Bieber perfecting his dance moves

LOS ANGELES -- Justin Bieber has built-in stage charisma and sure can sing. But the teen idol has been quietly working on another key part of his act that doesn't come quite as naturally -- his dance moves.

The past few months while in L.A., the hard working Canadian lad has apparently been sweating it up at daily one-and-a-half-hour dance lessons at a Hollywood studio called Millennium. It's the same studio where Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Miley Cyrus attend ballet, jazz and hip-hop technique classes -- then hone their moves with top choreographers.

"The ability to dance doesn't just appear out of nowhere," says Sven Toorvald, a former dancer with the Houston Ballet who now instructs L.A.-based entertainers and dancers on movement techniques and balance.

"Dance seemed to come easy to a performer like Michael Jackson. But dance was part of the Jackson Five act from the beginning and Michael had hours of daily training," says Toorvald.

"If Justin Bieber wants to have dance in his arsenal, which it seems he does, yes, he needs more training."

Bieber's mentor, Usher, has already helped him with some signature moves -- the double pointed fingers at swooning girls, the Baby crotch-grab and the slide and point.

But, witness his Grammy Awards performance -- especially next to Usher and the professional dancers used for back-up choreography -- and it's obvious the teen is a little stiff.

In the dance studio, Bieber has apparently been concentrating on hip-hop and jazz techniques so he can jump a little higher and loosen up his hips.

If Bieber "studies seriously, every day he'll get better," says Toorvald. "And, if he's already taking technique classes, he should get better quickly."

Dance ability can be a big variable that separates flash-in-the-pan teen sensations from long-lasting stars.

Michael Jackson was always a nifty singer, but it was his innovative dancing on the Thriller video back in the '80s that helped make the album the biggest seller of all time.

Ditto for Lady Gaga and Madonna. Their sophisticated dance performances are just as important as their vocals. But these gals work it -- and both admit to spending daily hours studying all types of dance and movement.

Elvis Presley had a terrific voice. But if it weren't for that pelvis thrust, would he be as iconic as he is?

Then there's former teen stars Donny Osmond and David Cassidy. They could sing and had charisma -- but both were left-footed on stage. If they had worked out some cool choreography, who knows how far their careers would have continued?

Luckily, the Biebs is on it. After all these lessons, it'll be interesting to see how much his dance moves sweeten up over the next few months.

Toronto Sun