As one of the hottest shows on TV starts to heat up, Woman’s Day chatted to Will one of the first two contestants to leave the So You Think You Can Dance top 20.
After the ashow he raced off to McDonald’s because he needed some junk food.
Are you happy with how far you got in the competition?
Yes, I came with no expectations. I auditioned purely to showcase my tango routines. I was so surprised to make it as far as did. It’s been a really great platform to launch from.
You’ve mentioned you don’t have as much training and technique as some of the other dancers, do you think this might be what let you down in the end?
I don’t think so. The Adam Williams routine I did with Grace was extremely fast and technical and almost all the top 20 would have struggled with it. We were criticised for pulling out of the final jump but I have no regrets about it — rather than blow it completely. The routine may have fizzled out at the end but I’m happy with the decision.
How did you find the judges? Was their criticism useful?
It was extremely useful. I tried to take everything they said onboard. For instance, I was told to show more passion when I danced — now I’ll go out with that in mind before every performance.
How will you remember your experience?
Incredible. It was an amazing opportunity. I’d been overseas for a few years, had come back to Australia and found myself on the end of a dole queue like a lot of dancers. So to go from that to Dance is just amazing.
How did you find the crowd at the performances?
Absolutely fantastic. You could really feed off their energy. There were times when we were dancing and were completely exhausted but the adrenaline you get from the crowd gets you over the line. It’s also a much more personal connection with the audience when you’re dancing solo or with a partner compared to an ensemble, which was all I really knew before this.
What was your highlight from being on the show?
Jason Gilkison’s choreography was a particular highlight. As was working with Kelly Abbey, who is an amazing talent and a brilliant creative input. I built a great relationship with them both and won’t hesitate in asking them for advice in the future.
What are your plans now?
I’m going to be busy preparing my own show Three2Tango for a one-month contract in Maccau. And after that I’m performing in the production of West Side Story which is going to be touring Australia, playing the roles of Bernardo and Chino.
You were the oldest in the top 20. Do you feel your best dancing is to come? Are you still looking to improve?
Of course. I’m constantly trying to reinvent myself as a dancer. I look back to the start of the show and I’m amazed with how much I grew in that short space of time. I’m always looking to improve.
There’s obviously a lot of talent on the show this year. Who is your tip to win the competition?
Probably Robbie. I roomed with him and he has a real pocket-rocket personality. He’s an incredibly versatile dancer, which is going to play a big part in the competition. I’d be really happy to see someone as humble as him win it.
Do you have any words of advice for any upcoming dancers?
Believe in yourself. Always make sure you keep growing. And don’t dwell on a bad performance — learn lessons from your mistakes and move on.
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