'Step Up' Revival: 'Glee' Alum Naya Rivera Joins Cast

By Edward Leano, Christian Post Contributor Friday, June 30, 2017

"Glee" alum Naya Rivera joins singer Ne-Yo as some of the biggest names in the upcoming "Step Up" series commissioned by YouTube Red.

The series revival of "Step Up" has been building a star-studded cast, with Naya Rivera from "Glee" and Faizon Love from "Couples Retreat" being signed up for the show. The drama series will run for ten episodes and will also feature recording artist Ne-Yo, according to Hollywood Reporter.

YouTube has announced that "Step Up" will be getting a short run as a drama series in June. The new show, called "Step Up: High Water," is currently in production in Atlanta. The collaboration between YouTube Originals and Lionsgate will be one of the new shows featured on the streaming site's new service, YouTube Red, in the coming autumn.

Channing Tatum and his wife Jenna Dewan Tatum, who both starred in the original "Step Up" movie, handle the executive production work for the new series, according to Entertainment Weekly.

"Step Up: High Water" follows the students of the High Water Performing Arts School in Atlanta, where Rivera plays Collete, a former dancer. Collete, at the opening of the series, is serving as a school administrator. Meanwhile, her past with Sage Odom (Ne-Yo), founder of High Water Performing Arts, could come up later to haunt her.

Lauryn McClain from "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls" joins the cast as the ambitious dancer Janelle, who lives with her brother, Tal (Petrice Jones from "iBoy").

The siblings got their first taste of the Atlanta party scene through Dondre (Marcus Mitchell from "High Strung"). Other stars join them for the series, including Jade Chynoweth from "The Last Ship," Carlito Olivero from "Bad Samaritan," Terrence Green from "Being Mary Jane," and R. Marcos Taylor from "Baby Driver."

New talents Eric Graise and Kendra Oyesanya make their debut in this series.

"Step Up: High Water" will feature all-new songs from Grammy-winning producer Jason Boyd, alongside Jared Gutstadt, who co-founded music agency Jingle Punks.