by Gina Scarpa

Last night, on So You Think You Can Dance, Asuka Kondoh and her partner, Vitolio Jeune landed in the bottom three for the second time in three weeks.  They brought everything they could to the dance floor when it came time for their solos.  While the judges felt that Vitolio deserved one more week to prove himself, it was the end of the line for Asuka.  Today, she spoke to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about where things went wrong and where she goes from here.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What is your dance background?
A. Asuka: International Latin and Ballet.  I started dancing when I was around 10.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Have you tried out previously and if so, what made you come back for season 5?
A. Asuka: I tried out for season 4.  Last year, I made it all the way to the end and got cut in the last round.  I thought, “Maybe if I try it again, they’ll take me." So that’s what made me come back.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Vegas week looks pretty intense watching it on television.  How tiring is it?
A. Asuka: It was physically and mentally exhausting.  It’s taxing on the body.  I was sleep deprived.  I was getting a couple hours of sleep every night.  Physically, you have to push yourself to the limit.  The judges are watching you.  You can’t mark anything.  You have to get things right away.  If you’re not on stage, you’re practicing.  If you’re not practicing, you’re warming up.  If you’re not warming up, you’re trying to eat something.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Which style was the toughest for you to pick up?
A. Asuka: It would probably have to be all of them except for what I do.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did you feel when you found out that Vitolio was your partner this season?  Did you get to know him at all during Vegas week?
A. Asuka: Actually, I did not get to know him.  There were just way too many contestants and he just wasn’t one of the few that I was talking to at the time.  I was kind of shocked that I found out he was my partner.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: One of the problems you faced, as a couple, was the lack of chemistry.  Do you think the connection improved when you did the waltz?
A. Asuka: That’s when it changed, during the time that we were doing the waltz.  The first week, we had no connection. 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Based on the feedback you got from the judges, it was a little surprising that you were the one sent home.  Were you surprised that you were eliminated?
A. Asuka: I wasn’t surprised.  I was just more in disbelief.  I told myself that anything can happen and I don’t expect anything anymore.  I just take whatever comes at me.  You kind of learn to do that with this show.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Have you started thinking about the future and where you want to go from here?
A. Asuka: I was thinking about that.  I mean, hopefully, this opens up doors for me and maybe I don’t have to strictly be dancing.  Yes, dancing is what I love but if another opportunity arises that has nothing to do with dance, but somewhere in the entertainment field, I would love to explore that.

Be sure to tune in to So You Think You Can Dance when the Top 14 hit the stage, Wednesday night at 8pm on FOX.
 
(Image courtesy of FOX)

For more So You Think You Can Dance Links visit Sirlinksalot.net