When it comes to dance, Alexis Juliano is an old soul.
Kind of ironic, considering the talented tap prodigy is just 19 years old. For those who aren't yet familiar with the modern-day Eleanor Powell, Juliano is best known for her recent stint on FOX's So You Think You Can Dance. The only female tapper to crack the top 20 this season, Juliano turned heads from day one when she captivated viewers with "Mr. Bojangles," a self-choreographed solo she nailed when auditioning in Boston.
While many up-and-coming dancers focus on the trendy contemporary genre, Juliano has taken the road less traveled and followed in the footsteps of her inspirations – Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines and Nicholas Dinicolangelo, founder of the Hands Down Tap Project and one of the most sought-after tap choreographers in the country. Seeing how tap has become somewhat of a dying art over the years, Juliano knew she had her work cut out for her when she tried out for the highly competitive show.
Although she is trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, lyrical and other styles of dance, the South Florida native's heart belongs to tap. Having taken her first dance class at the age of 2, Juliano was immediately spellbound by the melodious sounds generated by a simple pair of taps.
At the age of 11, the young dancer competed in the tap Olympics held in Reisa, Germany. After qualifying in America, she was selected to be a part of the team. She competed in solo, duet and small group, taking home gold medals in every category. By 15, she was sharing her love of tap by teaching others at Dance FX in Sunrise, Fla.
Prior to auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance, Juliano already made her mark in dance competitions at the national level. Both a dancer and choreographer, she even earned a perfect score for one tap solo. Following a stint working at Universal as a tapping snowman, Juliano contemplated her next step, and all signs pointed to auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance.
"My family and friends encouraged me to audition for So You Think You Can Dance," she recalls. "I have always wanted to see more tap on the show. You see so many other styles of dance, but I felt as if there was a shortage of tap. It's a trend I've also seen in the dance world. It inspired me to get out there and show everybody how cool tap can be."
Wearing her trademark combat boot tap shoes, Juliano showed just how hip hoofing can be. She was pushed through to Vegas and from there was selected for the top 20. And she was definitely in good company. Proving to be the year of the tapper, Juliano was joined by male tappers Curtis Holland and Aaron Turner. Together, the three made their debut in an incredible tap trio to Jason Mraz's "You Did It." Host Cat Deeley deemed them "Gene Kellys for a new generation," while Rock of Ages director Adam Shankman called the number "the best, most fun tap routine we've ever had on this show."
The trio of tappers even had the opportunity to reprise their routine at the Dizzy Feet Gala, an annual fundraising event that brings together some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. It was the only dance from Season 10 brought to the event. Juliano admits it was one of the most memorable nights of her life, as she rubbed elbows with some of Hollywood's hottest celebs.
"It was incredible. I didn't expect it at all. It was cool to be able to perform in front of big-name celebrities. It was an amazing experience to be one of the only tap groups in the show."
Despite the initial warm reception from the panel of judges including Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy early in the season, Juliano quickly realized it wasn't going to be easy. She points out that there are a lot of pre-conceived notions about tap dancers.
Juliano explains: "I knew it was going to be hard going in as a tapper. Tappers are known for only doing their own styles. However, all of the tappers this season were more well-rounded."
Going into the top 20 competition, Juliano was paired with contemporary dancer Nico Greetham. From hip-hop to jazz numbers, the couple had the opportunity to work with some of the most respected choreographers in the industry, including Christopher Scott, Stacey Tookey, Spencer Liff and Sonya Tayeh. Practicing around 30 hours a week, Juliano maintains it was one of the most incredible experiences of her life.
"These people were absolutely amazing to work with. They have amazing ideas. It's really cool to learn new things and meet new people. I was lucky enough to do that with a lot of the choreographers on the show."
Perhaps the biggest challenge was consistently dancing outside of her genre. Unlike other dancers who compete, tappers don't have the luxury of dancing in their area of specialty, unless it's to "dance for their lives." Yet week in and week out, Juliano acclimated to the styles she was given.
She made it to the top 14 before going home. Since her departure in July, Juliano has had a number of doors open up for her.
"I have gotten the opportunity to teach master classes, and more people are reaching out to me now that my name is out there. Capezio made me shoes and wants me to do a photoshoot. I'm very excited for what else comes next."
Being an alternate on the So You Think You Can Dance tour is on the top of Juliano's list. She will be joining fellow contestants as they perform around the country this fall. After the tour, Juliano plans to move to New York and hopes to land work on Broadway in the near future.
As for her stint on So You Think You Can Dance, Juliano says she definitely accomplished what she set out to do, which was to change people's perspective about the genre.
"I wanted to inspire kids to tap dance. When people say they're going to take tap or buy tap shoes because of you, it is really rewarding. It is good to know that my reason for going on the show actually happened."
Through her journey on So You Think You Can Dance has ended, the talented tapper made it loud and clear that she is destined to shuffle her way to the top.
To learn more about Alexis Juliano, visit her website at www.alexisjuliano.com.