So You Think You Can Dance eliminated Hayley Erbert, an 18-year-old contemporary dancer from Topeka, KS, which determined the tenth season's Top 4 finale contestants during last Tuesday night's live show on Fox.
 
Hayley, along with Paul Karmiryan, a 21-year-old Latin ballroom dancer from Glendale, CA, got eliminated from the competition based on home viewer votes cast for the Top 6 finalists.

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During a recent conference call with reporters, Hayley talked to Reality TV World about her So You Think You Can Dance experience. To read what she had to say, click here. Below are some additional highlights from her interview.  

This whole process and getting so close to the finale, what are your emotions like now?  Is it joy because you made it so far in the competition and you had so much praise, or is it just frustration that you were one step away from the finale?

Hayley Erbert: It's a really bittersweet moment at this point, because we were so close to the finale.  But I am so proud of [Aaron Turner], "Fik-Shun," [Jasmine Harper], and [Amy Yakima] for making it, because they're just amazing, obviously at dance, and they're just like incredible human beings too.

I got so close with them over the weeks.  But, yes, I'm really upset that I didn't get to show America my last bit, but I'm still so happy that I even made it this far because I had never expected that I would make it this far to begin with.  So I'm just so blessed to have even gotten this opportunity at all.

What are your plans for the future now that you have this experience under your belt?

Hayley Erbert: Well, I'm planning on moving out to LA to start my dance career and whatnot, and I'm going to try to sign with an agency and just kind of figure out my dancing career in that way.  And also, I've always wanted to try to get into the acting field and be in movies, or even commercial work or anything, so I would love to go into acting. 

But I would also love to be a backup dancer for Justin Bieber or someone, just really anything right now.  The show has opened a ton of doors, but I'm just kind of excited to see what my future is going to be like now after this. 

What does working with all these different partners bring to the experience for you?

Hayley Erbert: Dancing with different partners definitely was amazing, because everybody has their own strengths.  And so, it was great to experience, because there was never once that I was like feeling the same way with a partner. 

And in dance, you have to connect with a partner really fast, so I think that was kind of to my advantage, because I was just given the opportunity to connect with so many different partners so quickly that I feel like that's really going to help me out in the future. 

Every partner that I worked with was amazing and I had such a great time with all of them, so I think it really just added to my experience throughout the entire thing.  And I wish I could have made it into the finale and gotten to dance with literally all of them, but we'll all be together for the tour, and so, you never know what dancers they'll put in or add in, so I'm really excited for it.

Now that the tour will be coming up soon, which dances, whether they're ones you've done or ones other contestants have done, would you like to see featured on the tour?

Hayley Erbert: There are so many dances to choose from that were amazing this season.  It's so hard to say.  I think my ideal show would probably be just like to combine every single piece of the entire season, keep like them [short] though, that way it's not too long.  That would be my ideal show. 

Of the dancers that were partnered with the all-stars, is there one dance you would love to dance?  Is there one routine that either of you would want to dance in place of the all-star?

Hayley Erbert:  Oh, that's so hard... I honestly cannot pick a dance.  Really, any of them would be amazing, because I think this is definitely one of the best seasons.  There hasn't been a single dance with an all-star that looks weak.  They're all so strong, and I think that's just amazing for us.  So I don't even think I can pick one of those.  I feel so indecisive, but this season has been amazing.

When you left Topeka in May to go audition in Texas, what you thought you'd be doing right about now is settling into a dorm and starting your freshman year of college instead of preparing for a 42 city tour.  Has it really settled in for you yet how much life has changed for you in just a few months?

Hayley Erbert: It is actually so strange.  I auditioned in Austin in January, so I knew that I was going to Vegas for quite a few months until Vegas actually happened, but I never imagined that I was even going to make it through to Vegas.  And then when I made it through Vegas, I didn't think I'd make South Pawnee, and then when I made South Pawnee, I never thought I'd make it this far.  So it's just been crazy. 

Yes, I was planning on going to Chapman University this fall, and as I just kept going further and further in the show, I was like, "Okay, I guess I'm not going anymore."  But it's just kind of crazy to even think about that, because right before I left for the show, I was graduating high school and then I was planning on going to college, and now I'm here. 

And now I get to go on tour and it's just completely mind blowing to me, because my life has just changed in so many ways, and I think it was for the best.  Everything happens for a reason, and I truly do believe that, so maybe going to college now wasn't what was meant to be for my life, but we'll just kind of play it by ear.  And everything really will happen for a reason.  We'll just see what God throws at me, I guess. 

With the success both you and "Fik-Shun" have had on Season 10, what's that say about Kansas being a pretty good breeding ground for topnotch dancers?

Hayley Erbert: Yes, I don't think people think of Kansas as being very, I don't really know, like very resourceful or anything.  So it really proved to people that just because you're from a small state or a small town, that doesn't mean anything as long as you put the work and effort into it. 

And all of the studios in Kansas are amazing, and I don't think people really realize that, so it just really does prove to people that you can get training anywhere.  As long as you have good training and you have the work ethic that you need to be successful, you'll be totally fine.

To read what Paul had to tell Reality TV World during his conference call with reporters, click here. For more from his interview, click here.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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