List of Backstage characters

Vanessa

Vanessa Morita^[1] (Devyn Nekoda) is a ballet dancer. Vanessa attends Keaton upon insistence from her best friend, Carly. She's also known by her nickname, Vee. She was the freshman Prima pick until she was replaced by Cassandra after refusing to end her friendship with Carly. She was cast in the main role of Cinderella in the freshman dance show Step Sister. She hurts her ankle but continues to dance on it, insisting she is fine. She eventually falls and breaks it on opening night, and as a result has to walk on crutches. Her ankle eventually heals and she is able to walk and dance again. She joins the Streets, and dance crew lead by Sloane.

At the end of season one, Carly and Vanessa decide to set off the sprinklers to save Julie from a revenge plot orchestrated by Carly. This plan backfires when lots of equipment and technology is ruined. Sasha, Vanessa, Carly, and later Jenna, all keep this a secret. Eventually, Principal Durani is sent a video of Vanessa and Carly near the fire alarm. This video is sent from an anonymous email, which is later revealed to be Cassandra.

Vanessa and Carly are "Keaton's Keepers" in the beginning of season 2, because of their revenge plot. As "Keaton's Keepers" they are forced to do chores and tasks around the school. It is revealed at the beginning of season two that Vanessa plans to audition for the Primas. She is almost late to the audition but makes it there on time. She then trips over Beckett's dance bag. She injuries herself again and is unable to dance until the end of the season.

Vanessa is a skilled choreographer as well as dancer. She choreographs throughout the show, but she does it more prominently in season 2, when she coaches CAMDA competitor Mindy. Her coaching allows Mindy to make it to the finals.

Vanessa is shown to be hard working, optimistic, friendly, caring, and determined. She is extremely focused on dance and often puts pressure on herself. She is very loyal to her friends, often encouraging them to do their best and standing up for them.

Carly is Vanessa's best friend. They have been friends since they were very young, which is stated at multiple occasions. Dance and competition often create conflict in their relationship, though they are shown to have a very strong friendship. Sasha and Vanessa are good friends. They are often dance partners, and very supportive of each other. Sasha and Vanessa share a kiss in season one, but Sasha writes it off, claiming he "got caught up in the moment". Beckett is Vanessa's boyfriend. Beckett is introduced in season 2, and his interest in Vanessa soon becomes apparent. They are seen having coffee together by Sasha, Carly, and Helsweel.

Carly

Carly Catto^[2] (Alyssa Trask) is a ballet dancer. Carly is Vanessa's best friend. She's also known by her nickname, Cee.

Miles

Miles Lennox^[3] (Josh Bogert) is a shy music student. He plays guitar, piano, percussion, and can also sing. Miles has a kidney disease.

Alya

Alya Kendrick^[4] (Aviva Mongillo) is a shy music student. She plays guitar and sings. Alya suffers from stage fright.

Jax

Jackson "Jax" Gardner^[5] (Matthew Isen) is a music student. He is a self-proclaimed professional DJ, by the name of DJ G.

Bianca

Bianca Blackwell (Julia Tomasone) is a music student and a singer. Bianca is an actress from a number of shows, most recently Chase on Chase and Chance.^[6]

Jenna

Jenna Cristinziano^[7] (Adrianna Di Liello) is a dance student who often feels left out and ignored especially when she is with Vanessa and Carly.

Sasha

Sasha Roy^[8] (Colin Petierre) is a dance student. He also is responsible for TMK, Keaton's gossip blog.

Scarlett

Scarlett Dunn^[9] (Mckenzie Small) is a tenth grade music student and a singer. Scarlett is called Scarlett the Starlet by most students of Keaton and considered one of the most talented singers at the school. Scarlett is Kit's adopted sister.

Kit

Katherine Emily "Kit" Dunn^[10] (Romy Weltman) is a music and an art student. Kit is a producer, considered talented by even Jax, and an artist. Kit is Scarlett's adopted sister.

Denzel

Denzel Stone^[11] (Isiah Hall, season 1) is a visual arts student. Denzel is a producer and an artist and close friends with Kit.

Julie

Julie Maslany^[12] (Kyal Legend) is the student body president. She shows up to school dressed in different costumes every day and is considered an amazing artist along with dance and singing. Denzel thinks of Julie as a hero.

Park

Mr. Park (Chris Hoffman) is the music teacher. Unlike Helsweel, Park shows compassion toward his students.

Helsweel

Etta Helsweel (Jane Moffat) is the dance teacher, who was a prima ballerina for the National Ballet for five years.^[13]

Beckett

Beckett Bradstreet^[14] (Thomas L. Colford, season 2) is a dance student at Keaton.

Cassandra

Cassandra Miller (Madison MacGregor) is the dance captain of the Primas.

Maria Schiller

Maria Schiller (Pippa Leslie) is a former professional ballerina and a new dance teacher at Keaton. She gets fired later in the season.

Principal Durani

Principal D. Durani^[15] (Dewshane Williams) is the principal of Keaton School of the Arts.

Austin

Austin Taylor^[16] (Michael Kaplan) is a film student at Keaton. He last appears in the first season episode, "After the Flood".

Sloane

Sloane (Stephanie Caldeira) is the leader of the Streets, a group of drama students who dance outdoors, though they have had no formal dance training but later get an opportunity to train inside Keaton.

Frances

Frances O'Connell (Stephanie La Rochelle) is a senior who a talented singer. In season 2, she is assigned to mentor some sophomores who include Miles, Alya and Bianca.

Mindy

Mindy (Hailey Fauchere) is a freshman dancer who is accepted into the Primas in season 2.

General references

• Joanna Landsberg (July 12, 2016). "DHX Television Announes Casting Details for Season Two of Backstage, Family Channel and Fresh TV's Popular Tween Series" (Press release). Toronto, Ontario: DHX Media. Retrieved October 13, 2017.