Get to Know the Students of Next on Stage: Raven Alanes Shares How She's Grown to Become a Better Dancer

We're announcing our winners of season 2 of Next on Stage: Dance Edition this week! But before we do, we're chatting with the contestants in the finale.

Contestant Raven Alanes shares more about her charity, using her hearing impairment to help build her musicality, and how Broadway Dance Center changed her life.

Check out Raven's latest performance HERE.

Tune in on August 27 at 8pm ET for our season 2 finale, streaming on BroadwayWorld!

Why did you apply for Next on Stage?

I love musical theatre and dancing in the style. It's a great way to raise money for a worthy charity. Also...I need those SHOES!!! (:

What does musical theatre mean to you?

There's an energy that is unique to musical theatre. It's LIVE! The storytelling reaches people in such a personal way.

What is a fond memory you have from a past class?

A few dancers from the Broadway cast of Hamilton came out to LA to teach a master class & we learned choreography from the show. It was so fun! That same teacher later took me backstage at Hamilton Broadway & that was one of the coolest nights of my life.

What charity did you pick and why?

Theatre Development Fund because it's really hard to go to live shows if you are hearing impaired, if you cant afford front row seats and TDF provides access to special shows for people like me.

Share a memory from seeing a stage production.

My mom took me to see CATS for my first Broadway show, because it was also the first show she had seen when she was little. We couldn't get tickets together but the people sitting next to me were so friendly & I enjoyed chatting with them throughout the night!

Who is your dream choreographer to one day work with?

Andy Blankenbuehler

Who is a theater educator that has had an impact on you?

There's been so many but I'd say Broadway Dance Center really changed my life. Being a dancer from LA, the classes that I was exposed to at Broadway Dance were so different than what I was used to. The teachers & classes really compelled me to want a career in musical theatre.

Share something about yourself!

I taught myself to lip read before anyone knew I was hearing impaired. Like around age 4. I think I have more musicality because I don't rely on the words or lyrics when I dance. I think my disability has actually helped me be better dancer.

After three successful seasons of our virtual singing competition and last summer's first season of our virtual dancing competition, we're back again by popular demand with the second season of our online musical theatre dancing competition for student performers sponsored by LaDuca Shoes.

Inspired by your favorite network TV dancing contests, BroadwayWorld is inviting high school and college aged students to submit videos of themselves performing to a song from the musical theatre canon to enter the competition.