So You Think You Can Dance eliminated Nick Garcia, an 18-year-old Latin Ballroom dancer from Miami, FL, during Wednesday night's live show of the reality dancing competition's eleventh season on Fox.
 
In addition to Nick, Malene Ostergaard, a 25-year-old Ballroom dancer from Aarhus, Denmark, also got sent home.

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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 last week's show. With Nick and Malene now out of the running, 18 contestants remain.

In an exclusive interview with Reality TV World on Thursday, Nick talked about his So You Think You Can Dance experience. Below is the first half. Check back with us soon for the concluding portion.

Reality TV World: Were you surprised to be eliminated and what was going through your mind when the results were revealed? The look on your face was definitely shock -- but you almost looked more pissed off than sad. (Laughs)

Nick Garcia: We talked about it on the first show and we knew someone gets eliminated on the second show, but I don't think you should ever go in there with the mindset that you are going to get eliminated. But you always have that feeling of, "Oh my God, somebody is going to get eliminated. It could be one of these guys, it could be you, it could also be myself."

So, it was a shock. I thought I didn't get to showcase all that I could do. I've been dancing other styles, like contemporary, probably a lot longer than I've been dancing ballroom. So, it was a little bit of a shock that I got [sent] home this early. But, you know, you got to take the mindset of, "You've got to take the opportunity and run with it."

I think I had a great experience on So You Think You Can Dance. I was a little pissed off, I mean, it's hard not to be a little pissed off. You make it so far and then you leave right away. But, like I said, you've just got to have a positive mindset and really make the most of every opportunity.

Reality TV World: Do you find it a coincidence that you and Malene are both ballroom dancers and you were the first two finalists eliminated from the show? Do you think America has a tough time relating to or really appreciating ballroom dance? I noticed Brooklyn Fullmer and Serge Onik were also in the bottom six and best in ballroom.

Nick Garcia: Yeah, I think that maybe it's just the way -- I don't think it was a coincidence. I just feel like sometimes people underestimate what ballroom dancers can do. I think that we go out there and they think we can't point our feet, we can't [do turns], we can't kick our legs up, and we can only shake our hips. And I think we're a lot more than that.

I don't think it was a coincidence though, I think, we both came to the realization that we were the two voted off. It's life. We got to get up again and keep walking. But no, I don't find it a coincidence, but I do feel like some people have that mindset of [ballroom dancers] can only do a certain amount of things.

Reality TV World: You and Jessica Richens performed a swing-dance routine last night choreographed by Benji Schwimmer. Considering you were way outside of your own styles, Nigel noted Benji was kind of mean in that he created a routine extremely challenging for the both of you that made you appear uncomfortable onstage, like it didn't bring out your strengths as dancers. Do you agree with Nigel and could you elaborate a bit on that?

Nick Garcia: I don't agree with Nigel. I think that Benji did his job. I think that he came out there, he choreographed -- he did what he had to do. I think the biggest part of the competition is the challenge, and me and Jessica were definitely challenged.

He was teaching us a lot about how the swing is used these days and you can do it to any song. But when people hear West Coast swing, they want that fast, crazy kind of song.

So he was like, "You know what we've got to do. The crowd isn't going to feel the same way that they usually do when they think of West Coast swing." But I don't think I agree with Nigel. I think that Benji went out there and he did a terrific job. I think he choreographed a great piece. Me and Jessica, honestly, worked day in and day out on that piece.

And to be honest with you, I think we did a great job. I mean, I think that was the best we could've done it yesterday. We went out there, we executed all the lifts and transitions -- yeah, our technique could've been a little better, but there's only so much you can do in a week. But I applaud Benji and he was great. It was a great dance.

Reality TV World: Going back to last week, you and Tanisha Belnap shared a little kiss onstage. Was anything romantic starting to bloom between the two of you or was that just strictly an in-the-moment thing to enhance your performance?

Nick Garcia: I think that was an in-the-moment kind of thing. I love Tanisha but no. That was more of a -- we're just dancing it and we're feeling it and she's going to kiss me and then we're just going to keep going! But it was definitely something that I didn't mind. But no, there was nothing there. It was nothing there.

In an exclusive interview with Reality TV World on Thursday, Nick talked about his So You Think You Can Dance experience. Above is the first half. Check back with us soon for the concluding portion.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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