Matt Dorame has had a few days to process his elimination from So You Think You Can Dance. He and partner Kourtni Lind were sent home on last Thursday’s live elimination episode, just two weeks shy of making the Top 10. Making it that far is a goal for all of the dancers, as it means that they make the national tour. Still, Matt accepted the judges’ decision and has no regrets about his time on the show. Today, he spoke to BuddyTV in an exclusive interview, opening up about his partner, the other dancers, and what kept him sane during his time on So You Think You Can Dance.
Hey everybody, this is Gina from BuddyTV and today I’m talking to Matt from So You Think You Can Dance. Well, usually the dancers have to do their interview the day after they’re eliminated and you’ve had a little bit more time to think about it, so what do you think about the way you went out from So You Think You Can Dance?
I think it was perfect, like everything was exactly how I wished for it. I was happy, I had no bad feelings or bad taste in my mouth. It went pretty gracefully and I really couldn’t have asked for a better way to go out.
You’re not the first person to sound okay with the fact that they were eliminated. I think a lot of the dancers are just hoping to make Top 20, was that the goal for you?
Yeah, I think all of us kind of secretly hope for Top 10 because tour would be something that we would really love to experience. Being Top 20 is more than we asked for and more than I think most of us thought we would get, so that’s kind of overwhelming all in itself, and you kind of have to take your mind back to that and say, “You made Top 20”.
I heard in the past that the dancers on the show are not too catty or competitive that everybody gets along and respects each other. What’s this season’s cast been like for you to work with?
I hate them all. [laughs] Yeah, I get along with everyone. I mean obviously there are people you’re going to get along with a lot more than others and you’re going to bond with more, but as far as like getting along and tolerating everyone, I think we all were pretty great at understanding each other’s personalities. I understood a lot of people’s personalities and I think a lot of people understood mine, so we don’t really ever clash. I don’t think there’s really ever any time to clash with anybody.
How do you keep your sanity with the crazy schedule? Because I do know that it can be very grueling for the dancers.
Oh yeah. Well, it’s nice that your family comes down a lot. My family was there I think every show. That really keeps you grounded, they bring you back down to earth and remind you that it’s not the end of the world whatever happens. A bad comment from Nigel or Mary is not like doomsday and you don’t need to go jump off a bridge.
Is there a choreographer that you wish that you got to work with that you didn’t?
I loved working with Mia for the group piece, I think it would have been really fun to work with her in a partner setting. And I really wanted to work with Tony and Meredith. I was happy with whoever I got to work with, but it would have been fun to get to know those people a little bit more personally by working with them in a couple.
Are there dancers that are still left in the competition that you have a lot of respect for or has done a routine that really stood out for you?
Oh my gosh, yes. I have respect for all the dancers because they’re still going. Honestly, I didn’t want to leave and I wish I was still there, but it’s nice to get some sleep and it’s nice to relax. Everyone had stand out routines for me, I don’t think anyone has done a bad routine. Of course Mia’s pieces always stand out to me, because they’re contemporary and I’m contemporary.
There’s a big debate on BuddyTV as to whether Josh and Katee are the current frontrunners, or Kherington and Twitch. Do you have an opinion?
I don’t, I really like them both. Twitch was my roommate, so I kind of have like a little softer spot for Twitch because I know him just a little bit better – not a lot, but just a little bit better. But I think they’re both awesome and they both have something totally different to bring to each routine they do. Kind of like, you’re not able to compare them. Like I don’t know how America is going to compare this week, because the competition is just getting bigger and I don’t know how they’re going to do it.
Do you think that the judges were tough on the male contemporary dancers, because they did seem to get harsh with you and Chris and Thayne? What is your opinion of that?
Oh yeah. I don’t really know how the judging normally works. I watched previous seasons and I don’t ever remember it being that tough. But I thought for sure that male contemporary dancers had the most critiques this year, and they were for sure the hardest on us.
What was the hardest style of dance for you to master for the performance?
Probably the hip-hop. Well it’s funny, because going into the last dance, it was hip-hop and mambo. I’m a lot more comfortable with the latin dance, the ballroom, because I’ve done it. And hip-hop was horrible for me, I was not comfortable with and Kourtni was way comfortable. And in the end she ended up excelling at mambo and I ended up doing better at hip-hop.
Yeah, I really loved your hip-hop routine, it was really great what you and Kourtni did.
Yeah, it was fun to do.
So what’s the goal for you now? You’ll keep dancing of course. Will we see you in the audience of So You Think You Can Dance, cheering everybody on?
Oh my gosh, I’ll have like the biggest sign because I want like everyone to win. But yeah, I’m so excited, I call them all the time and I’m like I can’t wait to come see a show and cheer you guys on. I don’t know if I’ll be at a Thursday show, that’s too hard, but I think for the Monday I’ll be there.
Was this experience everything that you could have hoped for?
Yeah, it was way more than I ever thought it was, and I learned way more than I ever thought I was going to learn. I wish it longer and more dragged out, but I learned a lot.
Well thanks so much Matt, I just want to wish you good luck in the future.
Thank you very much.
– Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
