Get to Know the Students of Next on Stage: Bella Denton Shares a Moving Story from a Production of CHICAGO

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 Bella Denton shares more about her charity, a choreographer she would have loved to work with, and a theater educator who made an impact on her.

Check out Bella'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 applied for Next On Stage because I really felt like it would help me grow in my creativity as dancer. I had always wanted to be apart of this competition ever since I saw the first season, and I'm so happy I was able to, getting amazing critiques by the judges and helping my career blossom!

What does musical theatre mean to you?

Musical theatre is what I live for. If I didn't have it, I would never be as passionate about life, and about my career as I am now. I believe musical theatre is what I was put on this earth to peruse! It means everything to me.

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

A Memory I had from a past production was when I played Roxie Hart in Chicago the Musical. Having the experience to perform with professionals, and people twice my age tremendously changed my outlook and my purpose in life, on and off the stage.

After my last performance, an elderly couple came up to me after the show. The old woman said to me, "Sweetheart, something inside of myself is telling me that you will do great big things in this world." After, her husband proceeded to say, "And let me tell you, even if we won't be on this earth to see it, we'll be looking down on you one day, when you're performing on Broadway, shining like the star that we just saw on that stage. The star that you are."

That is truly a moment I will never forget, no matter where I end up in life. It brought me to tears! The fact that I was able to move somebody like that just through my performance, made me realize this is what I want to work for. This is what I wish to pursue in life, and I will do whatever it takes to get there.

What charity did you pick and why?

The Charity I picked is The American Dance Wheels Foundation. This Charity is a Non-Profit Organization that provides Ballroom and Latin Dance to people in wheelchairs. I chose this Charity because I believe that everyone deserves to have dance in their life. No one should ever be told that they are not capable of doing something! Dance is art, it is subjective, and it is a form of self expression that no one should be held back from. The American Dance Wheels Foundation gives wheelchair users a chance to dance, a chance to push through, and a chance to show everyone around world they're love of dance, their talents, and what they're all capable of! This Charity gives a place and a family to those who may feel lost, and are found again by the ability to dance.

Share a memory from seeing a stage production!

One of my best memories from seeing a show was when I went to watch Book of Mormon on Tour with my family. I was pretty young at the time, probably around 12 or 13 when my mom bought the tickets. We didn't really know what the show was about, but we were still very excited to watch it! It was the most hilarious show we'd ever seen! The funniest part was the fact that my brother and I were so young, and we didn't know how hilariously not PG the show was! I remember there were even people walking out of the theatre...haha. We had the best time watching that show, and I would 100 percent see it many more times in a heart beat!

Who is your dream choreographer to one day work with?

My dream Choreographer to one day work with would have to be Gillian Lynne. Although she sadly passed in 2018, I've greatly admired her work in Cats and Phantom of the Opera since I was 13 years old. It would have been an absolute dream of mine to have worked with her.

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

A theatre educator that has had an impact on me, is my musical theatre teacher Lauren Soto. Lauren has helped me tremendously with my career as a dancer in musical theatre from audition advice, to helping me grow into the new dancer I have become, and reassuring me that I am more than capable to pursue dance on Broadway, which meant so much coming from someone that is in the industry. If I didn't have her has a teacher this year, I would not know as much as I do know, and my dancing and passion for pursuing a career in dance would not have grown as much as it has over this passed year. Thank you Lauren!

Share a fun fact!

A Fun Fact about me is...I am a Triple Threat! My passion for Singing and Acting are just as strong as my passion for Dance, and I am Constantly training and growing in all three, so I can be well rounded in all areas for my career!

---

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.