By Cheri Tishman
Like most children, Alexis Juliano was walking at age one. Unlike most children, Alexis Juliano was dancing by age two. So you think you can dance Alexis Juliano? We think so, too! Lexi, as she is known by family and friends, is in the top 16 on the Fox Network show, “So You Think You Can Dance!” airing Tuesday Nights at 7 p.m.
Since her early start, Lexi, 19, has learned all types of dances, from jazz, lyrical, ballet, hip hop and tap; and her favorite is tap. A graduate of Coral Glades High School, “Lexi asked her mother, Kim, if she could take a year before college to pursue her dream and we said yes,” said her father, Anthony (Tony) Juliano.
So Lexi, her mom and Joan Bartolletti, the owner of the dance studio where she trains, flew to Boston for the first “So You Think You Can Dance” audition. “It was a great experience in Boston,” Kim said. “We were about 20th in line, in 20 degree weather at 3:30 in the morning. By 6 a.m. there were at least 500 more people in line behind us. The doors opened at 8 and the three day process began.”
Lexi did her solo tap dance audition in front of Adam Shankman, Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy and got her ticket to Las Vegas. “Meeting the judges was great,” Lexi said, “but to dance for them was quite an experience.” Lexi said the whole experience is just amazing. The show airs from Los Angeles where Lexi is partnered with Nico Greetham. “He is a great partner,” Lexi said. “When I was in the bottom three he helped push me and encourage me.” The dancers are kept busy every day, rehearsing with the choreographer for their duet and also for the group routine. “When they get to the top 10 dancers, they do All Stars,” Lexi said, “and bring in past contestants to dance with you. You have a different partner every week.”
Lexi made it to the top 14 dancers. “I want to thank everyone for all the support and for voting and keeping me in the competition. I love the positive posts and tweets,” Lexi said. Lexi will return to Los Angeles for the finale in September.
What’s next for Lexi? “I want to go to New York and dance on Broadway, or with any tap company,” she said.
