|
She thinks she can dance! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by Erin Frustaci
|
|
Thursday, 21 June 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 Sara VonGillern of Fort Collins thinks she can dance, and she is right. The 23-year-old is now one of 18 contestants on Fox’s hit TV show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”
“I went into the first audition in Chicago with no expectations,” VonGillern said during a phone interview in between rehearsals. “As I make it through each round, it’s like, ‘Wow, this is actually happening.’”
Even though viewers tune in all across the nation each week, VonGillern said it’s like watching a home video. The experience is surreal for contestants who have spend their whole lives dreaming of this opportunity.
VonGillern started dancing whe she was 4. Like many little girls, she took tap and jazz. She moved from Rock Island, Illinois, to Fort Collins to attend Colorado State University where she graduated with a journalism degree last spring. She has worked as a dance instructor, was a CSU Dance Program student, a 2006 Red Bull Beat Rider, a Denver Nuggets Mob Squad dancer, a Broadway Dance Center Intern and a Colorado Crush dancer.
Last year, VonGillern’s friends and dance students tried to convince her to tryout for the show. Unfortunately though, tryouts were during finals week. This year though, her mother bought her a plane ticket to Chicago for the first round of tryouts.
“It’s so amazing,” said her mother Cindy VonGillern by phone from her Rock Island home. “We’ve always believed in her ability, but when it comes down to 18, oh my goodness, we are so proud of her.”
 VonGillern’s parents flew out for the first week’s taping and will be watching every step. Her sister went out this week to watch and her brother Tommy VonGillern, 24, of Fort Collins will fly to L.A. next week.
Tommy has watched his sister on TV each week and even changed a television at Sullivan’s bar to watch the show. He, his friends and family all vote each week.
“Once again my stomach will be in knots,” Cindy said. “My husband and I will clutch each other’s hands in a turmoil of emotions.”
Each week contestants compete in a variety of dancing styles. VonGillern, who’s focus in recent years has become hip-hop, is paired with Jesús Solorio, a contemporary/lyrical dancer from California. The couples perform on Wednesday and the results are revealed during the show on Thursday. The winner of the 12-week competition will receive $250,000 cash. Viewers phone in and vote and judges give feedback after the performances, much like American Idol.
“It seems the show is short and tied up in a pretty little bow, but there’s a lot more to it,” VonGillern said. “Every day we dance.”
VonGillern said the days are long and filled with rehearsals, but worth every minute.
“It continues to get longer and harder,” VonGillern said. “I hope I can show everyone I’m capable of all dance styles and that I am versatile. There’s a harder edge to my dance style.”
The show has already opened many doors to VonGillern. She hopes though to someday blend her love for dance with her PR degree. For now, though she is focused on the competition.
————
WATCH HER PERFORM
“Watch So You Think You Can Dance” 7 p.m. Wednesdays and 8 p.m. Thursdays to Fox 31 (which is Channel 13 on cable). For more info on Sara VonGillern, visit www.fox.com/dance.
| Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
|
|
