one of those special times. “It was a starring role for me. I replaced one of the greatest modern/contemporary dancers of our time – Desmond Richardson. He’s brilliant.” Dancing with Janet Jackson was also memorable for Tyce. “I danced on a world tour with Janet Jackson, on what I think was her best tour – The Velvet Rope. That was incredibly thrilling”, he said. “Winning the Emmy Award was amazing too.”

Currently Tyce is enjoying working with actress Katie Holmes. “I work very closely with Katie Holmes – getting to direct, conceive, conceptualise and choreograph a piece for her – an old Hollywood piece called ‘Get Happy.’”

Having performed on stage, television and film, I asked Tyce if he had a favourite performance medium. “I love television because people have to get invested quickly and it’s theatrical, yet it’s also commercial and it’s sexy. The whole world gets to experience it”, he answered.

So what inspires him to create such amazing work wherever it’s presented? “The music, life and people watching”, he revealed. “You watch the way people move and the way they stop, think and feel. Humanity in general inspires me.” Tyce is also inspired by other artists. “Dancers obviously inspire me; their individuality and their take on certain people’s choreography. Other choreographers inspire me too, as well as movies, art, New York City, Europe, Japan…. so many different things can inspire you I think. You pull from so many places.”

So where will we see Tyce’s work in the future? “I have an animated film coming out called ‘Dorothy of Oz’ and I worked on an episode of Drop Dead Diva”, he disclosed.  But if there was one more thing he could create, what would it be? “I think that I would like to probably have my own one man show that I direct, conceive and choreograph. I don’t know? Maybe it turns into a book, movie or a television show”. So would he act, dance and sing? “Everything” he exclaimed!

Photos: Courtesy of The Pulse. Top photo by Voyeur Photography.

By Deborah Searle.

After visiting eleven other cities, The Pulse 2010 ‘Find Your Voice’ Tour ended in Atlanta on March 20th and 21st. And what a way to finish, with the entire star studded faculty at the event! With classes from Brian Friedman, Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, LaurieAnn Gibson, Tyce Diorio, Gil Duldulao, Cris Judd, and Dave Scott, the dancers attending enjoyed a challenging, yet inspiring weekend.

Held at the Georgia World Congress Center, each level enjoyed large ballrooms to dance in. I relished the opportunity in the Advanced/Pro room to learn from the industry’s leaders. Each class was an hour or longer and we all got the chance to take at least one class from each faculty member. Dave, LaurieAnn, Gil and Cris taught Hip Hop, Tyce and Brian taught Jazz, Wade gave us his own unique style with repertoire from his work on SYTYCD and Mia shared with us her contemporary/lyrical expertise. All the classes were tough and demanding, but tailored to each level. I particularly loved the choreography in each routine we learnt. We weren’t just learning steps, but a unique style and form of expression. I enjoyed Wade and Mia’s classes the most, as their movement sits well with my dance background and personal taste.

On the Saturday night the dancers got their moment to shine with a Pulse Showcase, where they performed group routines from their studios or companies. With a large variety of dance styles displayed at different levels, it made for an interesting show. Some of the talent was outstanding. There are amazing dancers coming out of US studios, as well as some exceptional choreography. There were, of course, many cheesy ‘competition’ like numbers, but these were fun and mostly executed well.

At a teachers lunch on the Sunday, studio teachers and choreographers were given feedback from the faculty on the work they presented, which was constructive and helpful.

After the grueling two days of classes The Pulse event ended with a faculty question and answer session. The students took great advantage of this, asking their idols about their childhoods, dance backgrounds, aspirations and even about the passing of Michael Jackson, who they have all worked closely with. The faculty, who enjoy a wonderful family like relationship, laughed and told stories, really taking the time to answer each question and communicate with their fans. They were real and encouraging.

The Pulse provides a great opportunity for young dancers, budding professionals and teachers to learn from some of America’s top commercial artists and choreographers. The faculty are accessible and friendly and they take the time to impart their passion into the dancers. The Pulse is not for everyone, with only a few dance styles covered, but for those who love hip hop, jazz and/or contemporary, or who just want a challenge, this convention is a real treat.

Next on The Pulse schedule is their huge Summer events in Los Angeles and New York.
For more information visit www.thepulseontour.com

Photos: Courtesy of The Pulse