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Lee Bridgman
Age: 21
From: Plymouth

Lee began performing at a young age, leaving his small village in Devon for London's Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts at just 12 years old. Since graduating, his career as a dancer and model has rocketed, taking him from the West End stage, to the catwalk at London Fashion week, to the pages of British Vogue, all in under two years.

• Fresh from Italia Conti, Lee was snapped up by the West End show Wicked, where he danced in the ensemble for a year.
• Dancing on screen is nothing new for Lee as he's appeared in a Goldfrapp music video and has danced alongside Cher Lloyd and One Direction on X Factor.
• The 21 year old is eager to prove his versatility and to try different genres, but his favourite style is jazz/contemporary.
• An alternative contender, Lee wants to bring something individual to the world of dance. "I really want to show the world what I'm made of, and what I'm all about" he says.

Shane Collard
Age: 24
From: Perth, Australia

After three years of ballet and contemporary dance training in Perth, Shane left Australia at 18, and with his first professional audition, landed a role as a Can-Can soloist at the Moulin Rouge. However, it was only after a series of dance classes in New York years later that Shane was inspired to train further and move to London to make it as a dancer.

• Before he began dancing aged 9, Shane loved gymnastics; a background which has given him the strength and body awareness needed in dance, and has made him a fearless performer.
• Shane's passion for gymnastics has never left him and he made his money to move to London as an acrobat, aerialist and trapeze artist on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.
• It was Shane's grandmother who took him to see his first show and supported him through his past performances. Although she has now passed away, Shane feels she's still there with him when he performs.
• Shane's delighted to have been given the chance to be a part of the show which he says "has had such a positive effect on the dance world and has really brought a lot of respect to dancers and what we do".

Lee Crowley
Age: 20
From: Cwmbran

Before dance Lee's first passion was trampolining. He took up the sport to improve his spatial awareness after suffering illness as a child and ended up competing nationally. It was during a break-dancing performance at an international competition that Lee was first inspired to take lessons.

• During his gap year, Lee taught and performed all over the country. He has never had any formal training, but has attended dance classes to broaden his skills.
• The 20-year-old has worked with Bboy crew Boy Blue and top UK crew Soul Mavericks, with whom he has performed and battled across the world and reached the semi finals at the UK B-boy Championships.
• Lee can't stand laziness and his energetic attitude to life is present in his dancing. Nicknamed "Reckless Lee", he is known for pushing himself to the limit when free-styling.
• Lee has also performed with Katy Perry at the MTV Awards and it was his performance with Lemar on last year's So You Think You Can Dance that made him want to return as a competitor. He aims "to enjoy the experience and push myself even further in dance".

Israel Donowa
Age: 18
Lives: Hackney, East London

Israel is currently in his third year at URDANG Academy, West London. Although he's still training, he feels this shouldn't stop him from taking every opportunity to audition or work and, as a result, Israel has already performed alongside big names including Flo Rida and Whitney Houston.

• Israel struggled to find focus as a teenager, and found himself falling in with the wrong crowd. At 14, he was invited to a hip-hop dance show, and discovered his passion for dance. It was then that his life took a new direction.
• Considering himself "extremely fortunate and blessed", Israel has the goal to one day become a well-known choreographer, and hopes that he too can encourage young people to dance.
• Israel shares a birthday with Michael Jackson, and is inspired by both his music and dancing. He was even cast in the Thriller tour but had to turn it down due to college commitments.
• As one of the youngest in the series, Israel is concerned about his lack of experience. However, he says he always gives 110 per cent and feels this will help him in the live shows.

Matt Flint
Age: 29
From: Scarborough

Matt began dancing at 13 when he was persuaded to join his aunt's boys' street dance class. Although also a talented footballer, Matt found his passion in dance and chose to go on to study at Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom.

• Matt has spent much of his career in London's West End. His theatre appearances include High-School Musical, Dirty Dancing and Guys And Dolls in which he performed alongside Patrick Swayze.
• Well-travelled, Matt's dancing has taken him across Japan, Australia and America. When he's not working, he's cave diving in the south of France or trekking through the Peruvian Jungle.
• Matt hopes that the competition will challenge him professionally and open doors to a future in choreography. As tap is Matt's favourite form of dance, he is keen to bring the style back into the spotlight.
• Having hidden his light under a bushel as a young dancer, keeping his hobby secret from friends, Matt now says he's "excited for all family and friends up north who haven't seen me dance to see it".

Luke Jackson
Age: 30
From: Leicester

Between the ages of 11-16, Luke trained up to five times a week in jazz, ballet and tap at a local dance school, before joining Laine Theatre Arts aged 18. After graduating, Luke was cast in the ensemble of Saturday Night Fever, and since then has appeared frequently in the West End. He has most recently performed in Pricilla Queen Of The Desert.

• As well as performing in the West End, Luke has also toured the UK with the hit musical Cats; an ambition he had since he saw the show as a child.
• Taking a break from ensemble work, Luke also spent some time as the dance captain in Grease, The Musical.
• Luke has worked in the dance industry for 10 years and after feeling he's always taken the safe roles, now feels ready to push himself. "This is such a unique opportunity, one I had to go for" he says.
• Now, the jazz dancer is planning to throw himself whole-heartedly into the live shows. "In life I'm laid back and easygoing, but when it comes to dance I'm determined and focused" he says.

Ryan Jenkins
Age: 28
From: Isle of Wight

Since his training at Bird's College, Ryan has toured Europe and Japan in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, featured in musicals Grease, Wicked and Cabaret and has appeared in a movie adaptation of Phantom Of The Opera. Ryan is also passionate about the creative side of the industry, and hopes in the future to establish himself as a successful choreographer.

• Swan Lake was Ryan's first job after leaving Birds and was a career highlight for him. He feels his 11-month tour with the ballet took his dancing to a new level and allowed him to develop as an artist.
• Since returning to Grease in 2005 as the dance captain, Ryan's dream has been to become one of the world's top choreographers and he has just finished choreographing a new show entitled Discotivity.
• Ryan's success has often been accompanied by personal tragedy and through the course of his career he has had to cope with the loss of both his brother and his mother. Ryan is very close to his father who works as a builder and is a constant source of advice and support.
• Ryan is most looking forward to: "the choreographers, new styles and showing myself and everyone finally what I'm capable of."

Gian Luca Loddo
Age: 32
From: Sardinia, Italy

Italian-born Gian Luca began his career competing around Italy as a professional gymnast and dreamt of being part of the Olympics. At 18, he was spotted by a talent scout and asked to join Cagliari Opera House, where he worked as an acrobat for two months. Gian Luca says his time there changed his life, and confirmed his passion for opera as well as dance.

• Gian Luca studied chemistry at university and alongside his degree, attended a drama school every evening for three years, before eventually leaving university to pursue a dance career.
• Gian Luca then joined a ballet school for a year, training for eight hours a day and went on to complete eight months intensive training with Italian dance company In Reggio Emilia.
• Since then he has toured the world with dance show Waterwall, has appeared in music videos for Alexandra Burke, Yolanda be Cool, D cup and has also modelled for Roberto Cavalli.
• Gian Luca loves art in all its forms and is serious about performance: "We are not only going to have fun, we'll have the responsibility to represent art on a live TV show" he says. "We have to do it well and seriously because art is a very, very important and delicate sector in our modern society"

Tom Shilcock
Age: 23
From: Leicester

Tom began dancing at 16 practicing jazz, tap, ballet and commercial. Although he doesn't mind admitting he took lessons to meet girls, Tom soon found he loved dance, and at 19, was awarded a scholarship to Laine Theatre Arts, where he added contemporary, musical theatre, singing and drama to his studies.

• While at Laine, Tom danced on stage with Meat Loaf and Jamelia in the Royal Variety performance and considers this a real career highlight. He dreams of touring with big names as a backing dancer.
• Along with his two best friends, Tom is currently running dancing and singing workshops for children at his own performing arts school, Next Generation Performing Arts, in Leicester.
• Tom says he is his own worst critic, but feels this will help him focus and push himself in the competition.
• Although he's trained in multiple styles of dance, Tom is a tapper at heart and wants to raise the genre's profile on the show. "I want to show boys it's cool to dance," he says.

Charlie Wheeller
Age: 18
From: Southampton

Keen to find his own niche, 18-year-old Charlie began contortion break dancing at college, teaching himself through videos online. He began training daily at school and has been hooked on the style ever since.

• Charlie now trains at Circus Space in London, practicing juggling, acrobatics and the trapeze. His specialty is performing in a suspended metal hoop called the Cyr wheel.
• Charlie auditioned spontaneously for the show after hearing about the preliminary auditions the night before. "I didn't actually expect anything," he says.
• Now he's in the final 20, Charlie is looking forward to the experience, and is excited about the atmosphere of the live shows.
• A unique performer, he loves experimenting with genres and it was his individual style which first impressed the judges. "I will flip circus on its head," he says, "I am a contortion breaker who will twist your face into a smile with my crazy tricks."