BACKSTAGE/ THE NEXT STEP

Two of the specialty channel’s favourite family series have new episodes airing back-to-back tonight. First is Backstage, in which talented high school students at a fine-arts school hone their crafts while dealing with the drama that comes from tough teachers, competitive friends and their own self-image. In Lose Yourself, Julie stands up for her right to artistic expression and Vanessa pushes herself to her limits. In The Next Step, Michelle and Riley (Victoria Baldeserra and Brittany Raymond) take a walk down memory while Noah (Myles Erlick), afraid of losing his spot on the A Troupe dance team, continues to hide his ongoing back problems, in Love Will Tear Us Apart. (The Family Channel)