Showgirl Elizabeth Berkley's boots were made for dancing, and that's just why she’s hosting the upcoming Bravo reality competition series Step It Up And Dance. SIUAD – for short – is formatted similarly to it’s network's sister shows Project Runway and Top Chef, with each week featuring toe-to-toe competitions concluding with one unlucky dancer packing up his or her shoes and heading home, and one winner taking home a $100,000 pot in the end.
On how she was introduced to dance:
I was blessed enough to have parents that got me into dance from a very young age. I don’t know if they knew that it was going to be something that I was going to devote my life to. But at first, I think it was just a recreational type thing at the age of four, you know, that other little girls in the neighborhood were doing. When they noticed pretty early on, though, that I had a propensity for it, as well as a desire to do it almost on a daily basis -- which then turned into about 17 lessons a week -- it was me pushing and driving them because they saw the joy that I got out of doing it which, you know, obviously I’ve used it in my professional life.
On what dancing has done for her:
It’s been a profound thing in my life. But at the same time, what’s amazing about it is first of all, for anyone the connection to one’s body - there’s a certain self-esteem that comes from that when you’re in touch with yourself and feeling in your body that’s a strength that you have that no one can take away from you. And the gifts that I think -- whether it’s a boy or girl who’s dancing -- the self-esteem that you get from it, just from having goals and intentions, and the work ethic that you learn from it and the discipline - these are things you can take out into the world, into anything you do in life.
On her desire to participate in the show:
The work ethic that is necessary to become great [at dancing] is something no one can give you. That’s the hours in that studio. And there’s something really extraordinary about that, which is why I really wanted to be a part of this show is -- especially in the world of reality television right now and especially in our world where there’s this kind of strange democracy of fame, if you will -- what I truly love about this show and in particular, a few of the shows that are on Bravo, you know, where it’s really about the artistry. Whether it’s Top Chef or whether it’s Project Runway, or our show where it’s dancers - these are true artists that are expressing themselves creatively. And it’s not just about the entitlement for wanting to be famous.
On if there’s one dance she’s just can’t do:
I can’t really think of one that I don’t have a feel for just because dance is so in my bones and in my blood.
On what the audience can expect to see:
One week it’s Latin. One week it’s burlesque. One week it’s Broadway. So it’s really exciting to see the journey the audience gets to go on with the dancers. These dancers who have trained their whole lives - they are pushed into these other realms. And it’s going to be thrilling for people to see like how people measure up. How do they step up and really use the gifts they have? They’re going to find out what they’re made of.
On whether there’s any competition between her and former Saved By The Bell castmate
and America's Best Dance Crew host Mario Lopez:
First of all, I love Mario and we still keep in touch. And as a matter of fact, when he was on Dancing With the Stars, I went and I was in the audience supporting him.So I’m so happy for him and I hear that he’s making his Broadway debut in a Chorus Line. So that’s really exciting, too, especially, you know, when you’ve know someone since childhood. And I know how hard he’s worked. In this case, with Mario what’s so great is he’s worked towards this his whole life so it’s not like someone just handed him something without him actually stepping up to the plate. He’s really devoted many years to his training and hasn’t taken it lightly. So I mean, he’s also an athlete. But he’s also a dancer as well. And I’m just - I’m so thrilled for him.
Step It Up And Dance premieres on Bravo Thursday night at 8 PM and be sure to check out previews and interviews with the cast here.
