Interview of So You Think You Can Dance in Oakland

Random Air Soy did an interview of the So You Think You Can Dance participants in Oakland. It’s a good read:

Allison: For all of us, we loved the first show because all of the adrenaline.

Ryan: I think the nerves start kicking in when you’re backstage prepping, but it doesn’t hit you until you stand out there and you see the audience and its packed full of people screaming for you. That’s when the adrenaline rushes and you’re ready to perform the show.

Benji: The first show was in Seattle, Washington. We received a great reception and it was a hit and a shock at the same time.

What can people expect at this concert? Will there be new routines, dances from the show?

Benji: Obviously, you’re gonna see some of the favorite dances of the show. Some of the routines have expanded. Some group number have some twists, but there are twists in all the shows – there are new partners, some new routines. Travis and I choreographed two new ones. It’s all a pay off from the 16 hours of work we do a day. What some dancers do in months to prepare for a tour we did in two weeks.

How has life been on the road so far?

Benji: I have been living out of a hotel, temporary apartment or tour bus for the last four months – you kind of get used to it.

When you were picked as one of the Top 20, did you know about the tour or was it something that developed as the show went on?

Benji: The day we made the top 10, that’s when we found out. We had no idea.

What were you doing one year ago from today?

Ryan: I was in college, getting ready to audition for the Nutcracker production at my school.

Allison: I was shooting “High School Musical”

Dmitry: I was preparing for the ballroom competition season.

Since you have been on the show, you have been in the public spotlight a lot – how have you handled this transition from everyday dancer to recognizable celebrity? How have you handled it?

Benji: We get recognized all time. You just wake up and you realize it. I walked into a department store it took me 2 hours to walk home because too many people recognize. It’s a beautiful. What centered me was prayer. But one day I did have the opportunity to go shopping in L.A. with my sister – I wore a disguise so I had a bit of privacy.

Ryan: I honestly love it. The fact is that I do what I love to do and receive recognition for it. As dancers you’re seen as backup dancers and this concert is just dance. It’s not behind a celebrity, it’s just dancing. It’s amazing and a blessing.

Allison: I’ll have people that come up to me and recognize me, but I’m like “Why do you recognize me?” (laughs) It’s really cool to have people recognize you, but it’s hard to handle because I feel bad because I don’t know them.

Ryan: It doesn’t hit you until after the show when you see the fans at the meet and greets. Then they remember stuff that you did in week six of the competition.

Dmitry: I don’t feel any different. It’s weird that people watch you every week and they kind of feel like they’ve known you for a long time.

Ryan: They kind of know is in a way because we’re putting ourselves out there.

Donyelle: It’s kind of weird, but I’ve learned to appreciate it because without the people who have been recognizing me and showing me their love, I wouldn’t be here right now. They ask stuff all the time. It’s always nice to talk them and hear what they have to say.

Who do you think was the harshest judge?

Benji: Nigel and Mary were staples. I don’ know, I don’t think there was a harsh judge, but based on the public, I think the popular vote goes to Mia Michaels.
What do you miss most about your “normal” life?

Travis: Talking to people. (laughs)

Donyelle: Spending time with my friends and family. I feel like I’m in my own world and I have no idea of what’s going on outside of this world of So You Think You Can Dance.

How long of a break did you have between the end of the show and the start of the tour?

Donyelle: Like a week.

How do you think dance is different from other facets of fine arts?

Donyelle: I think dance is more relatable to people. Because whether you’re good or bad – everybody dances. You know what I mean? Everybody goes to clubs, get togethers or parties dance is always there. When you’re sitting in your car listening to music – it’s a form of dance. Dance is a more relatable feel good form of the arts. Not everybody could draw or sing no matter how hard you try.

Travis: When you’re singing, you’re selling yourself, you’re selling your voice; but with dance it’s something more visual. You can’t just have dance on the radio. It’s dance, you have to see it in person. I think there are crazy “American Idol” fans, but I think there are crazy “So You Think You Can Dance Fans.” I think that watching us move our bodies has caused people to get off the couch. People have talked to me about watching the show and taking a class and not just sitting on the couch anymore.

We’ve seen other contestants from season one go on to dance for major performers. For instance, Blake is now dancing for Janet Jackson. If you had a choice and pick your dream dance job, what would it be?

Travis: No dance job after this will be amazing. Even for Blake, he’s dancing backup for Janet. We’re not really dancing backup for anyone. We are the show. People are coming to see us. They’re not buying tickets to see Janet Jackson, Britney Spears or Justin Timberlake. They’re buying tickets to see Donyelle, Benji, Travis, Allison, Ryan and all of us. But the perfect dance job will have to be on television and movies. I’m going to constantly put dance onto television and movies. There’s a lot of broadway, hip-hop and all that on screen; but not necessarily dance.

It’s obvious that SYTYCD has done so much for the industry, but coming from you, what has it brought? It’s very unique to have an official dance concert.

Travis: It’s the first time that there’s been anything like this.

Donyelle: There have been modern and ballet company dance concerts, but there hasn’t been something commercial like this. It showcases everything. It’s been on TV, which makes it commercial.

Travis: If you’re not in the dance world you can’t really name any famous dancers. There’s Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake, but why are they famous dancers? It’s because they’re known from their singing – they came from that. We’re not only putting the dance world and dancers on the map with our tour and stuff, but we’re actually making dance a bigger name than Baryshnikov from back in the day. It’s coming back out.

Ryan: I think one of the greatest things about the TV show was that it brought dance into your living room. It’s very rare that people watch that ABT dance special on PBS. Now there is a show where you can watch young people dance and some people can relate to them.

Donyelle: A lot of “thicker” girls have come up to me and said they had gone back to dance after quitting because of me. That’s the biggest thing for me. I get that all the time.

Since you have been on the show and gotten so much exposure, do you feel that there are more expectations from the dance community?

Benji: It’s a double edge sword. If do something, people expect it to be good. I have to keep giving the same exact thing. I have to keep reinventing. I have to constantly learn new things – it’s much like Madonna – how she keeps changing. It’s open my eyes a lot. Expectations push me harder. I always try super-exceed people’s expectations.

Donyelle: When we leave here, we have to watch what we do because people know who we are.

Travis: After this, we are going to have fans asking a year from now, ‘where the hell did Travis go?’ We have a following and a fan base so we have to constantly inspire and bring opportunities to other people. You have to have faith.

Donyelle: People say that after the tour, we can take a break, but we can’t do that now. You have to keep going because you’re in the spotlight.

Since the show was a type of reality show, would you have liked the show to have more behind the scenes angle with a more “Real World” feel?

Allison: I think that they wanted to, but none of us had enough drama. We all got along, so it wouldn’t have been entertaining to the general public. They probably wanted to see us angry and fighting with each other. It kind of would’ve been boring if they did do it that way.

Ryan: At the same time, it would’ve taken away from the show. It would’ve been more about the drama than the dancing.

Travis: People always ask why we always get along and why we seem closer than the people on American Idol. The thing is that we have to dance with each other. In American Idol, it’s more of a solo competition and they are working by themselves a lot. We are always working in partners and in a group. We are always together and we live together. If there is a problem, we get it out there and put it on the table and get it settled.

Ryan: If we were to have a behind the scenes thing, I would’ve liked them to show that we were supporting each other and rooting each other on. I kind of forgot it was a competition until it was Thursday (elimination night).

Who’s some of your inspirations in both life and dance?

Travis: My mom, who was also my teacher, and my brother – he’s the most amazing dance on the planet.

Ryan: My mom, not for being my dance teacher, but because she’s my mom. She was supporting me when other people said I was making the wrong decision. Desmond Richardson, I idolize him. He has paved the road for so many things – broadway, ballet and other things. He has no limits and boundaries. I hope my road goes in the same path.

Donyelle: For me, I have done so many different things seeing that I am the oldest one here. I have different role models for different times of my life. For this show, the person that gave me the most was Tyce. Out of all the choreographers, he gave the most of himself. He put everything out there. He said things to me that people have never said to me before. He was constantly trying to find ways for us to step out of our own box