So You Think You Can Dance eliminated Malene Ostergaard, a 25-year-old Ballroom dancer from Aarhus, Denmark, during last week's live show of the reality dancing competition's eleventh season on Fox.

ADVERTISEMENT

In addition to Malene, Nick Garcia, an 18-year-old Latin Ballroom dancer from Miami, FL, also got sent home.
So You Think You Can Dance judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy as well as guest judge Misty Copeland ousted the two performers after they found themselves in the week's bottom-six dancers based on home viewer votes cast immediately following the prior week's show. With Malene and Nick now out of the running, 18 contestants remain.

In an exclusive interview with Reality TV World, Malene recently talked about her So You Think You Can Dance experience. Below is the concluding portion. Click here to read the first half.

Reality TV World: I believe Louis van Amstel from Dancing with the Stars choreographed your routine as well as Nick's in Week 1. Do you think that's a coincidence or might've actually had something to do with your eliminations?

Malene Ostergaard: I don't think that any of our routines or our choreographers or anything had to do with us being eliminated. I just think, you know, we pulled out the dance from a hat, like what we did [last] week, and whatever we did last week was purely to show off our abilities in our own style.

And I'm very happy that Louis choreographed for both of us. He clearly did amazing routines and we had great reviews last week, so I think -- if anything -- that just helped us to show ourselves better, to showcase ourselves better.

But of course, like, getting a dance -- like Nick pulled swing, which he's never done before. And then for the judges to kind of expect him to do it, because it's kind of boring, it's also hard for him because, you know, he hasn't trained in it.

So it would be like putting a jazz dancer doing it, so that's very hard. And for me, Broadway, it's not as strong as, for example, jazz or contemporary or even hip-hop. And so, it's a weaker category and that was just pure bad luck. So it's nothing with the choreographers or anything like that.

Reality TV World: So are you saying Broadway was the worst possible dance style you could've chosen for yourself, or do you think there's one or two styles you might struggle with even more than that?

Malene Ostergaard: I mean, I wouldn't say that I struggled with it. It was just, it's a different type of dance style. I think that people who watch the show as well are younger people, so it might not come across as well as, you know, a hip-hop routine or a contemporary routine. But at the same time, it's so much fun to do, so it definitely has to be part of the show.

Maybe for me, it was just bad luck that I didn't get a chance to show that I can actually also do contemporary or jazz -- that I pulled a category that wasn't closer to my own and maybe expected to feature, but I didn't. I didn't get a chance to show it.

Reality TV World: Nigel mentioned you made it through many rounds of the show because of your "beauty." Did that offend you at all and make you feel like your looks played a big role in you getting cast in the Top 20? Do you think he meant to say something different?

Malene Ostergaard: I hope he did. (Laughs) Yeah, that of course upset me. Because if anything, doing dancing -- I've heard many times, and I'm so happy when people say that I'm beautiful, but if anything upsets me, it's knowing that where I am, I'm there because of my beauty. Because I definitely do not want it to be like that. I work very, very hard and I worked so hard to get on this show.

I also think that they know that, because they told me during the week as well what my strengths were, what my weaknesses were. And I'm pretty sure that they said to me that I was on the show because I was so extraordinarily good in my own category and that's why they put me here. So, I'm just choosing to remember that and then forget the other part he said.

Reality TV World: Were you a fan of So You Think You Can Dance before you auditioned, and also, was this season the first time you ever auditioned for the show?

Malene Ostergaard: Yeah, this was my first time auditioning. I've always loved the show. I think it's amazing and it always had, like, so many great dancers on it. It's a different show and it's very well-respected and I've always respected it as well myself.

The dancers have to do so much, and if you're not strong and ready for it, it's just so hard. It's impossible to do, so it's an incredible show and I'm so in love with it. I'm so sad I don't get to do more in it, because I would've loved to stay on for a few more rounds.

Reality TV World: So it sounds like the experience was everything you had expected it to be?

Malene Ostergaard: Yes, even more. It was more than I expected it to be. It's so great when you see it and get inspired by it. I'm older than the other ones, so I've seen it for so many years from a different perspective. Like I've seen it as an adult, you know? I'm 25 now.

Some of the others remember it as kids, but I've actually had it as an inspiration to my competitive career as well. So, I've just always respected everyone on the show, and being on it was so much more than actually thinking it would be.

Reality TV World: You were the oldest girl in the cast. Did you bond with the other contestants or was the age difference kind of noticeable when it came to your interactions with the other dancers?

Malene Ostergaard: No, not at all. I mean, we bonded so well. Everybody knows that. It's crazy. It's like a family; It's really insane. As a Ballroom dancer, I've always traveled by myself, so I've never been used to being around bigger groups of dancers. Like, usually jazz dancers, they go to competitions and are all from the same school or something.

Ballroom dancers, we compete by ourselves in couples. But being among all of them, they're just so great and they call me their "grandma." They know I'm older but I've bonded with so many of them, and [Jourdan Epstein] was my roommate and we bonded so well. I'm definitely going to miss them so much. There were really great friendships that we made doing the show.

Reality TV World: What's next for you, and could you envision yourself being an all-star on the show in the future?

Malene Ostergaard: Oh, I'd love that. I mean, dancing on the stage was like so incredible. It was, like, the most amazing experience ever. I've danced all over the world, but this was so far the greatest experience.

And coming back to the show would be the best thing ever, so I'd love that. Apart from that, I love working with TV and film and I'd love to do more with that. Just being in the creative world makes me happy, so that's where I'm going to stay.

In an exclusive interview with Reality TV World, Malene recently talked about her So You Think You Can Dance experience. Above is the concluding portion. Click here to read the first half.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS