This week’s two eliminated contestants from season 10’s top ten spoke with Hypable about their experiences on the show, and whether or not they felt their eliminations were fair.
It was the hardest elimination yet for season 10’s close-knit group of dancers, as contemporary dancers Makenzie Dustman and Nico Greetham were sent home this week after a night of amazing dancing. It was a controversial elimination, as Makenzie and Nico have both been front-runners throughout the competition, and were in the bottom four alongside Jenna Johnson, a technically strong dancer who doesn’t seem to connect with the audience, and Tucker Knox, who was in the bottom four on a technicality, but went on to have a breakthrough routine choreographed just for him, making it hard for the judges to send him home immediately afterwards.
Fans are mourning Makenzie’s and Nico’s departure, but the dancers are looking back fondly on their time on the show, and looking ahead to what’s next.
The ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Family
While each season’s contestants form a close bond, season 10’s group seems to be particularly close. “I think this season, we’re all around the same age, we’re all younger – around 18 and 20 – so I think all of us kind of were at the same stage in our lives when we came together as a group, and we all have definitely created such an amazing bond, our So You Think You Can Dance family.” Makenzie says. “I mean, that’s the hardest thing about leaving the competition, is leaving my family.”
And the choreographers agreed: “Every choreographer that we ever worked with, as far as group dances went, they would always comment on how unique our group was specifically, because of our connection and our bond and what we had all gone through together, and I think that’s such a beautiful thing.” Nico says. “I think that there was no tension ever between our groups. I feel like [the choreographers] mentioned that every season there would always be maybe one or two who thought they were a little above everyone, but I think our group, they were all so kind-hearted towards each toher and we were all so supportive of everyone, and I mean, I think that’s so rare. That’s definitely what we’re all going to miss the most, is not being together all the time, literally 24/7.”
Surprise eliminations
Makenzie and Nico were both in a tough spot this week. Makenzie, a favorite of both the judges and choreographers, found herself in the bottom alongside fellow judges’ favorite Jenna Johnson. Nico was in the bottom four alongside Tucker Knox, who was automatically in the bottom, due to him not being able to dance his partner routine last week as a result of a knee infection keeping him from rehearsing. On top of that, Tucker had a particularly emotional and groundbreaking routine with all-star Robert Roldan. Were Makenzie and Nico surprised that they were in the bottom, and then eliminated?
“The first time landing in the bottom, of course it’s frightening, but once you kind of repeatedly land in the bottom, [it’s] not that you get used to it, but you’re not afraid of it, and you kind of expect it every week, just so you’re ready for it.” Makenzie says. “That’s how I felt I was: I was ready to do my solo, and I think it’s good to be open-minded and ready for that position, to dance your solo.”
“I mean, every single person, including Jenna – she’s absolutely incredible, I don’t think anyone deserves to be in the bottom, but that’s how the show has to go; there’s always gonna be a bottom six or four.” She continues, “Everyone now in the show can win the show, but it’s the nature of it [that two contestants have to leave] every week. Of course I didn’t want to go, but it has to happen and I made top 10, and I’m so happy that I made it this far. So, I mean, you just kind of have to go with the flow of the show.”
“You know, it was ironic, kind of, because I feel like the last few weeks, every time I landed in the bottom, I felt as if those were my best weeks on the entire show.” Nico says. “Being in the bottom six was definitely terrifying the first few times, but, I mean, Tucker’s dance was so heart-warming. It had everyone in tears, everyone backstage and the whole audience and the judges. Tucker’s a phenomenal dancer, and it was between his dance and my hip-hop dance; it was definitely gonna go to him, because it was just so much more relatable.”
He continues, “But that’s okay, like Kenzie said, it’s the nature of the show: two people have to go every week, and I’m just so grateful that I’ve made top 10 and I get to go on tour with my family.”
How do they think they ended up in the bottom so many times? “You really never know how people perceive you or see you.” Makenzie says. “Maybe I landed in the bottom because people just didn’t feel like they connected with me on a personal level. You know, when I watched the show, I would vote for people, not just good dancers, but people personality-wise I would just connect with, so maybe people never felt like they had a connection with me on a personal level?”
She continues, “I don’t know, I really don’t know. I feel like I really did my best every week and I was so lucky to have Paul [Karmiryan, Latin ballroom dancer, fan favorite, and winner of SYTYCD Armenia] as a partner, because he was the reason behind us both doing so well. But having a good dance isn’t enough, there has to be something else that intrigues an audience.”
Nico seemed at a loss to understand how he ended up here. “As far as being in the bottom the last three weeks, I don’t know, I don’t know why. Like I said, everyone on the show is just so amazing, and every single dancer had the potential to win. So I feel that everyone was so amazing and everyone had a connection with everyone. I guess America wasn’t feeling me these last few weeks?” he says, his voice breaking. “It is what it is, it’s the nature of the show, everyone’s got to go at some point, so, I don’t know.”
Bittersweet moments
Each time Makenzie landed in the bottom over the past weeks, and was saved by the judges, it meant another female dancer was eliminated in her place. Did this make her feel guilty? “I guess I never thought of it that way, that I was replacing someone else. I mean, it has to happen. We’ve been saved, it’s the nature of the show: someone has to leave. I was so thankful that the judges, ‘cause I have landed in the bottom so many times, that they did save me and see something in me and wanted to see me in upcoming weeks.”
She adds, “Of course it is an awful feeling, it’s bittersweet, because you want to stay there and I’ve gotten to stay there, and Malece [Miller, last week’s eliminated contestant] is one of my best friends – my roommate – and seeing her go…you have to see someone go every week and it’s heart wrenching no matter what. Of course you are so happy for yourself that you are staying, but there’s a part of you that just goes out to the person that’s leaving, because you want them to be a part of it too. So, I mean, I wouldn’t say guilt, but it’s bittersweet and it’s so hard seeing someone go.”
Solos
For a change this week, judge Nigel Lythgoe announced that they would not be asking the bottom four to dance for their lives, because they had already seen all four dance their solos during their previous weeks in the bottom. However, the dancers had mixed feelings about this announcement.
“Okay, so I guess Makenzie and Jenna and I had been in the bottom at least three times,” Nico says, “But I personally, I never did my solo. Every single time I was in the bottom, there was always a reason as to why I didn’t: whether I got saved, or whether they didn’t want to see our solos, and they were gonna base it off what we did that night (which is what they did last night). So, I mean, not that it was frustrating, I just wish I got to do a solo on that stage in front of America. I just wish I could remind America what my style was before I got to go, but hopefully on tour I’ll be able to do the solo and go from there. It just bothered me that Nigel said he had seen our solos too many times, because he has never seen my solo. But that’s okay, it’s just how it goes.”
“I feel kind of the same way.” Makenzie agreed. “I mean, at that point, I would have loved to do my solo, just like [Nico] said, to show everyone what I do. I mean, the only chance you get to show your style is when you do your solo, because every week you’re given something different. So I wouldn’t say I was frustrated, just because in that moment you just have to be professional about it, and just because I could just focus on my duet with Jacob and put all my energy to that. But just like Nico said, I would have loved to be able to share my solo.”
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.