Step Up star talks fitness, body confidence & pizza!

We spoke to Briana Evigan - the dancer/actress who is best known for her role in the Step Up movies - about the gruelling training process for the newest film, Step Up 5: All In. She also talks about her diet, the naughty foods she loves, and the crazy fitness classes she has tried in the past.

Hi Briana. It goes without saying that you have to be fit to do the Step Up moves. You're a trained dancer so are we right in thinking that fitness is a way of life for you?

Yeah, fitness is absolutely a way of life for me. I actually like exercising, and I obviously like being healthy and eating well. I think everything you put into your body kind of allows you to be more physical and go out there and just feel really great about yourself.

I agree! Any differences between your usual workout to training for Step Up 5?

Yes, actually I don't dance anymore like I used to, so when they called me for Step Up I started dancing for about a month again before the shoot and normally I do Pilates on the reformer, and I like yoga and kind of do a high intense cardio workout on a regular basis. But I like to switch it up a lot, and when we returned to the film it was just you know, 9-11 hours of dancing a day.

What would a typical day's training be like?

Stretch, choreography, kind of random dance moves in between the flow, partner dancing, but mainly just choreography since there's so much for the film and we have to learn it so early, because it's always changing, and it switches the day of, often. But mainly just choreography and kind of playing and having fun with everybody.

Did you ever just want to sack off the gym and stay in bed?

Who doesn't want to do that? But I do feel better all the time if I actually keep up with exercise. I find myself more lethargic and not as happy if I don't actually push myself to go exercise all the time. The more I do it the better I feel.

Great. What's your favourite exercise?

Favourite type of exercise would be Pilates on the reformer. It's short, it's hard, it's only 45 minutes so it's kind of in and out, which I like, but other than that I do love spinning, like dancing on a bike. It's really fun.

Do you ever do SoulCycle?

You know what, I've been a few times and I've been to a couple of big studios out here but I just go the gym at Crunch where I work out.

Have you ever tried any wacky fitness classes?

I tried this crazy trapeze exercise years back, I don't remember what it was called. It was one of the most fun things, really really hard though because you're holding yourself up constantly, your entire core has to be so strong. But yeah it was a good trapeze dance aerobics class.

What music do you like to work out to?

I like electronic music, kind of heavy beats. Something that really gets my heart pumping. And then sometimes I like kind of epic feel good indie really big singing songs to run to. That kind of stuff. But yeah, mainly electronic.

What kind of diet do you have? Is there anything you won't eat?

When I'm really on a diet I do try to stick to really small portions. That's kind of my thing because I do love to eat. But lots of vegetables, fruit obviously, fresh pressed juices, really low carbs, that kind of thing. Really clean eating.

What is your guilty pleasure - food wise?

Pizza, pasta, I mean, everything. All that stuff, I like it!

What's the best part about being in the Step Up movies?

I think the energy on set with all the people and all the dancers, it's just a very special place to be, having done it twice, I got to feel it both times. There's nothing like it, it's like a party but in a dance. It's completely different. A party without all the booze! All the dancers just have this kind of crazy energy together, it's so much fun.

You can definitely tell when you watch all of you together! People often look at you and think 'wow, I want her figure', who do you look at in the same way?

You know what, I really like Jessica Alba's. I must say I always go back to her because she's not too thin and she's still got a butt and some curves, she's somebody that always kind of comes into my mind. Rihanna's body is pretty insane too. I like curves and stuff, I feel like the too skinny is like you're staring at a ten year old boy! I think women are sexy and their bodies are beautiful.

When you go out do people watch you on the dancefloor to see what moves you'll do?

Freaks me out, makes me so uncomfortable! People totally do, I think people are expecting me to bust out some crazy dance moves all the time and I'm just trying to not do that and dance normal and have fun with my friends. I like silly dancing way more, I'd rather go out and get down with some silly 80s music than try to breakdance.

Step Up 5: All In is released on 3D Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD 1 December 2014.