Eliminated dancers Dareian, Janelle, Amelia, and Matthew
The morning after their So You Think You Can Dance elimination, Amelia Lowe, Janelle Issis, and Dareian Kujawa hopped on the phone with press to talk about their journey on the show and their plans moving forward. See what they had to say about working with Mia, their future plans, and more.
What was it like working with Mia Michaels?
Amelia – We only had a short time working with her before during the Top 20 group dance. Getting to work with Mia again was great. I’m honored to work with her so closely.
Dareian – She’s so amazing and I’m happy that I got the chance to work with her one-on-one. When she choreographs, her process is so amazing and she really brings something out of you – that fire.
If you could have danced any other Mia routine, which would you pick?
Amelia – I wouldn’t have picked a different one. The one I was given was perfect for me and I felt the most comfortable with it.
Janelle – I wouldn’t change mine either, but I would love to do the butt piece. It looks like so much fun. Dareian and I never really got to play a character.
Dareian – I second Janelle. It would’ve been really fun to do the butt piece. It’s so playful, really physical, and the characters are funny. The be was a really good fit for me though.
If there could be a night dedicated to another So You Think You Can Dance choreographer, who do you think it should be?
Dareian – Travis Wall. Everybody is so amazing, but he’s one of my favorites and I would have wanted to work with him.
Janelle – I agree. Travis Wall has an enormous body of work. It’s amazing to see how far he’s come since he was a contestant on Season 2.
Who were their favorite choreographers to work with?
Amelia – It’s a toss-up because each choreographer is just so different, but one of the funnest was NappyTabs the first week. They’re a riot to be around, but you still get so much work done.
Janelle – It is hard to pick because each choreographer brought something different. Sonya Tayeh and Sean Cheesman each went for blood with us. Pasha was funny to work with. Mia was a lot of fun, and it was a little surprising because we were a little afraid of her.
Dareian – When I went into the show I thought of it not as a competition but as an opportunity to grow as a person and dancer. I worked really hard to get something out of each choreographer. Sonya kicks your butt and her work ethic is amazing. Pasha’s style is so amazing and he’s such a man when he dances so I tried to take that away. NappyTabs is sick; their group number was amazing.
What’s next for the dancers?
Amelia – I’m looking to kind of branch out and go into movies. Acting in film would be exciting for me. When I get home I’m going to enroll in acting classes.
Janelle – So many doors have been opening. The belly dance community is rather large and I love to teach so that’s something I would want to do. Or maybe even have my own belly dancing cooking show, or do some modeling or acting.
Dareian – I am considering moving out to LA now that I’ve been on the show which is a huge advertisement for a dancer. I’ve tried the Vegas scene, but I feel there’s so much more commercial dance in LA. I’d love to do some singing, acting, dancing, and underwear modeling.
