This morning I had the chance to chat with Ariana DeBose, the first female dancer to be eliminated from
So You Think You Can Dance. Ariana still seemed to be stinging from her early elimination, but she gracefully answered questions about her short-lived time on
So You Think You Can Dance.
Ariana chatted about how she got started dancing, working with Tabitha and Napoleon, and what's next for her.
On Her Farm Girl Roots:"My family owned a farm in Ivanhoe, North Carolina. It's out in the middle of
nowhere. We had family reunions there, but I didn't actually grow up on the farm. I think that was a
little misrepresented on the show."
On How and Why She Started Dancing:"I started dancing when I was three, when my mom signed me up for classes. I just loved to move around and I
just loved music. I got really serious about it around ten. And I think
what made me get really serious was the freedom that I felt when I was
dancing. I felt like I was flying. I felt happy. And who doesn't love
to hear a crowd applauding for them?"
On Her Level of Confidence Going In To The Top 20:"Honestly, I always have confidence in my dancing. I trust myself as a
dancer and I did the best I could do. This Top 20 is fantastic and
every week it is going to be hard to eliminate someone. I was very confident, I was very
proud of what I did last night. The outcome is what it is, and now it is
time to move on."
On Noelle's Injury and If She Hopes To Take Her Place If She Cannot Continue:"I have not heard from Noelle. I hope that she's doing well and that her
MRI came through without any pink. Noelle and I come from the same
studio. So I would feel a little funny taking her place. I mean, who doesn't
want a second chance? But I wouldn't want to be eliminated again."
On Working With Napoleon and Tabitha:"They were very upfront with us. They said, 'We're going for a new vibe, so it's
going to be challenging.' So I knew early on it as going to be tough.
When you set out for a new adventure, it's always tough. And that was a
different piece than anyone has ever seen on the show. I feel like out
of all the couples, Peter and I were the two who were really out of our
element. I think we did the best that we could.The more important part is we had a great time doing it."
On Her Plans For the Future:"I'm focused on New York. I want to dance on Broadway. I
also sing and act. I was singing and acting and dancing before I
auditioned. The show was just another path for me. It was just another
career pathway. So I am going to head to NYC for a little bit and just
see what happens."
Best of luck to Ariana and her Broadway dreams!
--Abbey Simmons, BuddyTV Staff Writer (Image Courtesy of FOX)