Charlie Bruce


Charlotte "Charlie" Bruce is a British jazz dancer from Cropston, Leicestershire, who won the first UK series of So You Think You Can Dance in February 2010. She trained in dance at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and both dance and musical theatre at Laine Theatre Arts, a performing arts college in Epsom, Surrey. She was the youngest contestant in SYTYCD.

Biography

Born in Melton Mowbray, and raised in Cropston, Bruce began dancing at the age of three, taking lessons from the age of seven at the Charnwood Dance School, and receiving a scholarship to attend the Arts Educational School in Tring between the ages of ten and sixteen. She later studied at the Laine Theatre Arts school in Epsom.

Career

2010: SYTYCD

When Charlie was 19 years old, while working as a sales assistant in a shoe shop, she attended an audition for So You Think You Can Dance. She got through to the top 100, and then to the televised stages as one of the top 14. She has said on numerous occasions that she wanted to be seen as more than a 19-year-old girl dancing, and at the end of the final all of the judges thought that she had accomplished that. She won the contest, receiving £100,000 prize money.
WeekPartnerStyleMusicChoreographerResults
1Tommy FranzénHip-Hop"The Way I Are"—Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.ESimeon QsyeaSafe
2Tommy FranzénPop-Jazz"Everybody in Love"—JLSFrank GatsonSafe
3—Solo "Pop"—'N Sync—Safe
3Robbie WhiteLyrical"This Woman's Work"—MaxwellTyce DiorioSafe
4Drew McOnieLyrical Hip-Hop"Doesn't Mean Anything"—Alicia KeysKate PrinceBottom 4
4—Solo "Apologize"—Timbaland feat. OneRepublic—Bottom 4
5Tommy FranzénJazz"Circus"—Britney SpearsSean CheesmanSafe
5Tommy FranzénQuickstep"Do Your Thing"—Basement JaxxKaren HardySafe
5—Solo "Conga"—Gloria Estefan—Safe
6Lizzie GoughBroadway"All That Jazz"—Catherine Zeta-JonesKaren BruceWinner
6Tommy FranzénTango"Tango el Roxanne"—Ewan McGregorKatya VirshilasWinner
6Drew McOnieLyrical"I Surrender"—Céline DionMandy MooreWinner
6—Solo "Livin' la Vida Loca"—Ricky Martin—Winner

After ''So You Think You Can Dance''

In July 2010, Bruce began working as understudy for the lead role of Baby Houseman in the West End production of Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre, making her debut performance in the role that month. On 12 August 2010, she performed on the series finale of FOX's So You Think You Can Dance in the United States.

Second World Dance championship

In May 2010, Bruce represented the United Kingdom in the Second Dance World Championship in Mexico, where she was partnered by Benjamin Jones. She withdrew from the competition in Week 3 due to an injury. Her replacement was Lizzie Gough. However, team England was eliminated from the competition in Week 4.