Jeanine Mason

The year was 2009. The entire globe had come down with a terminal case of dance fever as the handful of hopefuls took to the stage to dazzle the judges on the season five debut of "So You Think You Can Dance."

Backstage, a perfect storm of talent, timing, and ambition shined bright in the form of an eighteen-year-old, Miami-born Cuban American with a million dollar smile and moves to die for.

Looking back, Jeanine Mason's success may seem like no surprise, but that night, as the eyes of the world focused on that one stage, the world was about to get their first glimpse of a remarkable multi-talent in bloom.

As a young girl, Mason learned that calculated risks can yield handsome rewards when her father, a frustrated Florida athlete-turned-businessman, quit his mid-management job to find great success in the insurance industry. Naturally, it helps to know that you're on the right path when taking such risks, and as a student at Florida's prestigious Ransom Everglades School -- where incoming freshman are issued a compass as a means of symbolizing the navigational choices faced in life -- she began to find her way.

One thing that was never a choice for Mason, however, was dancing. It was a lifelong passion that was readily encouraged by her supportive parents. Subsequently encouraging the graceful girl to join the theatre and enrolling her in voice lessons, Mason's mother and father had given her precisely the tools required for success when, just four days after graduating high school, the lithesome eighteen-year-old too flight for Los Angeles to appear on "So You Think You Can Dance?" (Fox 2005- ).

The move was pretty much a given considering she was already enrolled in UCLA, but despite her devastating moves in a multitude of styles, Mason's success on the show came more as a slow-burn than a breakout. Performing everything from Hip-hop to Russian folk dance to Samba, Mason managed the unique feat of surprising producer Nigel Lythgoe when she edged-out ballet dancer Brandon Bryant to become the season five winner.

In the wake of her big win, the job offers soon started flooding in. But coming from a family that emphasized the importance of education Mason knew that, at least for the time being, her energies were best focused elsewhere.

Though a few quick dance gigs would no doubt bring in some quick cash, using the time to develop her acting skills would be the smarter investment in the long-term. A stint at the Michael Woolson Studio would be just the thing to prep Mason for prime-time.

In 2015 Mason landed the recurring role of Merav on the Biblical drama "Of Kings and Prophets" (ABC 2015) starring Ray Winstone. Mason had proven without question that her skills as an entertainer extend far past the boundaries of the dance floor, and by the time she donned her white coat as Dr. Sam Bello on "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC 2005- ) in 2017, she was gaining notice for her convincing portrayal of a medical professional.

By 2019, Mason was officially leading lady material. With the debut of the sci-fi reboot "Roswell, New Mexico" (CW 2019- ), the high school graduate who had danced her way into the limelight was drawn into an out-of-this world romance in the very New Mexico town where the U.F.O. phenomenon first began.