Edmonds native Casey Askew made our city proud as a star on the 11^th season of FOX’s reality dance competition So You Think You Can Dance. The 19-year-old triumphed over thousands of fierce competitors during auditions for the show and once on stage, his impressive talent landed him among its Top 20 finalists. (He was eliminated right before the Top 4 performances.)

Now, Askew will return to his native land as part of the SYTYCD tour, which features all the top 20 dancers from the season strutting their stuff at the Paramount Theater on February 5. And he’s been anticipating the homecoming for months. “You can always tell when we’re in the hometown of one of the dancers,” he says. “The crowd goes wild for them, so I’m really excited to be in Seattle.”

Prior to the show, Askew was a competitive dancer at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and decided to try out on a whim. “It was a last-minute decision because I was already in the area where the auditions were happening,” he says. “When I made it, everyone on my team was really supportive and happy for me. I was shocked.”

So what’s in store for Askew once the SYTYCD tour is over? The agile TV star is headed back to Chapman to finish his degree and dance on the side, all while crossing his fingers that he nabs a gig on Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour.

I sat down with him to learn about his time during the competition, his favorite dances and how the show has changed everything he thought he knew about dancing. If you don’t yet have tickets, there’s still time. Go to stgpresents.org.

Kimberly Downing: What was it like when you found out you made it through the first judges round?

Casey Askew: Pure excitement, I really couldn’t believe it. I’ve watched the show for 10 years now, and seeing everyone at the auditions get their ticket and hearing the judges say “you’re going through” was crazy to hear for myself. I freaked out, and my mom was there too. You just never think that it could be you who makes it through. I was the very last soloist of the entire day, so I had to watch a hundred solos before I even got on the stage. I was nervous that it wasn’t going to happen because they had already seen everyone else, but all the judges stood up when I performed and it was amazing.

 

KD: How did you find out you made it into the Top 20?

CA: When I finally got the call in May, the producer was messing with me and making me feel like I was going to get cut, saying “you know you’re so young, and I really hope you come back to us…in June because you’re in the Top 20.” I called my mom and she started crying. You see people go through it on TV, but it is so surreal when it happens to you in real life.

 

KD: What were your favorite dances that you got to perform on the show?

CA: I have two. My favorite group dance was our Top 10 called “Bang Bang” by Jamal Sims. It was the neon cowboy theme, and we performed it after a really stressful time in the competition. It was nice after all that stress to do a really fun number that was upbeat and high energy. My favorite duet would be my top 14 duet with Jessica Richens to “Like Real People Do” choreographed by Travis Wall. That dance made me feel something that I never felt before when I was dancing, and I feel that dance really got me into the Top 10.

 

KD: Who ended up being your favorite choreographer to work with?

CA: My favorite was Travis Wall. Some choreographers were really intimidating because they’re so well-known, and Travis is so down to earth. Being on the show was so stressful but he made the process so easy. He still kills you in the dances and with his choreography, but he’s such a cool guy.

 

KD: Biggest challenge?

CA: My biggest challenge was staying centered in the midst of all the craziness. Every day we would have rehearsal for hours on end, especially towards the finale. We really had no free time. Some people were starting to get really stressed out and let the pressure to get to them, so the most difficult thing for me was staying relaxed and centered. You have to keep pushing through it because you’re still performing a live show.

 

KD: How has the show changed what you know about dancing?

CA: I found a new respect for people who train in styles other than my own. I used to think that contemporary dancing was “it,” but I realized that people who train in other styles can bring something completely different to the table. I grew as a dancer because I was forced to do styles I’ve never even heard of. I had to dance the Argentine tango for first week, and that ended up being really fun. The show is all about putting you outside of your comfort zone and you either sink or swim.

 

KD: How has the tour been?

CA: Amazing. We’ve already done over 60 cities, more than any So You Think You Can Dance tour has ever done. It’s been crazy traveling to new cities every night and meeting the fans who have been supporting us and following the show. It’s also fun to see what each little city has to offer because they’re all different.

 

KD: How has the show changed your life and your friendships?

CA: Anywhere we go, there are definitely those dedicated fans who will say something to you. It’s really cool because when you’re on the show, you don’t really remember that people are watching it. You feel like you’re just performing on a stage for one crowd. So when you meet the fans you realize “wow, you were watching the show and really enjoyed my work.” Everyone I tour with is like a little family now. The show is not supposed to be friendship matcher, but you end up getting really close with everyone you’re dancing with anyways. I know I’ll be lifelong friends with these people.