Is 'SYTYCD' Host Cat Deeley Really That Sweet? Sweeter, Says Twitch

By Brooke Tarnoff Posted Aug 3rd 2009 05:08PM

While 'American Idol' - arguably the mother of all reality TV competitions - has consistently won the attention of millions, its little cousin 'So You Think You Can Dance' has quietly been picking up steam. Thus far a summer series, 'SYTYCD' has finally made its way to the FOX fall lineup - giving fans two seasons of the show back-to-back - and we think it's in no small part due to the strength of its amazing dancers.

Last summer brought us Stephen "Twitch" Boss, a freestyle dancer from Alabama. He placed second for the season, but his Emmy-nominated dance with co-star Katee Shean - 'Mercy,' scored by Duffy and choreographed by Mia Michaels - was possibly the most memorable moment from any season of the long-running series. We spoke to Twitch about the improbably sweet host of 'SYTYCD,' the difficulties of judging dance, and the moves he's shaking right now on his new dance-fitness DVD.

For those of us who admired your moves on the show, and want to get in shape, you're releasing 'Get Fit: Tone and Groove.' Is this DVD for people like me - who are possibly hazardous to the safety of the people around us - or people with some background in dance?

"The fitness DVDs are for anybody. We got together and put it together in a couple of weeks for that reason. It's something that we've broken down, as simple as possible. We're not using overly complicated words and terms that only dancers would know - we went in with the common goal of getting everybody motivated about being fit. Whether you go in able to do the entire routine or even half of it - it's for everybody. We tried to make it so no one is really intimidated by it. It's not about who's the best dancer and who's killing the routine the hardest. It's about having fun and getting a little sweaty and funky. "

I took cardio-kickboxing a few years ago, and thought those skills would translate into actual kickboxing. Not so much, it turns out. If I take the things I learn from your DVD into a club, will I look as much like a jackass?

"You can go to the club and do these routines, and you will not look like a jackass. Especially if you commit to them, it's fine. It's not like kickboxing - there's a lot of fun grooves, it's not a bunch of trick moves. It's a bunch of moves that are done in repetition, so you can put them together. These are very club versatile dances."

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Twitch Boss of 'SYTYCD'

Twitch Boss of Montgomery, AL made it to the top two dancers on season 4 of 'So You Think You Can Dance.'

Fox

Twitch Boss of SYTYCD'

Twitch Boss of Montgomery, AL made it to the top two dancers on season 4 of 'So You Think You Can Dance.'

Fox

Chelsie Hightower and Twitch Boss perform a Mambo choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melani LaPatin.

Fox

Kherington Payne and Twitch Bossperform a Smooth Tango choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux.

Fox

Twitch Boss and Katee Sheanperform a Broadway routine.

Fox

Do you keep in touch with the cast from last season - Katee, Chelsea Hightower, [season winner] Joshua Allen - and is ['SYTYCD' host] Cat Deeley as sweet as she seems?

"There hasn't been anyone from the cast that I haven't spoken to in a little bit, even if it's just texts. And everybody's doing really well."

"Cat Deeley is incredible. From the regional auditions to whenever the show experience ends for you - and afterward, even hearing from her now - she's incredible. Very nice lady, like what you see on camera is really what it is in real life. I did find it surprising, but once you really get around her and speak with her and feel her energy and presence, you realize that's real and not fake. She doesn't just turn it on. The way she talks to you, the way she goes about her work, it's very real, very nice and very humble."

The structure of the judge's panel on 'SYTYCD' is different from, say, 'Idol.' You have a rotating seat with different judges, and there's no Simon character - nobody uniformly mean.

"It works for that show. You have so many styles of dance coming through, the judges constantly have to change, they need an understanding of what's going on [technically]. On 'American Idol,' you can hear if someone sounds bad or not. You can hear if somebody's pitchy or not. But if somebody is slightly off the beat, if it's Latin ballroom, there might be a slightly off-beat step. You need to have a wide array of judges for dance, because it's such a broad subject and art form. I don't know if it would be beneficial to keep the same three or four judges there all the time."

"And to have someone overly mean, I don't know if that would help that much. We've had some mean comments. I think that just comes from truth, and as long as we're doing the job of not taking things personally, it's just working toward the big picture of making us better. And making next week's show better, just in case we stay on that week. That's really what it's all about."

There have been a few former contestants on the show as choreographers. Any chance we'll see you again?

"Honestly, I'd like to submit something for the next season, to choreograph. We'll see what happens - there will be a couple submissions. Hopefully, you'll see something on television."