After getting through the initial auditions and the finals of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, making it to the Top 20 seems like a godsend for the competitors. But even once the dancers make it that far, there's no time to relax, as it’s not long before another two competitors are eliminated.

Wednesday night was the first Top 20 elimination on So You Think You Can Dance Canada, and despite their status as pre-final favourites, Taylor James and Tatiana Parker were the ones chosen to leave. James and his partner had struggled with his tango (even suffering a minor injury at the start of the routine), while Parker and her partner had performed Capoeira, a dance style that viewers may have been unfamiliar with.

Regardless of the reason, Parker and James were among the bottom competitors, and although they gave their all during their "Dance For Your Life" solos, the judges ultimately decided to eliminate them both from the competition.


Taylor James, 22
Vancouver, B.C.

Were you upset over being eliminated?
Oh, sure. But I'm a bit better now.

Did you expect to go home?
No, but after Tatiana was eliminated, I knew I couldn't be sure of anything. She was the strongest girl in the competition and everyone knew it.

Who did you think was going to get sent home instead?
Um, of the three boys?

Sure.
Uh, I don't know. Granted, I wasn't like, you know... My solo wasn't my best work. But, uh... I can't answer that question.

Had you planned for your solo just in case?
To be honest, I really didn't give it much thought before I went on stage. I hadn't really rehearsed it. I didn't think I would have to do it!

Why do you think you were in the bottom three?
I got a genre that was completely on the opposite end of the spectrum from what I train in and what I choreograph and dance in. I got a standard ballroom [dance] and it was a really hard routine. It was really hard for me and, also, having a female partner who was good at ballroom. I mean, it was awesome to have that, but in ballroom, the man leads, and not having any experience in that and in leading was a disadvantage. And I got hit in the mouth early on and was kind of distracted the whole time. It was unfortunate that things went that way, but obviously, everything happens for a reason, so I'm not really questioning it.

So getting hit in the mouth threw you off?
Oh, yeah! I wasn't even thinking about my routing; I was just thinking about how my mouth was filling with blood.

Are you OK now? Did you need medical attention?
Oh, no, it's totally fine. It was swollen for a couple of days and sore, but it's better now.

Do you think you could have done anything differently?
I probably would have done a hip-hop solo to be totally honest, because that's really what I do more than anything, is hip-hop.

Why didn't you?
I entered into the competition as a contemporary dancer and contemporary is a big part of my life, and I definitely think it reads a lot better on stage than hip-hop in my cases. In a solo, it's hard to fill a space when you're doing hip-hop. And, also, I'm not a fundamentalist hip-hop dancer – I don't pop or break-dance or lock, you know? I didn't want to represent myself as a hip-hop dancer because I'm a choreographer of hip-hop and I know there are a lot of true fundamentalist dancers. And, like I said, I was really in the competition as a contemporary dancer.

Is there a certain style of dance you wish you'd had the chance to do?
I would have loved the chance to do any kind of dance with Luther or Blake as choreographers. That's what I was most excited about, to have the opportunity to work with them. It's unfortunate I didn't get to, but I had an amazing experience.

Who do you think is going to win So You Think You Can Dance Canada?
To be totally honest, I think that Cody is going to win. I've been joking with him about it since finals. Cody's the teen dream – I gave him that name at finals! He's a really versatile dancer and he's one of the most incredibly caring and genuinely nice people I’ve ever met. He's young and he's amazing at what he does and he's just one of the coolest people I've met. For boys, I’m really rooting for Danny and Daniel and Cody, and for girls I like Amy and Kim.

What's next for you?
I'm going to get my stuff organized and move out to Toronto, most likely. There's a much bigger dance scene out here and I think that I've spent quite a bit of time in Vancouver training and teaching. I think it would be nice to switch it up and see what it's like out here. I've been out here a few times for auditions and stuff and it's been really awesome. I like the people.


Tatiana Parker, 21
Toronto, Ont.

You were very upset after being eliminated.
Yes, I was very upset. I was just so shocked and... I don't know; it was very emotional. I don't even remember it, to be quite honest. I had to look on YouTube to remember what happened.

You weren't expecting to go home?
No, I wasn't at all! It's not like I had anyone in mind, but I was so happy to be there and I was so excited to work with the choreographers that I did not expect to be going home. It wasn't something I thought of in my mind because I didn't want it to end.

Did you even think you would be in the bottom three couples?
That, I wasn't too sure about. I'm not sure if a lot of people understand Capoeira – I mean, I just began to understand it when I learned it. So for the viewers to vote for something they're unfamiliar with might be hard, so I wasn't sure. I was shocked but I was ready with my solo and I was confident, and when I was told I was going home, I was destroyed.

Who do you think should have gone home instead?
Oh, I can't... It would have been just as hard to watch someone else go home. We all had such a bond with each other, especially a select group of us – we were friends before and we've become even closer, so that's what was really emotional for me. Not only had I just started and had to go home even though I wanted to be there and show what I could do, but also that I was leaving a bunch of my friends. And Taylor, one of my best friends as well, when he got voted off? Everything was just so crazy and I didn't understand anything. I thought he was going to win the show, so for him to get voted off, I was like, 'What is going on here?' I couldn't believe the votes or the decisions made.

Was Capoeira difficult to master?
It was very challenging, but I learned a lot. It was a lot of fun to do, and at least I can say I got to try something new. I wouldn't have wanted to get hip-hop first and get voted off and then not had the opportunity to experience something new. That's one of the best things about the show, is that you get to learn different styles and work with choreographers. So I can say, at least, that I did that.

Are there any other dance styles you wish you'd had a chance to try?
Oh, totally. Even though I'm a hip-hop dancer, I love contemporary. I feel like I have an inner contemporary dancer within me, and I wish I'd had the chance to show the audience that I could do it. I was really excited to try, and I wish I'd had the chance to do that. The choreographers on the show are amazing and it would have been an honour to work with any of them.

Now that you and Taylor have been eliminated, who do you think will win?
Oh, that's a tough one. I think Melanie Mah is a very, very tough competitor. I think she's the one to beat right now. I also think Danny Lawn is going to completely blow everyone's minds when he gets to do the other styles. When you guys get to see him do contemporary, you're going to be blown away. I can't wait for the viewers to get to see that, and I hope they do get the chance to see that.

What's next for you?
I'm going to teach class! Right now! I'll never stop dancing. I'm not going to let this stop me. Of course, I'm in the worst mood right now. Everyone's trying to talk to me and I'm not answering my phone, but it will pass. I'm going to keep watching the show and supporting my friends and hope that the best dancer wins.

So You Think You Can Dance Canada airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. ET on CTV.

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