by Gina Scarpa

On the live elimination episode of So You Think You Can Dance last week, it was tough to tell which of the guys would be eliminated, just shy of making the Top 10.  Karen and Kevin, Mollee and Nathan, and Ryan and Ellenore received the lowest number of votes and were asked to dance for their lives.  After Karen’s elimination, judge Nigel Lythgoe handed down the decision for the guys.  He complimented Victor, and it seemed he was safe, but he turned back around and quickly sent him packing with his partner.  Today, Victor spoke to reporters in a press conference call about his experiences on the show.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Is there a style or choreographer you wish you could’ve gotten before you left?
A. Victor: I wish I would’ve gotten more ballroom.  Also, I wish I could’ve gotten Sonya Tayeh.  I would’ve loved to have worked with her.  I was pretty happy with the choreographers that I got, though.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Can you talk a little bit about your partnership with Karen and what she was like to work with?
A. Victor: Working with Karen was great.  She has so much passion when she dances, and confidence.  From the minute she steps into a dance room, she knows what she wants to know and she hits hard.  She’s such a powerful dancer.  It was such an honor to work with her. 


Q. You seemed unhappy that you were voted out.  How did it hit you and why so hard?
A. Victor: It was… I don’t know.  I was happy with myself.  I was content.  I felt like I had danced my life out and I had no regrets.  Whatever the verdict was, I felt like it was a great way for me to go.  If I would’ve held back or messed up on my solo, I probably would’ve had regrets.  There was nothing more that I could have given.

Q. You started out with Bianca, then Channing, then Karen.  Was it difficult to bounce between partners and not have a lot of consistency?
A. Victor: Yeah, it’s hard getting a bunch of different partners.  Everyone in the Top 10 has had their partners since the beginning.  You understand how your partner works.  It’s very easy to get married to your partner.  When I had Bianca, I was married to her!  When she got cut, I was devastated.  It’s really hard when you’re married to someone and then boom!  Here’s your new partner.  It’s tough but that’s what you gotta do.  A good dancer is expected to be able to dance with anyone.

Q. You had the tango and hip hop last week.  Which was your favorite?
A. Victor: The tango was my favorite!  I was dying to get ballroom because the whole show, I’ve been barefoot.  I’ve had contemporary twice, I had Broadway, I had jazz… this was my first week having shoes on.  I was really excited because I think it’s easier to impress the judges when you are a contemporary dancer and you do something that’s not in your style.  I was excited to show them that I could do other styles.  When I went into the dance room, and heard the music and the concept, I loved it!  The feeling I had on stage with Karen was incredible. 

Q. A lot of people are talking about how great you and Karen were together.  Do you think that if you had made it one more week, it would’ve made a difference in the competition?
A. Victor: I think it would’ve made a big difference.  America just saw us for the first time and I think, if they had been able to see more of what we can do, they would’ve been impressed.  It was a strong partnership.  When we danced our tango, it looked like we had been dancing together since the beginning.  It’s not easy getting a new partner and connecting like that.  I feel like we had a lot of natural chemistry.

Q. Considering Nigel’s comments, do you think you deserved to stay?
A. Victor: I mean, everybody wants to stay longer but as far as deserving it, I think Nathan and Ryan are very talented dancers.  Everyone is at such a high caliber.  When you go into an art gallery, you don’t say, “Oh this painting is better than that painting.”  Each artist is talented.  You can’t say one is better than the other.  We’re just at that level.  I felt like I danced my life out and wasn’t expecting to get cut.  It is what it is.  One door closes and another one opens.  I had a great experience.


Be sure to tune in when the Top 10 hit the stage on So You Think You Can Dance, Tuesday night at 8pm ET on FOX.

(Image courtesy of FOX)


Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

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