Sorry this is a late one, guys: the Memorial Day weekend threw our fancy-footed crew off! But they promise to make it up to you with an ultra-fab edition of Suck It Up & Dance. So if you did watch last night's episode, jump into your hybrid time machine and zip back to last week, when there were still six dancers and there was a ninety percent chance of rain ...

Last week's Step It Up & Dance was all about Rihanna's "Umbrella" ella, ella, ay, ay... and few people know this number better than one Britney Houston! The Rent star turned New York club stage staple turned Internet phenom stopped by our offices to chat about her life as a dancer, her take on the Bravo show and her hilarious - and amazingly well-done - recreations of music videos from the all pop mega-stars.

I personally love that not only do we not have the cash to splash out for the rights to use the actual music track, but they apparently couldn't afford to get poor Colin more than a $3 bodega umbrella to dance with!

Check it all out after the break...

Broadway crossover (and Mrs. Taye Diggs) Idina Menzel

Every Friday our friend Colin over at NewNowNext tips us off to what's hot in popular music. Enjoy!

Video of the Week: R.E.M. - "Supernatural, Super Serious"

The lead single for the band’s upcoming Accelerate album just hit the Web, and it features a sullen Michael Stipe moving from a dark recording studio, to the Lower East Side streets and, finally, to a happy reunion. Check out the video after the break!

Idina Menzel Interview with NewNowNext

Rent and Wicked star Idina Menzel has a new album and a hot husband – yup, Taye Diggs – so find out about their first date and who the gays love more!

Kanye West “Flashing Lights” Video

Is this how Kanye really meets his end? Or is it just Part 1? Watch the shocking new Graduation video here.

Watch New Panic at The Disco Video - “Nine in The Afternoon”

Panic is back at it with a new Pretty.Odd album, and the video for “Nine in The Afternoon” lives up to the name.

Ferras

Ferras Interview with NewNowNext

American Idol fans, you may already know this season’s new loser anthem, “Hollywood Is Not America,” by newcomer Ferras. Find out how he went from southern Illinois to impersonating Elton John and all the way to Idol.

New Cascada “What Hurts The Most” Video

The German dance group behind the irresistible “Everytime We Touch” has a new album headed for The States - and we’ve got the video for the lead single.

Denis O'Hare

In a continued effort to bring you all that is important in the world of gay entertainment and ensure that you are being spoon-fed images of gorgeous, commoditized manflesh, we present the newly-minted AfterElton Briefs. Following the usual assortment of carefully-selected news items, interested readers can find a refreshing pic of a hot man in underwear after the jump. Yes, we're serious.

• When he's not busy crooning in front of digitally-altered backgrounds for Eli Stone, gay pop legend George Michael is busy selling his memoirs for an unprecedented sum. And they say potheads are lazy ... you go, George!

• Gus Van Sant's Milk biopic gets even gayer, with out Broadway powerhouses Denis O'Hare and Stephen Spinella joining the cast (Victor Garber has been cast as well). Now it's a bit of a shame that they couldn't have cast any gay actors as the actual gay couple central to the story, but let's not look a gift civil rights martyr biopic in the mouth. And really, with Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, and James Franco already locked, is this not shaping up to be one of the strongest male casts ever?

• I strongly urge you to keep this clip of Brenda Vaccaro screaming in Supergirl open at all times and ready for quick-fire use when your boss asks you to do something.

• We just heard that the second season of Logo's Big Gay Sketch Show will feature cameos by Kate Clinton, Chastity Bono, Elaine Stritch, Christine Ebersole and that lady in the center of the above pic, Rosie something-or-other. Whatever, they had me at the cutie-patootie new cast member at the back left.

• "La Morte Boheme": Rent will be put to rest June 1, only about 5 years after the artsy downtown neighborhood from which it sprang was converted to a Starbucks.

What do you get if you mix Denise Van Outen with Siobhan Donaghy and the creative talents behind Kylie Minogue, PJ Harvey and Jimiroquai? You get Rent, of course! Yes, hold on to your seats because the hit musical that broke convention when it first opened is coming back to London. With a 21st century remix.

Based on Puccini’s La Boheme, this new version of Jonathan Larson’s musical has been remixed for a whole new generation, with a young and talented cast that includes Denise Van Outen (The Big Breakfast; Any Dream Will Do!; Chicago) as Maureen, ex-Sugababe Siobhan Donaghy as Mimi, Leon Lopez (Brookside; Hollyoaks) as Collins, Luke Evans (Taboo; Avenue Q) as Roger, Oliver Thornton (Les Mis; The Phantom of the Opera) as Mark, Jay Webb as Angel, Francesca Jackson as Joanne and Craig Stein as Benny.

The controversial, boundary breaking musical tells the story of a group of young New Yorker’s struggling to achieve their dreams in the face of reality. This brand new production, directed by William Baker reinvents Rent as the iconic musical; an emotional and heart wrenching tale which takes the audience into a world of ambition, uncertainty, love and betrayal.

Rent was one of the first Broadway musicals to clearly feature gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender characters. Not only is the musical considered revolutionary for bringing controversial topics to a traditionally conservative medium, but it is also credited with increasing the popularity of musical theater in the younger generation.

Following previews beginning the 2nd October, Rent is set to open at London’s Duke of York's Theater on 16th October 2007, through until 5th April 2008.

In the meantime, here’s a few photos of the cast to feast your eyes upon…