Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: VH1 has greenlighted its first hourlong scripted pilot, Bounce. Newcomer Taylour Paige, Dean Cain and Kimberly Elise will star in the project, set in the world of professional basketball dancers, with Valery Ortiz and Katherine Bailess cast in supporting roles. Written by James LaRosa and be directed by Sanaa Hamri, Bounce follows the lives and loves of a team of professional basketball dancers. At its heart is Ahsha (Paige), a sheltered young woman who joins the squad against the wishes of her mother Sloane (Elise), who knows this treacherous, tempting world all too well having been a dancer herself. Cain will play the coach of the basketball team. Ortiz and Bailess will play two of the dancers, singe mother Raquel and former stripper Kyle. Bounce is executive produced by Maggie Malina and James LaRosa as well as VH1′s Jill Holmes and Jeff Olde. Bounce follows in the footsteps of VH1′s first hourlong series, the Queen Latifah-produced Single Ladies, which didn’t go through the traditional pilot stage — it originated as a movie. On the half-hour side, VH1′s only effort so far was the Tori Spelling comedy NoTorious. Bailess is with Armada Partners and attorney Chad Christopher. Cain and Elise are with APA, Paige with Stein Entertainment Group.

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