SYTYCD's Mamma Mia

So You Think You Can Dance choreographer/Judge Mia Michaels has been on a bit of a tear this season. During rehearsel for the first week's performances she said that she didn't think dancer Mark Kanemura was turning out as well as she thought he would. Then, last week she took Jessica King to task for being "carried" through the competition so far by her much stronger partner Will Wingfield.

But according to Michaels herself, she's just misunderstood and is merely practicing her own brand of tough love.

"What America doesn't know is the relationship," she explains at the TCA Summer Press Tour, saying that what she brings to the judging table is a choreographer's perspective. "There's a beautiful, beautiful collaboration and very nurturing [atmosphere]. For me especially, I nurture them. I'm Mamma Mia and they look to me for that tough love actually.

"So, when I say it, American might go, 'Oh my God, that's so harsh.'

"[The dancers] are cool with it. They know. They know I only want them to be brilliant."

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Jessica is Out, Comfort back in on SYTYCD

Taken from EW's Live Press Tour Diary.

So You Think You Can Dance panel

9:16 am: Big news! It's announced that contestant Jessica King has suffered an injury and has been replaced by the recently eliminated Comfort Fedoke. EW's Alynda Wheat informs me that this is "big news." Oh, wait, make that "really huge deal." (Sorry, still not watching SYTYCD.)

9:29 am: Exec producer Nigel Lythgoe refuses to elaborate on the specifics of King's injury, saying only that her recovery will take "four to five weeks."

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SYTYCD Top 16 - Dance Styles & Choreographers

**SPOILERS**




Here are the dance styles and choreographers for the So You Think You Can Dance Top 16:

Kherington & Twitch: Hip Hop (Napoleon & Tabitha)

Courtney & Gev: Rumba (Tony Meredith)

Comfort & Chris: Jazz (Tyce Diorio)

Jessica & Will: Disco (Doriana Sanchez)

Chelsea & Thayne: Quickstep (Heather Smith)

Kourtni & Matt: Contemporary (Sonya Tayeh)

Chelsie & Mark: Hip Hop (Napoleon & Tabitha)

Katee & Joshua: Samba (Tony Meredith)

America's Best Dance Crew 2 Premieres Tonight on MTV

Meet the 10 new crews (one crew is eliminated in Thursday night's premiere episode):



A.S.I.I.D. (Detroit, MI) - They grew up in tough neighborhoods and lean on each other for support. Their inspiration comes from crew member Joey who is deaf.



Boogie Bots (Washington, DC) - They think of themselves as robots that have come to life. Each performance is dedicated to crew member Joesar's father, who has been in a coma for the past six months.



Distorted X (Houston, TX) - All are studio dancers who have dubbed themselves "Houston Socialites -- without the money."



Fanny Pak (Los Angeles, CA) - This zany bunch is looking to bring back the bold and wacky energy of the 80s with a unique dance style and fashion sense.



Presh Select (Philadelphia, PA) - This crew wants other teens out there to know that there is more to streets than hate and that hip hop dance can be a positive force.



Sass x7 (Piscataway, NJ) - The only all-girl crew, these dancers once competed on the Rutgers Dance Team.



SoReal Cru (Houston, TX) - Students at the University of Houston, this crew looks to their family for encouragement and support - especially when they are forced to practice in a restaurant parking lot.



Super Cr3w (Las Vegas, NV) - After failing to make the show last season, three crews mergered together to show the world how b-boys do it.



Supreme Soul (San Francisco, CA) - Full of confidence, this crew has traveled the world competing in hip hop competitions yet they always feel like the underdog.



Xtreme Dance Force (Naperville, IL) - Disciplined studio dancers, this all-guy crew feels that they are pre-judged for their "pretty boy" looks and are looking to show what fierce dancers they really are.

SYTYCD's Gev Manoukian Has Strong Skating Ties

The competition for season four of the hit FOX show So You Think You Can Dance is and among the top 18 is a young hip-hop/break dancer with a very tight bond to the skating world. During the audition shows Gev Manoukian, 21, from Centerville, Utah, was shown doing a bit of break dancing on ice. But skating is more than a casual hobby.

To many skating fans, his last name is quite familiar. Gev is the son of acrobatic show skater Akop Manoukian, who has performed all over the world, first with Ari Zakarian and for the past few years with Armen Saakian. Manoukian and Saakian appeared in the movie Blades of Glory. He showed a tape of Gev's on ice moves to Blades choreographer Sarah Kawahara, who said he wasn't right for the movie but she'd keep him in mind for future projects.

"Sometimes we go to the rink and I teach him a little bit. Everybody stands around watching and clapping," said Manoukian. "I'm a better skater, but he does cooler tricks."

Gev Manoukian grew up in Kazakhstan with his mother (Manoukian's ex-wife), but visited his father in the U.S. every summer. After graduating high school at 16, he moved permanently to the U.S., where he attended 11th and 12th grades in Utah, and graduated from high school again. He enrolled in the University of Utah and decided to stay there with his aunt and grandparents when Manoukian moved to Jackson, Wyoming.

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Ari and Akop- on ice

So You Think You Can Dance is on A Mission

ON AN UNSEASONABLY hot day recently, the sidewalk outside the Orpheum Theatre is filled with an unusual sight for this stretch of unreclaimed downtown -- several scores of young dancers clad in tights, sweats, tutus and belly dancing outfits sprawl across the shaded ground under the marquee. But being dancers, they don't sprawl quietly; instead the mass of them constantly undulates and seethes like some many-tentacled sea creature.

The theater's front door flies open and a young man races out to the sidewalk, where he does a series of cartwheels, back flips and winged summersaults, all the while clutching in his hand a magical sheet of paper -- a ticket past the auditions to the next round of TV's freewheeling dance competition, "So You Think You Can Dance," which kicked off its fourth season on Fox last week (8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays).

Dance is enjoying something of a mini-renaissance, with the success of both "So You Think You Can Dance" and ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," along with the cable shows "America's Best Dance Crew" (MTV) and "Step It Up and Dance" (Bravo), as well as the "High School Musical" franchise. But we are also living in a culture that has not created a household-name dance superstar in two decades, so their shot on stage here today may be these young dancers' best (or only) shot at making their dreams of a dancing career with monetary rewards come true. (The winner will receive $250,000.)

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5 Reasons To Watch SYTYCD

It's baaack! And it's about flippin' time! So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD to those of us who are old friends) returns tonight, and not a moment too soon. (Where has all the good TV gone?)

If you have never watched SYTYCD or if you think you aren't a dance-show kind of person, I urge you to give it a shot. This is outstanding television! Never seen it? Need some encouragement? Read on to find out why you must watch!

Five Reasons to Watch So You Think You Can Dance

1. Talent: Even the best Dancing With the Stars amateurs (and hell, some of the pros) have nothing on these kids. The So You Think You Can Dance contestants will make you weep they're so good. Outside of Project Runway and, you know, Idol, I don't think any other reality talent show on TV has such legitimately top-drawer talent in play.

2. Trials and Troubles: You want character-based drama? Tune in to SYTYCD for that, in the form of stoic Eastern European ballroom dancers learning how to pop and lock, hip-hop studs figuring out the foxtrot, and classically trained ballerinas getting humped on stage by their partners. It's gold, people, I'm telling you.

3. Cat Deeley: You Brits out there know her well, as she's been all over U.K. TV for 10 years, give or take, but you 'murricans might not be familiar with her general awesomeness. A mother hen to all her little dancer chicks, not to mention a smooth and smart host in the vein of Ryan Seacrest himself, Cat keeps the show centered and grounded when judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy are flying off the handle, and she's certainly the warmest and sweetest personality on the show at any given time. All respect to crunchy-granola genius choreographer Mia Michaels, of course.

4. Mormon Mafia: Gotta love those LDS swing kids. According to Cat Deeley, Utah is America's current world capital of dance, and certainly past SYTYCD stars like Benji, Lacey, Heidi and Allison would make the case that expelling all that sexual energy though dance is a great way to keep the kids celibate and the dance floor jumpin'. In other dance dynasty news, what are the chances that Denise Wall has another kid? Because after Travis Wall and Danny Tidwell, I'd love to see more from that clan!

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Shimmy Exclusive Interview

TRAVIS WALL





Shimmy: Tell us about your training in general.

Travis Wall: I started pretty much when I was born. It literally was only five days after I was born that I was at my moms studio. I've always danced, technically age 3 was my first class and my mom has always been my teacher.


Shimmy: How did SYTYCD change your life?

Travis Wall: In every way possible. My dancing, personality, outlook on life, literally everything. In my case it definitely was all for the better. Life has exploded after the show. and that's exactly what I went on the show for, exposure.


Shimmy: What have you done since the show and tour wrapped?

Travis Wall: Ive been teaching on conventions, choreographing my butt off, moved to LA then to NYC. I've been researching alot of different genres of art, making clothing and costumes for people. I'm putting so much work in now with choreography because by the time I'm 25 I wanna be on top of the choreography world and doing my own shows and stuff. I will not wait until, say I'm 45! You've got to work your way up so why not start now!


Shimmy: What dance related projects are you working on now?

Travis Wall: I'm working on the 4th season of SYTYCD. I choreographed all the auditions this year as well and I will be setting choreography on the top 20. I also teach on a convention called NUVO and I'm going to have my own show next New Years that is basically a runway fashion dance show in New York.


Shimmy: What/who inspires you in dance and in life?

Travis Wall: Beyonce! Ha! No but seriously, I love her! My mom is pretty much everything to me front and back. She is the reason I do what I do. My best friend/roomate Ivan and it's just nice to always have a friend by your side no matter what you do. Jason Parsons inspires me so much in dance and in life. Danny Tidwell alwaya pushes me to be better.


Shimmy: What is your dream role to dance?

Travis Wall: I don't really have one. I guess there is no dream role because I haven't made it up yet. I always say you have to make your own stage to dance on. Don't sit back and watch people talk about starting something new and amazing, you have to do it yourself.


Shimmy: Favorite performance to date?

Travis Wall: I kinda want to say doing Wade's piece on Dancing With the Stars. I think because it wasn't part of the reality competition, but it was a paid job by Wade. I loved the routine and the entire week leading up to it. Of course I still love the bench routine and sexy back (from SYTYCD).


Shimmy: We've heard rumblings of a clothing line with Ivan, is it true?

Travis Wall: .Yeah I was really into this past fall because I thought I would have more time on my hands but I was wrong. I've been even busier than last year. It will eventually happen yes. As of now I've just been making things for friends and events. It specializes in girl corsets and guy vests. Its gonna be called Ovalee Beatin!

Shimmy: We've also heard that you'll be a big part of SYTYCD again this season. Can you tell us more?

Travis Wall: Not really big. it's just really nice to be on the other side of it now! I like watching how everything goes down and what goes into the process. I cant even imagine being on this side and watching myself walk in and audition. but yeah, make sure you guys watch this season!


Shimmy: Movmnt- how did you get involved and how is the magazine different from the other dance related publications?

Travis Wall: My brother Danny and David own the magazine. It is different cause it just doesn't focus on dance. It involves fashion, music and society that revolves around dance. The photo shoots are OVA!


Shimmy: What are three things that you cannot possibly live without?

Travis Wall: Chick-fil-a! humor! and a shower!


Shimmy: If we swiped your ipod for an hour, who would we be listening to?

Travis Wall: Depends on what day and where I'm at. I have a play list for when I'm walking in the city. Recently Ive been listening to Portishead, Sigur Ros, Jason Mraz, Madonna, Beatles classics, and old classic 70's and 80's disco songs. It's time to bring it back.

Shimmy: Where do you see yourself a decade from now?

Travis Wall: I can't tell you. If you would have told me two years ago before the show that I would be here, I would have laughed at you ha!!

Shimmy: If the gift of dance disappeared tomorrow, what would you be doing?

Travis Wall: Probably fashion or comedy! But I'dstill be choreographing and directing. My limits are not just dance!

Shimmy: Tell us something about yourself that will be a surprise.

Travis Wall: I'm allergic to seafood. I don't like millionaires with no talent. I still sometimes pick my nose. Oops that one slipped. I can't sleep without socks on.

Shimmy: What would you like to say to your fans?

Travis Wall: Thanks again for all your support once again. We are just dancers and you guys kinda make us a big deal which is crazy, but thanks. After the show we're just supposed to disappear back into the industry but some of you guys make better things happen for us, so thanks!

So You Think You Can Dance Gossip

And what's that I hear in the distance? Could it be the incredibly identifiable cackle of Mary Murphy? "It's so funny, I'll be at restaurants and laugh and people will just pop up from behind the corner," she told me of the trait she inherited from her late mother. "It's weird that people recognize me for my scream and my laugh -- but it's good to be famous for something, brother!"


Mary spilled that this season is going to be all about the hip-hop dancers and that the talent is through the roof! Something which her fellow judge, Nigel Lythgoe, echoes. "There is a guy called Twitch who is very good and Phillip Habib is one of the most sensational ripplers and poppers I've ever seen!" Nigel also reveals that this season may see a first: "All the kids who've had no formal training in the past -- the ones who dive onto their heads -- have started taking classes and are a force to be reckoned with this year! It's a possibility that someone who doesn't have any formal training could actually win!"

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So You Think You Can Dance Episodes To Be Streamed Online

Good news for SYTYCD fans! The new episodes will be streamed online via Fox On Demand.

Interview With Cat Deeley

Although she's having an early morning phone conversation with a group of reporters, So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley is chipper, which won't surprise fans of the FOX reality hit.

"You know what? It's the funniest thing," Deeley says, faced with a well-intentioned accusation of preternatural enthusiasm. "I've got a friend of mine staying here and her husband called me because he was calling from England. It must have been about 7:15 in the morning and he's like, 'For God's sake, stop being so chirpy. You must have literally just got up.' I don't know what it is with me. If I wake up and the sun is shining it's not bad. Here in California there's nothing much to be grouchy about, I don't think. You've got the sunshine and palm trees and ocean and hills. Yes, I'm pretty happy most of the time I have to say; annoyingly so one might say."

It's hard to imagine anybody begrudging Deeley her happiness. In fact, her boundless supply of energy is part of why So You Think You Can Dance is now entering its fourth season as a summer success. Chipper attitude aside, the 31-year-old host isn't there to be a cheerleader and her job doesn't involve judging, but she's still every bit as integral to Dance as Ryan Seacrest is to American Idol.

"There's a definite, definite feeling where I try to make them the best that they can possibly be, but it's just different people's personalities," Deeley says of her role. "Some people if they're put in a certain position some people get very quiet and shy; other people get very loud and outgoing. I think the deal is that there is charm to both if they're both honest."

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Step It Up & Dance Preview

This week, with Oliver back in the game, the contestants work with Tina Landon to try out for a Music Video. Who is going step it up and have the chance to be cast in Tina Landon next video? Pop starlet Rihanna also makes an appearance!

It's Right Around The Corner!

And The Mirrorball Goes To...

With the most votes cast in the show's history and the first contestant to score a perfect 90 from judges, Kristi Yamaguchi became the first woman Tuesday to win "Dancing with the Stars" since the show's debut season.

NFL star Jason Taylor, who scored his first perfect 30 Tuesday night, came in second. And Cristian De La Fuente, the soap star whose scores rose after he injured his arm, was third.

The mirror ball trophy wasn't exactly an Olympic gold medal, which Yamaguchi won in 1992 in women's singles skating, but she called the win a "dream experience." The 36-year-old said winning was the "icing on the cake" of learning a new skill.

Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas, who turns 22 Saturday and is marking his second season as a professional dancer on the show, were called the most consistent competitors in the show's history. The pair failed to be top scorers at the judges table only twice in the 10 week season.

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SYTYCD Alumni to perform on Idol Finale

I know we are all counting down til Thursday nights' big premiere of So You Think You Can Dance.



In the meantime, make sure you tune in this Weds. night to see a few familiar faces.

Breaking World Records- SYTYCD-Style

Fox decided to kick off season four of its hit summer show by setting a world record. Yesterday, in the courtyard of the Nokia Theatre, So You Think You Can Dance set the world record for the largest simultaneous dance mat routine. They even got a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records for it! The event will be entered into the new Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition book.

Here's how it went down: About a hundred Dance Dance Revolution mats were set-up outside of the theatre, which is across from the famous Staples Center. In the front of the mats, a large screen was set-up and hooked up to an X-Box. SYTYCD also had a leader of dance to make sure everyone knew the moves. After 111 dancers played DDR for five minutes, Fox gave away a video game console, a copy of Dance Dance Revolution, and a 23" LCD flat-screen TV. (I know, I thought they only had 100 mats.

Keep Reading... more about the dance off as well as chats with a few of season 3's favorites!

Kristi Yamaguchi Blog Update

Hey guys!

We’re in the finals! Thank you to everyone who’s been supporting and voting for us the past two months! I promise we won’t let you down next week!

I was so sad to see Marissa go. We’ve grown so close. We spent ten weeks together and getting to know each other, exchanging stories, girlfriend things and motherhood things with her upcoming new role as a mom. I think we were both so thankful to be here still and I’m definitely going to miss her. Watching the montage video of her and seeing everything week by week, what’s gone on, it just really hit home. I’m really glad we became such good friends here and I can’t wait for her to become a mom this summer! I’m so proud of her and it is the greatest thing in the world. She’s going to be a great mom! She’s so nurturing and loving.

I couldn’t believe we got another encore last night with our tango. It felt great going out there again. Mark said it felt smooth. It was one of our favorite ballroom dances and we felt honored to be able to do it again. I think the tension wasn’t the nervous tension like it was Monday night. It just flowed out there on the floor.

Being called safe first was awesome! I’ve been very spoiled and lucky so far to be declared safe early on, but this one doesn’t even compare to the others! I was just excited because it means we get to go to the finals and do the freestyle round, which I’m thrilled about.


We’ve got some new moves to work on for next week. In addition to the freestyle, we have the cha cha and then a repeat dance – which is going to be a surprise! I think some sore muscles are in the near future!

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Kristi Yamaguchi & Mark Ballas- Tango

SYTYCD Dance Off on Monday!

Shimmy Exclusive Interview

Ivan Koumaev

Shimmy: How has life changed for you after doing SYTYCD?

Ivan Koumaev After SYTYCD, my life flipped upside down. Immediately after tour was over I moved to LA with Travis Wall and started teaching all over the country. Thanks to the publicity of the show there was a great deal of interest in what I do and plenty of people wanted me to come to their studio. I enjoy teaching very much so I have been doing that ever since. Travis helped me start working at a convention called New York City Dance Alliance and that taught me lessons in working with children that prepared me for the past year that I worked with another convention called NUVO. As you can imagine fame can have crazy effects on people and I was no excuse, to be recognized anywhere is such a sensation and was very unexpected for me. I now live in New York and I am still teaching every where I get a chance to, I plan to take my work internationally soon.



Shimmy: What have you been doing these past few months?

Ivan Koumaev I am in New York City, the greatest city of all, and I am auditioning and working on branching out as far as my dance ability is concerned. I hope to get into acting, directing and choreographing sometime this year.


Shimmy: What is your dream role?
Ivan Koumaev At this point in my life I still would love to do backup work for artists on tours but on a greater scale I want to create my own work, have my own show, my own choreography the whole 9 yards.


Shimmy: Is there any different dance genre that you'd love to try?

Ivan Koumaev So far I have tapped into contemporary work and I hope that one day I can say that I can do it all, what I don't want to become is a jack of all trades and a master of none, so I still have focus on Hip-Hop because it remains my favorite

Shimmy: What inspires you to dance?

Ivan Koumaev Everything and anything around, inspiration for artists is all around them and that is what I like to consider myself, an artist. I spend everyday analyzing and admiring the world around me and draw inspiration from the craziest things, we are all crazy in some way, or at least that's what I think.


Shimmy: What dancers give you chills?

Ivan Koumaev As far as people that would be more familiar: Travis Wall, Danny Tidwell, Jaimie Goodwin, Allison Holker, and pretty much everyone I have had the pleasure of being around, they have all found a way to shock and amaze me. But those are all people that the general public is aware of. Within the dance world, there is so much talent that if I were to name dancers that have blown my mind the list would be longer than you could ever imagine.


Shimmy: Do you have any rituals before performing?

Ivan Koumaev I usually say a little prayer before going on stage and I have to pump myself up somehow, jumping jacks, push-ups etc. For the most part I just can't wait to get out and perform so I guess the ritual is the anticipation.


Shimmy: If you had to trade places with one person for 24 hours who would it be?

Ivan Koumaev This is a tough question because I'm not sure if your referring to dead or alive. Dead - Jesus (by human standards he is dead), I would love to know what all that history is, just to walk this planet knowing what he knew at the time. Alive - Michael Jackson, I would take those 24 hours and change myself into what I/he used to look like and try to get his fame back because he is my favorite.


Shimmy: 3 things you cannot live without.

Ivan Koumaev MUSIC!!!! Vision, and and as cheesy as it sounds, love.


Shimmy: What is on your ipod?

Ivan Koumaev Hours and hours and hours of every possible and random thing I could find and afford on itunes, I keep my options open and try to listen to everything. More recently, I have been studying house music and old rock legends.


Shimmy: If in 10 years you are not dancing, what might you be doing instead?

Ivan Koumaev Figuring out why I'm not dancing and fixing it. Dance is such a passion for me, if I had a choice I would die doing a step-ball- change.


Shimmy: Where will we see you next?

Ivan Koumaev Look behind you! Seriously, I'm not sure hopefully soon, I'm working on it.


Shimmy: What would you like to tell your fans?

Ivan Koumaev To all my fans, you guys changed my life, the simple fact of knowing that there are people who looked up to me, wanted to meet me, or anything near that is mind-blowing and if I could I personally thank each one of you.

Step It Up & Dance- Latin Style

Preview tomorrow's episode: