This morning I had the pleasure of chatting with Pauline Mata, the latest girl to be eliminated from So You Think You Can Dance. Pauline fell victim to the quickstep of death and the worst string of luck of any contestant in the history of So You Think You Can Dance. First there was the nasty, stomach turning, oh-my-god-is-that-your-ankle? incident, then her original partner Billy Bell had to drop out of the competition a day and a half before the first performance, she then lost her second partner after that day and a half and was paired with a tapper, the new cursed genre of So You Think You Can Dance.

But, don't feel too bad for Pauline Mata, who had the time of her life on So You Think You Can Dance. The experience has helped her grow as a person and a dance, and she became acquainted with an entirely new genre, "the Wade."


Did you think Nigel was a little harsh about the solos last night?

"I think Nigel the way he compared us to the last season, it's fresh in their minds so it's understandable. In away I feel that with all the talk about this season being the best season ever, he was a little hard on us. But it's just going to make us that much stronger."

Your time on So You Think You Can Dance seemed incredibly stressful, how did you handle that?

"I think it's just a learning experience, I did audition for season 5. So I knew what it was like to go through. Everything was stressful but always in my head I was saying things happen for a reason, things happen for the better."

Do you think the results would be different if you'd gotten different genres?

"I think it would have showcase me more. It would have shown my strengths instead of some of my weaknesses.Though [pulling ballroom] shows America and the judges that I am capable of doing other styles and showcase my other talents. I don't want to say I can fake it, but that's kind of what it is. Obviously I'm not a ballroom dancer. If I had gotten hip hop I think that would have showcased me a lot more than quickstep or waltz."

What did you think when you pulled the Quickstep?

"I dreaded it at first. When I drew out quickstep, I already knew in my head instantly 'oh no this can be really bad.' I did have a sense of dread, this is the quickstep, this is what people don't wan to draw out of the hat. But I don't think that there was a dull moment in choreography or on stage."

How did you feel after dancing the Quickstep?

"I was actually thinking we could be in danger because it's the quickstep. It's hard for the audience and America to relate to the quickstep. The fact that we did really well, was a shocker to both of us. It wasn't a train wreck like Mary said. Coming into the results show it could be really good, but at the same time it could be really bad because it's the quickstep kiss of death. If you've never done the quickstep you don't know how hard it is to do it."

What was it like working with Wade Robson?

"I think that one was my routine that I did. It was so creative and the concept was so good. The way that wade explained it to us when he first explained it to us, we were very excited for it. Working with Wade, while it was considered jazz, if I put a card in the hat it would just say "Wade." Wade's choreography and Wade's style, I would call it Wade. Because he is just so different and his choreography is very unique. I pulled the Wade and not jazz."

What's next for you?

"I do have plans. I'm going to go back to the studio that I grew up at.  I want to tour dancing and teaching in other countries and the US.  But working with costumes and wardrobe had me thinking. I've always had this fashion sense in me and I've thought that I wanted to be a fashion designer. And the wardrobers made me think I should go back to fashion and get in that industry and be creative with the costumes. But, I will still be dancing no matter what."

We wish Pauline the best of luck in her future endeavors, fashion, dance, and otherwise.



--Abbey Simmons, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image Courtesy of FOX)