Six months after auditions began, 18 year-old Talia Fowler has been crowned the worthy winner of the 2nd season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
A former dancer with Queensland Ballet, Talia pipped Dubbo Hip Hopper Charlie Bartley, 19, for the $200,000 winner’s cheque.
Third place went to Gosford Lyrical dancer Amy Campbell and fourth place to Gold Coast Jazz dancer Ben Veitch.
After a national tour with our Top 10, Talia will head to the States to perform on So You Think You Can Dance America. And not just any show. Nigel Lythgoe revealed tonight that Talia will dance on the Season 5 Finale before an audience of more than 20 million!
A brilliant technician with extraordinary dramatic range, she will be a fantastic ambassador for Australia and Australian dance. Congratulations, Talia!
Spectacular Kelley Abbey Opening Routine
Kelley Abbey has produced some brilliant group routines this season but her spectactular opening number for our Grand Final put everything else in the shade.
To the Global Deejay’s anthemic “Everybody’s Free”, a cast of Top 100 dancers provided a drop zone as our Top 4 descended on red silk banners, drawing shrieks of delight from the audience.
Nigel Lythgoe & Mary Murphy spring a surprise
Creator Nigel Lythgoe and special guest judge Mary Murphy dropped in from Las Vegas to give their congratulations to our Top 4. But they had an amazing surprise too. Tonight’s winner won’t perform on just any SYTYCD America show – they will dance on this season’s Finale!!!
Top 4 Sarah Boulter Contemporary
For the last time, Amy, Ben, Charlie and Talia danced together in a Sarah Boulter routine about the trials and tribulations of friendship. The track was “Broken Strings” from James Morrison (featuring Nelly Furtado).
Selected Top 20 and Choreographers – “Kill Bill”
Selected members of the Top 100 and the show’s choreographers performed a Nacho Pop and Juliette Verne routine to a number from the “Kill Bill” soundtrack.
Leading ladies Lamb and Chanelle were supported among others by Don, Emmanuel, Sisqo, Pania, Danny, Max and Jesse, and by mentors Adam Williams, Travers Ross, Tiana Joubert, Nacho Pop, Marko, and Simon from Project Moda.
NY Dance Company Pilobolus
NY Dance Company Pilobolus might have appeared on Oprah and the Oscars but this will surely top that – a guest slot on the Grand Final of So You Think You Can Dance.
Forever returns
Jason’s favourite dancer from this season's auditions, Forever, returned for the Finale, supported by soprano Joseph Bourke and an extraordinary orchestra.
Optus Dance Crew Winners
Winners of the Optus Dance Crew competition received their $5,000 prizes in person from Kelley Abbey – and got a free dance lesson that one young girl said made it “the best day of my life”.
The 3 lucky winners were the Newcastle Dance Academy, which lost its studios in the 2007 floods; Ipswich High, which desperately needs a demountable dance hall; and the Graham Academy of Dance in Innisfail for much needed air conditioning.
We can’t wait to see one of these young dancers appear on the show in the coming years. Thanks Optus!
Talia’s Old Company appears on Dance
Talia left Queensland Ballet to pursue her Dance dream. On this most important night of her life, her old company was here to support her – backed by two percussionists from Taikoz.
Last chance - Supple Top 10 Routine
That crazy guy, Supple, choreographed our amazing Top 10 in a Hip Hop routine to “Bounce/Boom Boom Pow” by MSTRKRFT feat. N.O.R.E. /Black Eyed Peas. This was the Top 4’s last chance to impress the voters before the lines were closed for 2009.
Australian Ballet “Nutcracker – The Story of Clara”
They wowed us last time. They’ve done it again. This time dance legend Graham Murphy was the choreographer with his retelling of Tchaikovsky’s famous Nutcracker. The Australian Ballet Dancers were Danielle Rowe and Andrew Killian.
Loredo & Talia’s “Love Story” wins Macca’s moment of the year
We’ve had some amazing routines on this year’s show but few would argue with this result. Talia & Loredo’s “Love Story”, choreographed by Amè Delves is the winner of the McDonald’s “i’m lovin’ it" moment for the season. Congrats to Talia, Loredo, Amè – and Taylor Swift for the track.
Amy & Damien – “Stepping Stone” Suitcase Rumba
In Top 16 week, this was Amy’s “defining moment” – the routine that turned her from being a Bottom 3 dancer at Top 20 into a Top 4 contender for the title. Here she danced it again with partner, Damien. Did you notice the different ending? This time she left him. The choreographer was Jason Gilkison and the track was Duffy’s “Stepping Stone”.
Ben & Pania – “Talk like that”
Ben & Pania went back to the very beginning – to the very first routine from the Top 20 by Marko Panzic to The Presets’ “Talk like that”. You’ve come a long way, Ben.
Talia & Loredo – “Love Story” Lyrical Jazz
It was as good as we remembered. Talia & Loredo played Romeo & Juliet again in a Lyrical Jazz piece by Amè Delves to Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”. Can we see it again please?
Penny & Charlie – “Single Ladies”
The season ended as it began with Penny & Charlie bringing the house down with Tiana Joubert’s routine to Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies”. How hard did they pop? How good was it to see Penny dancing again?
Bonnie joins Jason G in choreography
Judge Bonnie Lythgoe joined Jason Gilkison to choreograph Damien, Ash-Leigh and other exquisite dancers in a ballroom extravaganza to Bond’s “Explosion”.
Verdict time – Top 4 becomes Top 3
Our Top 4 were invited onto the stage to hear Australia’s verdict. Amy and Talia were singled out and found that they were safe. That left Charlie and a very nervous Ben. Unfortunately it was Ben who missed out and tears welled in the eyes of this beautiful man.
Ben’s tearful farewell
After viewing his incredible journey, Ben thanked everyone including the production crew – “Jenny and Carlos, you rock” – but reserved special mention for his Mum, and his beautiful girlfriend, Zoe.
Chicago – “All that jazz”
As Amy, Charlie & Talia were left to ponder how much further they were going in the competition, Caroline O’Connor and the cast of the Chicago came on to perform “All the jazz”.
Top 3 Becomes Top 2
The first dancer through to the final round was Charlie, leaving Amy and Talia with a 50/50 chance of making Final 2. Alas, for Amy, she would go no further. But she did emulate exactly her role model, Kate from last year – making Top 3.
Amy’s Farewell
Her farewell package reminded us of all her fabulous work and then she thanked her Mum, Dad, her sisters and the collective Central Coast population.
Top 2 Dance Jason Gilkison routine
To take into account all possible outcomes, Jason Gilkison created and worked up three fabulous Top 2 routines and Talia & Charlie were the lucky ones who got to perform it. Nice work, Jason G.
The ultimate verdict
With just two wonderful dancers left, Natalie announced that the winner of Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance was Talia.
Talia said that this had been “the most amazing personal growth journey” for her and she was now going to do “anything” because she was over her "insecurities" and was so much more confident because of her Dance experiences.
Matt said Talia had been “the dark horse” of the competition, Bonnie said that she would “wow” the States, and Jason said that he wanted the winner to be the person who would best represent Australia. He believed we had got that.
Commiserations, Charlie. Congratulations, Talia! Well done, Australia.
That was the season that was
That’s it. Unfortunately, there is no more Dance for 2009. If you want more Dance kicks, you’ll have to catch our Top 10 on their National Tour – or relive the “Best Moments of Dance 2009”.
Thanks for all your support. See you next year!
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