Channel TEN’s So You Think You Can Dance producers let us in on a little surprise ahead of Sunday night’s third live show … Judge Shannon Holtzapffel will DANCE WITH THE TOP 18 this week!!
We had a chat with Shannon this morning and asked how it all came about …
“Its a surprise! I’m surprised too! I’m looking forward to it – it was very unexpected!
How it all really happened was that last week on the second live show I happened to get up and demonstrate rather than explain – I thought it was just easier and it’s quite accessible for us to just stand up and do something like that. By me doing that, it kind of snowballed a social media appeal and got a petition going for the public to see more! So last minute I was asked if I wanted to join in with the top 18 group number this week!!
They had already started rehearsing the group routine without me because there was no plans for me to be in it so yesterday I jumped in to try and learn it and they fit me in. So I had to ‘get it together’, I was under pressure!! The best thing about it is I’ve been able to meet these guys a little more intimately than just by being a judge – I got to rehearse with them , I got to know their personalities a little more and their work ethics so it’s been good to be on the same level as them. I went in not being a judge I went in as being one of them and they were really open.
They were professional – they didn’t try t pick my brains – we just had normal realistic chats, it wasn’t business talk. It was straight down to being dancers and we had a job to do.
The choreographer is Paris Goebels from New Zealand who I’ve worked with before. She’s from Request Crew who have been world Hip Hop champions but I’ve worked with Paris a few times in Los Angeles actually and she’s choreographed a few things that I’ve been a dancer on like Jennifer Lopez, so it’s great to have worked with her again. It was a surprise for her because it was all last minute – she’d already started. Production had approached her and come up with this idea just based on the response the other night and Paris was like ‘YES’! So we had a little reunion and it’s great! It’s a little urban number – it reminds me of jazz as well, it’s a little crossover of entertainment!”
Asked if he could confirm a little rumour that he may just be getting his shirt off in this performance – this was Shannon’s response:
“Oh well, EVERYONE is going to have to tune in on Sunday night 7.30pm Channel Ten to find out!!”
TUNE IN AND ENJOY DANCELIFERS!
