'World of Dance': Pittsburgh dancer leads Marissa & The Heartbreakers group to The Duels

A dancer from Bridgeville led the first women's high heels dance group on “World of Dance” into the competition’s second round on Channel 11.

Marissa Heart and her group Marissa & The Heartbreakers competed against a hip hop group during The Duels, but they did not make it into the next round.

Heart, 24, began her dance career in the dance studio now known as Studio 19 Dance Complex in Mars.

See & Be Seen talked to Heart and her team member Corrie Wyse, also from Pittsburgh, about getting on the second season of the show, their interactions with the judges and the message behind their performances.

"Being a part of 'World of Dance,' the dance Olympics, was really surreal and unbelievable to me," Heart said. "It was really incredible to showcase our vision and be my own individual and not just the backup dancer behind someone else."

A successful choreographer, dancer and dance instructor living in Los Angeles, Heart was first approached by the show's producers about putting together a group of dancers representing the empowerment of women.

"I really wanted to show the world what women empowerment is," Heart said. "No better way to too that than as women in heels, accepting our bodies and being fearless in what we do."

She chose six women, including her long-time friend Corrie Wyse from Pittsburgh.

"I don't think it was a coincidence that we were put on this show at this time," Wyse, 28, said. "The message is not just about us, but we want every woman out there to feel powerful and sexy."

Right before the group's first performance in the qualifiers round, Heart said Ne-Yo visited the group backstage.

"He said, 'Leave it all out there; we want the wow factor,'" Heart said. "He was so positive and believed that we had what it took to wow them."

After the pep talk, the ladies took the stage dressed in all black with heeled boots up to their thighs. The whole outfit showed little skin.

Kelly Clarkson's "Love So Soft" began playing and the ladies dove into their smooth routine with high kicks and hair flips, confident struts and bends.

The most impressive bend was when Heart skillfully pulled off a contortion move that wowed the crowd and judges. While looking forward with her chin on the ground, she brought her behind above her head and stretched her legs out.

When the performance was over, Jennifer Lopez asked Heart: "Did you audition for my Vegas show? You were amazing! But you were just little!"

Heart told See & Be Seen that it was so cool to have J-Lo recognize her from an audition she did years ago on her 18th birthday.

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"I was such a little nugget then," Heart told See & Be Seen. "(Lopez) has so many talented people. The fact she remembered me was really incredible."

Overall, the judges all gave positive reviews of their performance, but Ne-Yo gave them a warning.

"It's clear, strong, sexy. We got it. Don't over play it," Ne-Yo said. "That's the line that you don't want to cross."

Heart said she took in everything he said, but she's confident her choreography never crosses the line from sensuality to sexuality.

"There's so much power and strength and technique behind a walk in heels," Heart said. "I don't think we crossed the line."

With a score of 83.7, the group advanced to The Duels.

Lopez whispered "she's a good dancer, that girl" when deciding the team's score.

Heart said she would never have discovered her contortion abilities without her childhood instructor Tammy Croftcheck of Studio 19 Dance Complex.

When she was 9, Croftcheck had Heart audition for the competition show "Star Search," which brought her to Los Angeles. She fell in love with the city and moved two years later.

While both Wyse and Heart are pursuing impressive careers in dance in LA, they still have love for Pittsburgh.

"I miss the family and the people in Pittsburgh. It's super homey and comfortable," Heart said. "I have love for both places. I'll always be a Pittsburgh girl."

Cox Media Group