Brianna Diebolt grew up dreaming of a life on stage and screen, but she never imagined those childhood ambitions would actually come true. That changed with The Next Step — the show that reshaped her trajectory and brought those dreams to life.

"I was pretty much born in the dance studio," said Diebolt, recalling her beginnings with the sport.

Raised in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., she began dancing at the age of two, inspired by her older sister, who also danced. As soon as she could walk, her mom enrolled her in classes. Diebolt's talents progressed quickly, and she trained at a competitive studio until she was 15.

By grade 11, the pressure of competition became too much, and she found herself wanting to discover her love for the sport once again. She then transferred to an alternative dance school where the training remained just as rigorous, but she didn't compete.

Around the same time, she began exploring other avenues within the dance world beyond competition. 

"There was definitely a time that I was like, 'Do I even want to keep doing this?'" said Diebolt. "And then that's when The Next Step happened."

When auditions for season seven were announced, she decided to take the leap. "I was kind of just like, 'Let's do it. What do I have to lose?'"

The first audition focused on dance, and shortly after, she received a callback for the second round. This was when acting came into play, an area she'd only lightly explored through her studio's Get Connected Program.

Four auditions later, after what she described as a "whirlwind" process, Diebolt landed a small role in season seven of The Next Step. She debuted as Grace, a dancer in the B-Troupe. After her first season, however, she was told that Grace's storyline would end early in the eighth season.
 

Disappointed but determined, Diebolt worked extremely hard on set, maintaining a positive attitude. Her dedication didn't go unnoticed, and the producers, impressed by her initiative, decided to keep Grace in the show.

"They saw my hard work and that's when they started writing me into more of the scripts because The Next Step is performance-based," said Diebolt.

By season nine, she secured a principal role and got to explore a new challenge; Grace became the show's villain. 

"Acting as a mean person was a chore, but it was really cool," said Diebolt. 

After her villain arc in season nine, Grace moved up to A-Troupe in season 10, joining the show's lead group of dancers. Diebolt got to close out the show in its final season, acting in a role that she pushed for from the beginning.

 

"[The Next Step] was where I found my love for acting," said Diebolt.

During these later seasons, Diebolt was also navigating life as a high school student, trying to decide what her post-secondary path would be. She originally assumed she would continue to pursue dance and acting exclusively, but that was before she took a few business classes. Discovering her new passion for business and wanting to attend university in the city, she applied to Toronto Metropolitan University's (TMU) Ted Rogers School of Management and was accepted.

Not anticipating her acceptance, and overwhelmed by the idea of jumping straight into university, she chose to take a gap year to find her footing before starting at TMU.

Diebolt began her journey at TMU in the fall of 2023. Before starting school, she explored university dance opportunities and learned about TMU Dance Pak. 

In her first year at TMU, Diebolt wasn't able to try out for the team because she was filming The Next Step through the end of September 2023. She auditioned the following year and made the team.

During that first year in the city, she found it challenging to travel to dance studios for classes and felt she had lost her rhythm. Joining Dance Pak in her second year helped her regain the structure she was familiar with and made her feel more connected to her school community. 

"When I actually got to dance at the games, that was when I realized there is a community at TMU," said Diebolt.

Being a part of the team also helped her build new friendships, "Dance Pak is like a family. We lean on each other for everything."

Alongside her academic and athletic commitments at TMU, Diebolt is continuing to pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry. After season seven of The Next Step, she sought out an agent to help her navigate the cutthroat industry. The show's casting director and choreographer, Amy Wright, helped her find one. 

Describing Wright as "a second mom," Diebolt says she's become a trusted mentor who she can rely on in the industry. She has helped Diebolt with the transition from being on the show to seeking new opportunities.

While balancing schoolwork and Dance Pak practices, Diebolt receives weekly auditions from her agent and attends acting classes to continue developing her skills.

Studying business in conjunction with her creative aspirations has shown her how closely the two worlds connect. Minoring in events, she enjoys the creative process through marketing, design and social media.

Unaware of what path she wants to pursue, Diebolt is keeping her options open: "I have lots of aspirations, and we'll see where it goes."

Balancing it all hasn't been easy, but she shared that it has strengthened her time management skills. 

"I think the best way to do it is to throw yourself right into it and just learn as you go," said Diebolt.
 

Though she hasn't landed her next role yet, she remains determined to break back into the industry.

"As hard as it is, I do have an end goal in mind with acting. I want to book that major role, or even a series of smaller but meaningful roles, and work my way up to something big," said Diebolt.

Surrounded by the support of her Dance Pak community and the strenuous work she's putting in to sharpen her skills, Diebolt is stepping into the next stage of her entertainment journey with confidence.

"I think there is more out there for me," said Diebolt. "Dealing with it is still a work in progress, but I haven't given up yet.