There are those lucky kids who start something at a young age, love it and decide that’s what they want to do in life. Lauren Gottlieb was not one of those kids … sort of. At 7 years old, she took different dance classes, 30 minutes of jazz here, 30 minutes of tap there, yet she didn’t really like it that much. She was actually afraid of it. However, it was her mom who told her to tough it out, finish the year and do the recital at the end. That’s when it all hit Gottlieb, when she was on stage and performing. That’s when she became one of those lucky kids.

Straight from Scottsdale, Ariz., Gottlieb moved to North Hollywood right out of high school to pursue her dream of dancing. Usually, moving to the city to pursue performance will worry most parents, but Gottlieb says her own saw the drive she had.

“They were always behind me in what I was doing, and would help me out as long as I didn’t slack off,” she says.

Gottlieb had her break in Season 3 of “So You Think You Can Dance,” where she made it as a finalist. She now returns to season seven, but this time as an All-Star, one of the many changes fans of the show should expect this time around.

Gottlieb is glad for the chance to return.

“When I was first on the show I was 18, right out of high school. Now I have a little bit more experience,” she says.

This will bring that much more excitement and energy to the show.

Returning to the “luck” previously mention, for those who still have not found their life’s purpose, this young star offers aged wisdom: “Completely believe in yourself and stay committed, you can make whatever you want happen. Remember that everything deserves a lot of hard work, and anything you create can be done if you stick to it and go for it.”



“So You Think You Can Dance” Season 7 premieres May 27 at 8 p.m. on Fox.