Fox’s fall 2021 primetime lineup will include the debut of The Big Leap, a scripted dramedy set in the world of dance and focusing on a group of wannabe dancers who are assembled – some based on talent, others on likeability – to perform a new version of “Swan Lake.” The one-hour series will air on Mondays at 9pm ET/PT, immediately following new episodes of 9-1-1.
Season one episode one will premiere on Fox on September 20, 2021, following an early preview of the first two episodes via Hulu, Fox Now, and On Demand beginning September 14th.
The Big Leap was created by writer Liz Heldens (The Passage) and is executive produced by Heldens, director Jason Winer (Modern Family), Sue Naegle (The Plot Against America), and Peter Dale.
The Cast:
Season one stars Scott Foley as Nick Blackburn, Teri Polo as Julia Perkins, Jon Rudnitsky as Mike Devries, and Kevin Daniels as Wayne Fontaine. Piper Perabo stars as Paula Clark, Ser’Darius Blain is Reggie Sadler, Simone Recasner is Gabby Lewis, Raymond Cham Jr is Justin Calgrove, Mallory Jansen is Monica Sullivan, and Anna Grace Barlow is Brittany Lovewell.
The Plot, Courtesy of Fox:
On the heels of his latest show failure and a stressful divorce, producer NICK BLACKBURN (Foley) reluctantly signs on to produce “The Big Leap,” a high-stakes docuseries filming in Motor City. The show, which brings together dancers from every age, background and body type, is the brainchild of former dancer WAYNE FONTAINE (Daniels). With choreographer MONICA SULLIVAN (Jansen) on board to help Nick mount the production, he begins his search for not only the best dancers, but also the ones that could stir up the most drama and buzz.
GABBY LEWIS (Recasner) once dreamt of becoming a professional dancer, but her dreams were sidelined when she got pregnant right out of high school. In the midst of the monotony that is her 9-to-5 office job, she stumbles upon an open casting call for “The Big Leap,” reigniting her passion for dance. Auditioning alongside Gabby is JUSTIN CALGROVE (Cham Jr.), Gabby’s former dance partner and high school boyfriend…that is, until he came out of the closet (to the surprise of no one, except Gabby).
Their fellow contestants include REGGIE SADLER (Blain), a professional football star on the brink of suspension and whom Nick believes could give the show the star power and controversy it needs to break through; BRITTNEY LOVEWELL (Barlow), a born-and-bred hyper-competitive ballroom dancer whose partner is her twin brother; unemployed autoworker MIKE DEVRIES (Rudnitsky), whose gradual unraveling recently led his wife to leave him; PAULA CLARK (Perabo), a high-powered corporate executive; and former ballerina JULIA PERKINS (Polo), who relies on social media for the attention she craves from her family.
Inspired by a U.K. reality format, Big Ballet, The Big Leap is an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age.
