Kimberly Wyatt: "I want to get teens dancing off the streets".

PUSSYCAT Dolls singer Kimberly Wyatt is admired by thousands of British teenagers - now she hopes dance will keep them off the streets just like her.

The stunning US star, 27 - a judge on new show Got To Dance - admits she struggled during her adolescence.

Dancing kept her out of trouble. And in an exclusive interview Kimberly told TV Biz she believes it can help wayward kids in the UK.

She said: "As a teenager I went through a lot. You try to figure out what life means and what your purpose is.

Frustration

"Being able to go from school straight to my dance class, getting lost in the music and using dance as a way to let out my frustration meant the world to me and kept me out of trouble.

"I think there is a different outlet for aggression for every kid, it is good to see if dance might be the one that helps.

"I'm aware of the problems in the UK with teenagers and knives and I think after-school clubs and youth groups make a difference."

Kimberly, who works with Diversity's Ashley Banjo, West End actor and tap dancer Adam Garcia and Davina McCall on the Sky1 show, reckons the Britain's Got Talent winners made dance cool for boys.

She said: "Street dance has really taken off in the UK with boys especially.

"With Diversity winning Britain's Got Talent and getting the volume of votes they did, I think there are lots of little boys watching and being inspired by them.

"I sit next to Ashley as a judge and I see the influence they are having."

Got To Dance starts with the auditions this Sunday at 6pm. It will feature unknown dancers who compete for a £100,000 prize - a refreshing change to the spray-tanned celebs of Strictly Come Dancing.

Some auditions will leave viewers cringing - like when Cuban dance duo Steve and Sam Hewitt, from Cheshire, suffer an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction on stage - revealing Sam's boobs.

But other contestants' stories were so inspirational they left Kimberly in tears.

She said: "There are a lot of inspirational moments in the show. It is nail-biting.

"There were these two street dancers but they were wearing crosses and their dances were for God. The guy dancing was with his most valued student.

This kid was getting into trouble and had been to juvenile detention and he took him in and taught him to dance and release his aggression through movement.

"There is an autistic boy who expressed himself through dance. He didn't know how to have a conversation but it was through dance he found he had his place.

"To see this kid get on stage and do what he did - it brought me to tears."

Kimberly now hopes the Sky1 show and BBC1 rival So You Think You Can Dance will stop dancers being looked down upon.

She said: "Dancers have always been at the bottom in the entertainment industry.

"But that is all changing. Years ago you had to dance, sing and act.

"I think we are getting back to that.


Entertaining

"Dance is extremely important in the pop world.

"I think it is still important for a singer to have a little bit of knowledge about moving and entertaining.

"Someone just standing there isn't going to be exciting for an hour and a half."

She revealed her most moving moment on the show came when host Davina McCall opened up about beating alcoholism and drug problems to become a TV star.

Kimberly said: "Davina shared her life experiences with me and it's jaw-dropping to hear the choices she made.

"She's not trying to be anyone she's not. She is amazing. The acts can relate to her."

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