Nony, you own!

Nony posted:


Hi it's Nony!

Here's some more links and more quotes from the gang. All bogarted from TWOP.com.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061001/ENT/610010303/1031/NEWS03



http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-59955sy0oct22,0,456261.story?coll=dp-news-local-final

Since you have been on the show, you have been in the public spotlight a lot -- how have you handled this transition from everyday dancer to recognizable celebrity? How have you handled it?

Benji: We get recognized all time. You just wake up and you realize it. I walked into a department store it took me 2 hours to walk home because too many people recognize. It's a beautiful. What centered me was prayer. But one day I did have the opportunity to go shopping in L.A. with my sister -- I wore a disguise so I had a bit of privacy.

Ryan: I honestly love it. The fact is that I do what I love to do and receive recognition for it. As dancers you're seen as backup dancers and this concert is just dance. It's not behind a celebrity, it's just dancing. It's amazing and a blessing.

Allison: I'll have people that come up to me and recognize me, but I'm like "Why do you recognize me?" (laughs) It's really cool to have people recognize you, but it's hard to handle because I feel bad because I don't know them.

Ryan: It doesn't hit you until after the show when you see the fans at the meet and greets. Then they remember stuff that you did in week six of the competition.

Dmitry: I don't feel any different. It's weird that people watch you every week and they kind of feel like they've known you for a long time.

Ryan: They kind of know is in a way because we're putting ourselves out there.

Donyelle: It's kind of weird, but I've learned to appreciate it because without the people who have been recognizing me and showing me their love, I wouldn't be here right now. They ask stuff all the time. It's always nice to talk them and hear what they have to say.

Who do you think was the harshest judge?

Benji: Nigel and Mary were staples. I don' know, I don't think there was a harsh judge, but based on the public, I think the popular vote goes to Mia Michaels.

Who's some of your inspirations in both life and dance?

Travis: My mom, who was also my teacher, and my brother -- he's the most amazing dance on the planet.

Ryan: My mom, not for being my dance teacher, but because she's my mom. She was supporting me when other people said I was making the wrong decision. Desmond Richardson, I idolize him. He has paved the road for so many things -- broadway, ballet and other things. He has no limits and boundaries. I hope my road goes in the same path.

Donyelle: For me, I have done so many different things seeing that I am the oldest one here. I have different role models for different times of my life. For this show, the person that gave me the most was Tyce. Out of all the choreographers, he gave the most of himself. He put everything out there. He said things to me that people have never said to me before. He was constantly trying to find ways for us to step out of our own box

The other is from Norfolk:

It's this kind of reception that excites the dancers who are part of the tour. Heidi Groskreutz, 25, one of the female finalists and whose cousin was the winner, has received interest from producers on Broadway. Wall and hip-hop dancer Ivan Koumaev plan to move to Los Angeles next year to get some leads off the ground.

When they're not dancing, they do a lot of sleeping and joking around. Dmitry Chaplin, 24, the Russian ballroom dancer from New York, said they had a toga party when the tour stopped in Tampa on Koumaev's birthday. And Wall admits that even though he's supposed to set an example as the captain, he likes to team up with Koumaev and winner Benji Schwimmer for some practical jokes.

ETA: And here's another one:

Another story line that audiences followed was that Schwimmer was competing against his cousin and occasional ballroom partner Heidi Groskreutz of Cliffside Park. The two entered the competition unaware of the other's plans.

"We really didn't plan it," say Groskreutz, 25. "We grew up together, danced together as kids. But we were living on different ends of the country, doing our own thing when all this started with the show."

Groskreutz says the tour has meant lots of aches and pains and little time off (Schwimmer said he hasn't had a day off since winning), but adds that the benefits -- exposure, respect from the dance community, recognition from fans and opportunities -- far outweigh the downsides.

"I originally thought I would go on the show to get more exposure and maybe earn some money," says Groskreutz, who finished third in the competition. "Now, I got what I wanted and so much more. I got a lot of great free training. I have a lot more opportunities to do things. And I learned a lot.

"I've been competing all my life. But in the beginning (of the competition), I was thinking about the technique too much. I started understanding about conveying the character of a dance. People can appreciate the technique, but will it touch them? That's what I learned."

And yet another:

Schwimmer turned down part of his prize, which was a year-long contract to dance in Celine Dion's Las Vegas show, in hopes of finding something better.

Wall, the runner-up, also turned it down.

"I thought about it for a while. I would waste my TV exposure by moving to Vegas for a year. You always have to be out there and keep your face fresh."

How has this whole experience affected your dance aspirations?

"It's completely motivated me to learn even more about other genres and other things. I'm kind of amazed I was able to be pushed by my fellow partners and coaches.... I want to learn more dances and train in ballet and tap." BS

"Doing the show made me realize I'm better than I thought I was. It kind of confirmed that I was put on this earth by God to dance." Next? Maybe T.V., music videos, Broadway. MN

"I'm back dancing again. I planned on going back to school and I wanted to have my own beauty salon. I didn't realize how much I'd touched people. Every show I have girls crying to me about how much of an inspiration I've been to them. I feel like they're watching every step I take now. I'm under a lot of pressure to be as successful as I can because I have a lot more people watching me now." DJ

"I always just wanted to be a concert dancer. I've turned a lot more to television and movies now. I like fame. Not many people push the contemporary card and I think I can onto movies and TV." TW

Apologies if all this has been posted before.




YAY! Nony how I heart thee!! And it's kind of sad that B-Man has to dusguise himself just to shop with LaceyMcGigggleHead (new nickname. If she is going to be on Season 3, we might as well start the funny names now :D) I'm sure that must be uberly annoying. :(

Well anyway YAY for Nony :)

-Taylor :P