The dance floor is heating up on this year’s So You Think You Can Dance series on Network TEN! This week saw the elimination of ‘pocket rocket’ Nadia Idris and contemporary dancer Jordan Turner.
Jordan with partner Renelle, was given ‘Broadway Jazz’ this week, inspired by the musical ‘Hairspray’. Judge Aaron cash commented that Renelle was ‘radiant’ but that Jordan needed more ‘snap’. Shannon said, “I just think it needed more guts, more energy”.
Nadia & Michael meanwhile were given another brilliantly powerful piece by Stephen Tannos to which the judge Jason Gilkison responded, “Nadia … I had forgotten you were injured!”
Joining Jordan and Nadiah (who had sustained a fractured rib during rehearsals) in the dreaded bottom six were urban dancers Patric Kuo and Yukino McHugh, contemporary dancer Michael Dameski and jazz dancer Zoey Black. However, the bottom six soon became a bottom five when the judges – unable to accept the public’s voting decision – saved Zoey from elimination. The remaining dancers had 30 seconds to showcase their talents and dance for their lives. It was then over to the judges to make the tough decision on whom to send home.
Whilst we saw no new repetoire of movement from Nadia in her solo, considering the pain she was enduring and not showing, her effort was none the less completely admirable. Jordan delivered brilliant acrobatics and impassioned movement however proved no match for the technical brilliance of Michael Dameski’s solo or the intricacy of Patric Kuo’s urban offering.
I caught up with Nadia and Jordan yesterday to chat about their experience on SYTYCD …
Nadia you were working with a broken rib on the show – how did that come about?
“It was during rehearsal on the second day I was working with Michael – it happened during a lift. I caught it on his shoulder and the impact of it must have broken the rib.”
I can imagine Michael would have been quite devastated…
“Yeah .. I guess we thought I could rest it for a couple of days but when it deteriorated and the X-ray revealed I had a broken rib, it really threw Michael off because he had no idea up until the day of the show that I was actually going to be able to be his partner or if it was Stephen Tannos’ assistant Cat (Santos).”
Were you in pain when you were performing?
“Yeah I was! I was on pain killers as well but when the pain killers started to wear off my ribs were pounding!”
Jordan had said before departing the show that he had … “started dancing four years ago because of this show …” To have come so far in such a short period of time is phenomenal for any dancer, so we asked what his secret was …
“Basically I started dancing when I was 16 and I danced for a period in Byron Bay at a school called ‘Vision Dance’. They told me about a course in Sydney at Brent Street and I enrolled in a summer course there and then I studied dance for 3 years. To train somewhere at a place with good structure and at such a high caliber has helped me get where I am now.”
Nadia, what is your background?
“I did full time at RAW Dance Company in Brisbane. I started dance when I was seven but then I did my own thing for a while as well. I was studying full time dance as well as my university degree which I found pretty challenging! I did casual classes also at Mad Dance House in Brisbane as well.”
How has SYTYCD changed you as a dancer?
Nadia: “I guess one of the most obvious things is the exposure”
Jordan: “I’ve learned so much off the show having worked with the people we worked with – you learn so much!”
What were your favourite routines?
Jordan, “It’s hard to pick one, there were so many favourites! One of my favourite choreographers is Stephen Tannos, he’s always been an inspiration to me and I loved fitting into his genre.”
Nadia: “It’s actually really difficult to choose! I think working with Paris Goebels was right up my alley but I also loved learning the ballroom – I was right out of my comfort zone. I loved working with Stephen Tannos on the last routine with Michael. I’ve always dreamed of working with him! But I honestly loved all the routines that I did so I can’t choose a favourite!”
Who do you think will end up in the top 4?
Both Jordan and Nadia predict that Patric, Lauren, Michael and Eden will be the last dancers standing!!
As Jordan and Nadiah say their goodbyes, we welcome the new pairing of contemporary dancer Michael Dameski and jazz dancer Renelle Jones. Catch them next Thursday as the Top 14 perform on the So You Think You Can Dance Australia stage.
So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
Thursdays, 7.30pm on TEN.
WHAT DO YOU THINK??? TELL US WHO YOU THINK WILL BE IN THIS SEASON’S TOP 4 ON SYTYCD AND WHY!!
