by Gina Scarpa

 

The toughest elimination on So You Think You Can Dance for the contestants is being sent home the week before hitting Top 10. Last night, Ryan Ramirez and Alexander Fost learned that the hard way and today, the spoke to RealityWanted and reporters in a press conference call about their time on the show.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Nigel said last night that you seemed down and out and I was wondering what your response is to that.
A. Ryan: Yeah, when he said that, I was actually not surprised but I definitely didn't feel that way at all. When I got the comments on Wednesday about the duets, I guess you could say I kind of thought that I might be in the bottom. I was never down and out. I was still fighting. I was still excited and still pushing. It's weird that they felt that way.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Alexander, I feel like the judges compared you and Sasha to one another a lot. Do you wish that they looked at you more as a couple?
A. Alexander: I feel as if they kind of forgot a little bit that being a couple is being a team. Every single week, I know for sure that Sasha and I worked extremely hard. Nobody ever said in rehearsals, "You know, so and so is better." It was only when we went live. It was really confusing because you hear one thing during rehearsals and then when the show aired, it's completely different. You know, it is what it is.

 

Q. Was the experience as good as you expected?
A. Ryan: Oh my god, yeah. It was everything I thought it would be and more. I didn't know I would learn so much about myself. It pushed me to my limits, physically and mentally. I realized I can push myself more than I thought I could. The choreographers were as great as I thought they'd be. I would say it was better than I expected actually. It was amazing to be on the show.

 

Q. Even though you're listed as contemporary, you're a ballet dancer. What was the hardest style?
A. Alexander: I think for the most part, the hardest style was contemporary. I know I was listed as contemporary but hip hop was hard as well. I think contemporary was a challenge because as a ballet dancer, we don't roll on the floor and we don't go on the floor. I feel like I always got a bruise because I wasn't used to it!

 

Q. Is there a dance that you didn't learn on the show that you would like to learn?
A. Ryan: Yeah, I mean for me, there's a lot of dances I would love to learn. I always wanted to get krump on the show. I really wanted to learn what the mechanics are with it. I love the passion with it. Also, I never had a waltz or tango. Definitely krump and the ballrooms.
A. Alexander: I have to agree. The ballroom is something I really have opened my eyes too. The paso doble was similar to ballet because of the structure involved and was one of my favorite pieces. Also, tap. I know we don't have that on the show but I have been wanting to take tap for a while.

 

Q. Who is your dream choreographer to work with?
A. Ryan: For me, I'd love to work with Wade Robson. I think he's a genius. I've worked with Mia and she's still one of my favorites. I mean, there are so many amazing people. I would love to work with Paul Knight. He's a hip hop choreographer. I think it'd be fun to work with him.
A. Alexander: Tyce was one that I really enjoyed working with. Jamie King for one is my other all-time favorite choreographers. I have close friends that know him personally and they say he's such a great person.

 

Q. What about this competition did you find the most difficult or surprising?
A. Alexander: I think the hardest part in the competition was not just working with a group of people that you've never danced with before, not just learning the dance in two days and going live the day after... I think the hardest part is having to perform it on live television and then get critiqued. It is a dance competition but it's a popularity contest as well. The thing that's the hardest part is that you have to keep remembering how much you love dance. This is one of the biggest stages to perform on.
A. Ryan: Mine is a little like what Alex just said. The hardest thing was being in the public eye so much. I didn't realize how much people really analyze your every move on the show. You have to keep your mind focused on why you're there and not get caught up in what people are saying about you. You just have to do it because you love dance and want to grow as a dancer. The biggest shock was just how many people it reaches.

 

Be sure to watch the Top 10 take the stage on So You Think You Can Dance, Wednesday at 8/7c on FOX.

 

(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

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