Feel the Beat: Catching Up with the Cast of Netflix’s Feel-Good Flick
Time to hop off the couch and onto your feet—Netflix’s new film Feel the Beat will have you dancing around stat. The plot surrounds struggling Broadway actress April (Descendants’ Sofia Carson) who, after a failed audition, returns to her hometown to train a young dance troupe. Despite the group’s initial lack of skill and self-confidence, thanks to April’s tough love and intense training hours, they travel to a series of dance competitions across the country. The movie is elevated by extravagant dance numbers, budding romance (April rekindles an old flame upon coming home) and authentic, often emotional interactions between the preteens of New Hope Dance Studio. Below, team members Sarah (Eva Hauge), Kari (Lidya Jewett), Zuzu (Shaylee Mansfield), Michelle (Carina Battrick), Lucia (Johanna Colón), Oona (Sadie Lapidus) and Ruby (Shiloh Nelson) explain why the film is more than just a dance display.
How did you first hear about Feel the Beat? Did you have dance training prior?
Hauge: I received the audition from my team. In the breakdown, it described a strong, 11-year-old dancer. At first, I was a bit nervous since I had only danced for a few years. Prior to auditioning, when I was about 11, I trained in ballet and contemporary. I’ve always found dance as an escape where I can be my authentic self without judgment. I tried to keep that in mind when I auditioned: to just be myself.
Jewett: It was a regular audition process. Initially, I didn’t think it was for me because I don’t train in dance.
Mansfield: I heard about it through my agent, and I was surprised because the casting team knew I had no prior dance experience. When I submitted a self-tape audition, I included some videos of myself dancing around my house. That went well because look where I ended up today!
Battrick: I heard about the audition from my agent. I‘m a part-time competitive dancer and have been since I was four. I train 10-12 hours per week.
Colón: I’ve been dancing since I was two years old. You might recognize me as the little girl who went viral five years ago dancing to “Respect” by Aretha Franklin! My manager called my mom and told her there was this awesome movie about dancers. She felt like the part was perfect for me and wanted me to audition. I loved the role right away!
Lapidus: I’ve been dancing my whole life, so when my agent told me about Feel the Beat, I was so excited to combine the two things I love most: dancing and acting.
Nelson: When my team sent me the Feel The Beat audition, I immediately loved it. I had no dance training at all, though! Thankfully, my character was the only one that didn't require prior dance experience. Netflix trained us in dance for a whole month before filming, which was incredible. That was my first time physically preparing for a role like that.
How did you prepare for the audition?
Hauge: I always read lines with my mom before an audition. For this one, though, I took more time to myself and thought about how I could make the character special. Sarah has a deep backstory, since her parents passed away, and she was raised by her older brother, Nick (Wolfgang Novogratz). She can definitely feel lonely at times, and I wanted to make sure that came across in my audition.
Jewett: I prepared as I usually do for auditions. I didn’t know what they were looking for in terms of dancers, but I heard that the [casting agents] wanted to see people who were teachable. I met briefly with a dance coach to go over some basics before my callback.
Mansfield: I studied the English lines with my mom in order to figure out the ASL translation for each. As a deaf actress, I have to work twice as hard because ASL is a language of its own—it’s not in the same order as English.
Battrick: I‘m really good at doing splits and wanted to impress the casting director, so I practiced. I also wore my favorite ballet outfit so they could really picture me as a dancer.
Colón: I spent a lot of time learning the lines and practicing my dancing.
Lapidus: Every day leading up to the audition, I brought my sides to school and would go to the bathroom during lunch to practice. At first, I actually tried out for Ruby but ended up being asked to send in a tape for Oona. From there, it all happened very fast. I was asked to come in for two dance callbacks with Mia Michaels, the choreographer, a few days later. The callbacks were very different from any other dance auditions I’d done in the past. We did a lot of improv, and Mia allowed our emotions to run wild so we could be free with the choreography.
Nelson: There were two dance callbacks in addition to the usual callbacks. I made sure to quickly fit in some ballet lessons before going!
How did you connect to the character you portrayed? Are your personality traits similar or different?
Hauge: Sarah and I have a lot in common! Last year, I was body-shamed by some girls because I didn’t look like them. I created a backstory with our director, Elissa, where Sarah goes through the same thing. That really helped me relate to her, and it supported my performance. Sarah and I also have a similar style. I love all of her clothes, especially her knee-high socks!
Jewett: I’m similar to Kari in many ways. She’s smart and determined. She goes after what she wants and stands up for herself. I have those same qualities, and I think it’s very important for girls to use their voices.
Mansfield: Zuzu comes from a very small town where she’s the only deaf girl. Her father is hearing (but he signs, which is so rare to see coming from hearing fathers), and her brother is hearing as well. My parents are deaf, and my sister is hearing. I come from Austin, Texas, which is a place where the deaf population is larger than usual, and almost everywhere we go, someone knows ASL. I go to a deaf school where all of my friends are all deaf, the principal is deaf, and most of my teachers are deaf. I have access to knowledge, gossip and everything else. Zuzu doesn't have the same luxury.
Battrick: There are a lot of similarities between Michelle and me. Since I’m a dancer in real life, I know how hard it is to train. I also have two siblings, but unlike the movie, I‘m the middle child. I‘m a bit more confident than Michelle, although the feistiness and energy are definitely the same.
Colón: Initially, I auditioned for the part of Oona, but I didn’t get it. However, Miss Elissa and Miss Susan [Cartsonis] really liked me, so they created the role of Lucia especially for me! Lucia and I are both Latinas, wear glasses and are jokesters. We also both drop our glasses when we dance!
Lapidus: I immediately connected to Oona because we both have a passion for dance and are willing to give it our all when it comes to achieving our goals. At first, Oona is hesitant to be so involved in her dancing, but once she realizes that it’s something she truly loves, she’s willing to put everything on the line. Portraying her character was a constant reminder to always give it my all when filming.
Nelson: I related to Ruby's drive and initiative. I'm definitely more outgoing than her, but she rolls with the punches more than I do, which I love.
What was it like working with Sofia Carson?
Hauge: Working with Sofia really made me realize what it’s like to have a best friend. Right from the initial audition, we connected on a personal level, just like Sarah and April. She’s graceful, kind and such a loving person. We worked together every day for three months, so I learned a lot from her, as this is my first film. She has really become like a sister to me.
Jewett: Sofia is amazing. She has the kindest heart and saw each of her castmates for who they were. I gained a new level of strength from her.
Mansfield: Everyone loves Evie, Sofia’s character from Descendants! Sofia is just the sweetest and humblest person to work with. My favorite moments with her were when we played “Truth or dare?” and held baby frogs together while the rest of the cast was grossed out by them.
Battrick: It was overwhelming at first because she‘s so famous—all the kids just wanted to be near her. She‘s amazing, and she tried to spend time with the cast as much as possible. She‘s very hard-working and talented, which was a true inspiration. It made me want to be just like her when I grow up.
Colón: It was the absolute best! Sofia has been an idol of mine since the first Descendants movie. I was in awe when I saw a Latina like me in a movie. I was so humbled to get to work with and learn from her. She’s so sweet, kind and funny!
Lapidus: Sofia is one of the most talented yet humble people I’ve ever met. She was an amazing role model for all of us, and her presence pushed us to be better. Sofia is completely unlike the character she portrays in the film. She would always hang out with us and never acted like she was too good for anyone or anything.
Nelson: Sofia was incredible. I was a fan of hers before filming, as I watched all of her Descendants films and A Cinderella Story, so getting to work with her was a dream. She was kind and supportive and taught me so much about what it means to be a leading lady. She also taught me to always bring your mom to set, even when you're older and don't have to. You always need your mom.
What was your favorite scene to film, and why?
Hauge: It’s really hard to pick just one. I had several emotional scenes, but I also had some fun ones with all the girls. My favorite scene was probably the moment after Sarah runs out of the barn and cries in the flower field, where April then comes to comfort her. Not only did Sofia and I learn a lot about each other that day, but I also learned a lot about Sarah and who she is. Another scene that I loved filming was the wildflower dance. Mia had me improvise the dance the first time we rehearsed it, and then she choreographed it from there. The dance is so beautiful and free-spirited, and it really shows Sarah’s frustration.
Jewett: I loved the bus scene because it involved deep acting, and I knew I could bring that connection. I also loved shooting the scene where we got to dance in the rain. We were soaking wet and kept having to film over and over again. It was amazing.
Mansfield: I loved all of them, but if I had to pick one it would be where we were dancing in the street. I’m a spontaneous person, and that scene allowed me to unleash that side. It’s also a big party where all differences and similarities are celebrated!
Battrick: The scene where Kai [Zen (“June”)] and I freeze on stage, and Justin [Caruso Allan (“Dicky”)] comes in and saves the day. I‘m really good at making big, scared eyes. I loved the dance, I loved doing cartwheels, and it was also my favorite outfit I wore.
Colón: I loved filming the scene at Nationals when we danced to “Everybody Dance Now.” It was so fun, and there were super cool special effects!
Lapidus: The “Everybody Dance Now” dance number. Growing up as a competition dancer, I’ve always loved performing on stage, and in this scene, I was able to do so without the pressure of competing. The choreography is also so fun and shows the team’s growth.
Nelson: Probably one of the bad dances at the beginning! Before April teaches us to dance, our characters are really bad, so our choreographer let us add our own quirks and mistakes to the moves. It ended up hilariously awful!
What was the most challenging scene to film?
Hauge: The star lift in the barn was so physically challenging. I had to do strength training for almost two months, along with stunt training for two weeks. It can be quite tiring, but I had so much fun, I don’t even think I noticed!
Jewett: The football field scene. I tend to go all out, and it was really hot that day in Toronto. Running through tires was so difficult in the heat, but we did it, and it turned out great.
Mansfield: The “Everybody Dance Now!” number. It was long, and there were so many moves to remember. The music was also very fast, so it took me longer to practice it. As someone who’s deaf, I have to read the lyrics to understand the meaning, memorize the beats and then dance. At the same time, I had tons of fun, and I loved the outfit and sneakers I got to wear while performing.
Battrick: The flower dance. There were tons of changes prior to filming, and it was very complicated with a lot of moving parts.
Colón: The dance we filmed in the rain. The water was so cold, and I couldn’t see with all the water on my glasses! Sofia would snuggle with me under a blanket so we could warm up between takes.
Lapidus: The rain dance. It took almost all day to shoot. In the end, it was hard to act joyful when we were completely drenched, but it was definitely worth it because the scene turned out beautiful.
Nelson: The one where April finds Ruby crying in the bathroom. It's Ruby's low point, so I was nervous about doing it justice. Sofia was the best scene partner I could've ever asked for. In the end, the scene ended up great, and I was so happy.
Any behind-the-scenes blooper moments you can share?
Hauge: When Sarah runs out of the barn, I was supposed to go a certain way to the field. In one of the takes, though, they forgot to yell “cut,” so I just kept going. The shot didn’t make it into the film, but I got some good exercise that day!
Jewett: When we were dancing in the rain, several of us would slip and fall in the water and mud. We kept having to get up and do the scene again.
Colón: In the scene where I yell, “We don’t suck,” and then run back to the ballet barre, I fell! The floor was wet, and I slid and slammed into the wall. Everyone was worried I got hurt, but I just laughed about it afterward.
Lapidus: When we were shooting “Everybody Dance Now,” Sofia and Wolfgang came on stage and started dancing with us. It was a total surprise, and it was so fun to get to dance with them.
Nelson: There was one day where Sofia and I were doing lines off-camera for one of the other girls, and the camera setup separated us. We started singing her song, “Space Between,” that she sings with Dove Cameron in Descendants 2, which was so much fun!
What message do you hope people will take away from screening the film?
Hauge: It’s not about what you are—it’s about who you are. My character, Sarah, also demonstrates a beautiful message: never stop pursuing your dreams. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your backstory is. You can do anything you set your mind to. I hope to inspire young girls like Sarah and make them feel seen and represented.
Jewett: This is such an important time for all of us to find hope, and I think this movie brings it. From chasing your dreams to having your circumstances change, you must hold onto the hope that things will come back together. I also want everyone to see themselves in this film. We have diversity, different family types, differently-abled kids and different body sizes. We’re all here.
Mansfield: There’s no such thing as perfection. It’s not the way to be successful or even happy. Just believe in being yourself no matter who you are or where you come from.
Battrick: It’s a very warm movie full of love, hope and laughter. I want people to take away that with hard work, you can achieve your dreams. Never give up or be afraid of failure.
Colón: I hope that people see the importance of not only focusing on your dreams but on raising up the people around you. If we work together, support each other and lift each other up, we can all do better!
Lapidus: There are so many messages in the film, but I think the most important one is to never give up and to always have hope.
Nelson: There are so many wonderful messages in the film, but ultimately, I hope it makes people smile and dance!
Follow the Cast on Instagram:
Eva Hauge: @evahaugeofficial
Lidya Jewett: @lidyajewett
Shaylee Mansfield: @shayleemansfield
Carina Battrick: @carinabattrick
Johanna Colón: @iamjohannacolon
Sadie Lapidus: @sadielapidus_
Shiloh Nelson: @shilohanelson