Blind

Season	Episode
3	27

Release dates

Air date

November 20, 2015

Air date

November 27, 2015

Credits

Writer(s)

Frank van Keeken, Amy Cole

Director

Mitchell T. Ness

Chronology
Previous	Next
"We Are the World"	"Turn, Turn, Turn"

“	… where did that guy come from?!	”
— Ashley Leggat about Noah

Click here to see more quotes.

"Blind" is the 27th episode in Season 3 of The Next Step and the 91st episode overall. It aired on November 20, 2015.

Synopsis

The dancers find out that in the second round of Internationals, the dance they had prepared will have to be performed blindfolded. As they struggle to make it work, it becomes apparent that they need to change which dancers perform.

Plot

Giselle is among the congregation of dance captains, awaiting further news of the upcoming 2-7 person dance round after which 4 of the current 8 teams will be eliminated. The Internationals staff member notifies them that the dance must be done blindfolded, shocking Giselle.

John luke theo — Luke speaks to James through video chat.

James is video-chatting with his old bandmates who inform James that they have finally booked their first real gig. James is happy for them, but grows envious and wishful when the boys tell him that they will be using a drum machine in place of him. James signs off, lying that he needs to practice.

Stephanie, Riley, Giselle, and Cierra are trying to rehearse their dance blindfolded, although it is not going well at all. As they finish, West enters. After the girls take off their blindfolds, West suggests that they add Noah to their dance, and although Cierra is also for it after remembering Noah's gift, the other girls think it is crazy to add a person to their dance so late. West assures that he will prove it.

Summerford 2 dance — Two dancers from Summerford School of Dance perform.

The SNR Network begins its coverage of the 2-7 person dance round, and Chuck Anderson explains that while spotters (wearing red T-shirts with a white Internationals logo on the back) will be at the edge of the stage to ensure that dancers do not fall off, if a dancer does have to be stopped then their team will be disqualified. Two dancers from Summerford School of Dance take the stage to go against Manila Paardan Ng Sayaw. As Ella watches with a fellow teammate from the wings, she explains in Talking Heads that the team's strategy is to have as little dancers as possible to ensure that the routine is perfect. The dance goes immensely well.

Noah stands before the girls, blindfolded. Begrudgingly, the girls throw things at him, all which he catches and proceeds to juggle with. The girls are impressed. Although, Giselle comments that if Noah is to join, a current member needs to leave. Stephanie volunteers to leave, but seeing as Stephanie is an actual member of the team, Michelle bows out instead.

Four dancers from Manila Paardan Ng Sayaw take the stage. Seeing as this is double the amount of Summerford's, and that they are performing extremely well, Ella grows wary. Although, as the Phillipines dances, one of the members dances too close to the edge of the stage, meaning that the team is disqualified. Summerford School of Dance automatically moves forward.

Cierra steph mich ri giselle — The group waits to go on-stage.

The maximum amount of dancers goes on-stage to perform for Stockholm Dansteater, having to compete against the Swiss team who had already performed with four dancers. Cierra, Stephanie, Michelle, Riley, and Giselle are watching from the wings, having come a bit early for their match-up against France. The Swedish team is dancing incredibly well, using the smart strategy of a long piece of fabric to guide them. The team finishes to a standing ovation. Sweden wins, eliminating Switzerland. Meanwhile, Noah is in the deep wings, blindfolded, as he is preparing for the dance that rests on his shoulders; the strategy is that Noah guides the girls through the dance to ensure that none of them get too close to a spotter. Noah senses that Ella is behind him and she wishes him good luck. Noah accepts it, but comments no further due to Ella's betrayal of the team. As four members of Locronan École de Dance dance, James notices that Riley is immensely worried; he proposes that if Riley doesn't fall into a spotter that he will take her out on a date. France finishes to a standing ovation. The Next Step goes on-stage to perform and puts on their blindfolds.

Blind (3) — Giselle and Noah pose at the end of the routine.

The dance commences, the plot being that Noah is a prince and the girls are princesses fighting for him. Throughout the dance, he partners with each of the girls to get them into the right position and to ensure that they are in the right spots. Thanks to Noah, the dance goes incredibly well, resulting in the team winning and advancing to the next round. Ella's teammate asks her what she thinks of the win, and Ella replies with: "Good on them." Noah feels incredible that so many people believed in him and that it worked out in the end.

James riley season 3 b — Riley asks James if he'd rather be with the band.

James and Riley are on their date at a salsa dance joint. As the two sit, James continues to drum on the table, making Riley believe that he would rather be with the band, rather than at Internationals. Although, she is dissuaded from the notion when the two take the floor and dance. James confesses that he wants to be at Internationals and with the band, but that he isn't ready to let anybody know that.

The following day, Giselle reconciles with the rest of A-Troupe in the lobby, after a Dance Captain meeting. Giselle tells Eldon that if they want to make it to the next round, Eldon needs to do as many pirouettes as he can.

Trivia

Manila Paaralan Ng Sayaw has been disqualified from the small group round at Internationals, meaning Summerford School of Dance is advancing to the third round.
Stockholm Dansteater has defeated Switzerland in the small group round, and is advancing to the third round.
With Noah's help, The Next Step Dance Studio has defeated Locronan École Royal de Danse in the small group round, and is advancing to the third round.

Continuity

In "Cry Me a River", Giselle confesses that there will be an unknown twist in the second round at Internationals; this twist is revealed in this episode.
Riley, Giselle, Stephanie, Cierra and Noah (replacing Michelle) perform choreography that Riley, Giselle, Stephanie, Cierra and Michelle performed to "Hotel" in "Cry Me a River" and "We Are the World".
Noah's heightened spatial awareness - which is first revealed in "Put You First" - becomes crucial to the plot in this episode.
Stephanie says that she is the newest member of A-Troupe, thus reiterating the fact that she was the last person to join the Internationals team in "I Hope I Get It".
Noah references his time on J-Troupe in Seasons 1 and 2.
Noah references the fact that Ella helped him gain confidence and believe in himself in "Never There".
While not specifically stated, James and Riley's date in the salsa club in Miami, which is in the United States of America, is reminiscent of their first date in Studio A where Riley tells James to surprise her of where they are going to go to first and he says, "America"; the first trip that James and Riley take together is to America.
When James and Riley are dancing on their date at the salsa club, they perform one of the lifts that they eventually do in their duet to "Flying" in "How It Ends".

Behind the Scenes

In the behind the scenes of this episode, the cast reveal that the blindfolds are actually not opaque, but are translucent, thus allowing all the dancers to see while they dance.^[1]

Errors

The Internationals delegate speaks to all the dance captains in English; however, it is proclaimed in "We Are the World" that speaking multiple languages is vital to taking part in the four country group dance, implying that not all the representatives from the different countries speak English.
Given that the majority of A-Troupe are unaware of Noah's heightened spacial awareness - with the exception of West, Cierra and Eldon, who find out in "Put You First" - it unsure why Ella knows about this, especially since West, Cierra and Eldon find out about it before Ella comes to the studio. However, given that she worked one-on-one with Noah in "Never There", it's possible that she finds out about his abilities then.

Production Errors

In the shots where Riley removes her blindfold while in rehearsal with Giselle, Stephanie, Cierra and Michelle, the translucent mesh of her blindfold can be seen.
When Giselle returns to speak to A-Troupe after her dance captain meeting, James and Riley are missing.