LOCAL NEWS

Utah performers hope to impress ‘World of Dance’ judges

May 29, 2018, 10:28 PM | Updated: Jun 1, 2018, 12:47 am

OREM, Utah – Two Utah dancers are getting their chance to show the nation what they’ve got on this season’s “World of Dance.” The show premiered Tuesday night on NBC. Contestants Charity Anderson, 18, and Andres Peñate, 18, have been dancing together since they were eight and did not hesitate to enter this year’s contest.

“When I saw that call for auditions last summer, I knew we needed to enter,” Peñate said.

The two have been training since last June and made it onto the show, which started taping in January. They say their shared love of dance and determination made them a perfect fit.

“We could really feed off of each other and we could really work together to get things done,” Peñate said. “We could really voice our own opinions.”

Peñate, of Legacy Dance Studio in Orem, made it onto the first season last year with a group but decided to just enter with Anderson this time around. It was a welcome change.

“I am so glad we got to pair up this season,” Anderson said. “The first season, I was obsessed with it, and so the experience — just being there seeing everyone — it was like ‘wow.’”

Anderson has trained with her family, who owns Charisma Dance Studio in Springville, all her life, and said the most important gift she has been given is support.

“Just having all our friends and family and everyone that we know support us, it’s really confidence-building,” Anderson said.

The two are competing with their contemporary-style routines in the show’s junior category. They hope their story encourages others to work hard for their dreams.

“I really hope that people are just inspired to just take a chance, because at first we just had no expectations, but we enjoyed every minute of being contestants,” Peñeta said.

“World of Dance” features judges: Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough and NE-YO. It was the most-watched new summer alternative series in 10 years and has already been renewed for a third season.

“World of Dance” airs on KSL Tuesday nights from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.

KSL 5 TV Live

Top Stories

Local News

(Chopper 5/KSL TV)...
Josh Ellis

Crews recover body of missing snowmobiler who was buried in Utah County avalanche

Search crews say they located and recovered the body of a man who was buried in an avalanche while snowmobiling in western Utah County.
10 hours ago
Gwyneth Paltrow enters the courtroom for her trial, Monday, March 27, 2023, in Park City, Utah. The...
Sam Metz

Gwyneth Paltrow’s experts to testify in Utah ski crash case

Gwyneth Paltrow’s attorneys are expected to call a series of experts and read depositions from her two teenage children as the trial over her 2016 Utah ski collision with a Utah man enters its sixth day.
10 hours ago
(UDOT)...
Josh Ellis

Crash snarls morning commute for Davis County drivers

A rollover crash is blocking multiple southbound Interstate 15 lanes near Glover Lane, leading to massive delays for commuters.
10 hours ago
The Atwater snowpack site in Alta, operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is pictu...
Carter Williams

Utah’s record snowpack: Which basins have collected the most water so far this year?

Utah's snowpack continues to climb after soaring past the 26-inch mark on Friday, besting 1983 as the best season in the modern age of snowpack collection records.
10 hours ago
The Moffitt family (Jackson Grimm/KSL TV)...
Shara Park

Shot in the line of duty: Sandy officer, family, share how fateful day brought them closer together

A federal judge Monday sentenced a Utah man involved in gunfire that injured a Sandy officer. That officer, Sgt. Greg Moffitt, his wife and three daughters spoke exclusively with KSL about how that day impacted their family.
1 day ago
Flags fly at half-staff at the Utah Capitol. (Photo from @GovCox/Twitter)...
Madison Swenson

Gov. Cox orders flags be lowered in honor of Nashville shooting victims

Gov. Spencer Cox has ordered all flags in Utah be lowered to half-staff in honor of the three children and three adults killed in a school shooting in Nashville.
1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...
PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.
Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...
BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.
Close up of an offset printing machine during production...
Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.
vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...
Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.
Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...
Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.
notebook with password notes highlighted...
PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.
Utah performers hope to impress ‘World of Dance’ judges