So You Think You Can Dance crowned female dancer Amy Yakima and male dancer DuShaunt "Fik-Shun" Stegall its two tenth-season champions during Tuesday night's live finale broadcast of the Fox reality dance competition.

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Amy, a 19-year-old jazz dancer from Northville, MI, and Fik-Shun, an 18-year-old hip-hop dancer from Las Vegas, NV, were declared the winners of So You Think You Can Dance and "America's favorite dancers" based on home viewer votes cast for the Top 4 finalists immediately following last week's performance show, which featured each finalist performing five times for So You Think You Can Dance judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy as well as guest judges Paula Abdul and Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas.

"I can't believe it! I never thought I'd be here! I didn't even think I'd make it to Vegas and I'm standing here!" Amy said following her victory.

"The line just kept going with so many dancers who wanted to audition and I was one of them. I was sweating. My feet were slipping. I was so nervous I was going to fall! That ticket meant a journey and I was ready to take that journey. Vegas Week really pushed me to my absolute limit, but you had to do it because the end prize was the Top 20. With one, 'Yes,' my life just completely changed. Being on that stage dancing was something really, really special and I will never, ever forget that. To hear my name would be a dream. It would be indescribable. I wouldn't have a word. It would just be the feeling of just joy."

Fik-Shun broke down into tears when he learned he had won the competition.

"This means everything to me. I'm so happy, everybody! I just want to thank everybody -- my family, one of my closest friends that I performed with on The Strip is here tonight in the audience and he came here for this finale. And I'm so happy he got to see me perform for the first time live, and I think everyone else. I thank everyone else for being here and having my back the whole way through! This means so much to me and I can't ask for anything more!" an overwhelmed Fik-Shun said after his big win.

"Standing outside in the line at the Los Angeles auditions, I felt really small. I definitely felt very heavy and just weighted with all the pressure. I was shocked. And then I started thinking, 'What the heck did I get myself into?' Vegas Week was one of the most intimidating things I've ever gone through. You seriously look around and you realize that everyone is so good. I feel like I just had to do what I do best, which is perform. When I'm out there, my mind shuts off and my soul takes over. When I first showed up, I was just a performer. But now, I can say I'm a dancer. I've put in the blood, sweat and tears to be here, and now, I want to be that one."

As the season's champions, Amy and Fik-Shun will each receive over a $100,000 cash prize and a cover appearance on Dance Spirit magazine.

Cat Deeley announced Amy had pulled in the most home viewer votes overall.

Amy bested fellow female finalist Jasmine Harper, a 20-year-old contemporary dancer from Lawrenceville, GA, to win the competition, while Fik-Shun beat out fellow male finalist Aaron Turner, a 25-year-old tap dancer from Las Vegas, NV, for the So You Think You Can Dance title.

"Standing in line, it was nerve-wracking," Jasmine explained. "Waiting to go onstage, the adrenaline started to kick in. Getting that ticket to Vegas, I just couldn't believe it. Vegas Week was incredibly hard -- physically, mentally, emotionally -- you're just fighting for your spot. The first time on the So You Think You Can Dance stage, it was a little bit overwhelming. This journey has been a life-changer."

Added Aaron, "I came back this year because I felt I had unfinished business. Onstage, there's all these cameras. It just makes you so nervous. That was the starting point. That was like the gunshot for the race. I realized that I was getting closer and closer to my goal. It made me want it more. My story is without a doubt the underdog story. It would mean everything to me to win. It would just be the perfect ending to what I consider to be the best experience of my entire life."

Last week, each Top 4 finalist performed a solo, a dance with each of their fellow competitors -- so three routines altogether -- and a dance with a So You Think You Can Dance all-star to the genre of his or her choice.

Tuesday night's finale broadcast featured a variety of performances for Nigel, Mary, as well as guest judges Paula, Adam Shankman and all-star Twitch.

Each judge, in addition to Cat, got to nominate one routine from the season they'd like to see again of the 109 routines performed this summer. Battle of the Year crew performed, the Top 20 took the stage together, the Top 10 performed with the season's all-stars and the Top 10 guys danced altogether, a memorable routine choreographed by an all-star was re-lived, and the Top 4 finalists each selected their own favorite dance of the season to perform again for viewers.

Nigel also made an announcement during last night's show that So You Think You Can Dance has been renewed for an eleventh season on Fox.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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