This week, SYTYCD continued its trek to discovering the Top 10 dancers of the season. In doing so, another couple had to go home, leaving only 12 in the field. Ashley Rich and Chris Koehl are the latest duo to be eliminated from the competition; they are also one of many who have succumbed to a ballroom style that sends them out the front door. Ashley and Chris were joined by Jordan Casanova/Tadd Gadduang and Ryan Ramirez/Ricky Jaime in the bottom 3 this week. Ashley Rich and Chris Koehl joined together Friday afternoon for a press conference with members of the media. YakkityYaks is proud to announce that we were once again in attendance and are ready to bring you all the details from our conversation.
So You Think You Can Dance Top 14 Performance Recap
On Being Eliminated Just Few Weeks After The Jail Number
After performing a dance that gave these two the only tickets on the hot tamale train, many thought they wouldn’t gbe going anywhere anytime soon. However, just a few weeks later, Ashley & Chris found themselves eliminated from the show. Ashley was excited to have danced the jail number, calling it a “cool opportunity to show a different side of us.” As for the salsa, she didn’t think of it as a dooming number, but rather “lucky to be given another challenge.” Chris, on the other hand, actually signed up for “crash course” training in all different styles before the show. “Salsa isn’t really one of the main ballroom ones so we never touched salsa, so I walked in without any preparation for that.” Chris also didn’t believe the salsa was their doom.
On Pressure Portraying Oneself in a Sexier Manner
When asked if Ashley felt pressure because many of the other girls portrayed themselves in a sexy manner, she answered that she didn’t feel it at all. “How I dance is my personality,” Ashley went on to say. She wasn’t going to change who she was in this competition. “My style is my style for a reason because I love it and I’ll never change it.”
On Future Plans
Chris: “Pursuing dance, probably do online classes to continue education. I’d also like to have a back-up plan just in case. Dancing is definitely main focus now.”
Ashley: “Definitely want to dance, no matter what. Trying to see where this is going to lead me.”
On Whether The Elimination was a Surprise
Both Ashley and Chris touted how happy they were to be a part of the competition. It obviously is a competition, so they each wanted to show more of themselves. However, they understand the circumstances. When asked about Ricky, Chris went on to describe the difference between the two male dancers is technical training. “He has so much under his belt. With all the training he has, he’ll be able to pick up some of the choreography in future runs better than me.”
On Woodpecker-Gate
Chris told YakkityYaks that Nigel Lythgoe actually spoke to Chris about confusing him and Robert with the Woodpecker routine, or rather confusing the Woodpecker dance with the Jail routine. “It was later explained to me he [Nigel] had said the wrong routine; he meant to say the jail routine.” Chris wanted to correct him, but didn’t think so. Ashley was just a little confused and claimed to have been caught off-guard.
On Advice For Future Dancers
When asked to offer advice to young dancers interested in pursuing dance or even audition for SYTYCD, Chris went on to say, “I needed confidence in my dancing; but as a person, you gotta believe in yourself. You gotta believe the training you have is good enough, but you have to recognize what you have.” Ashley encourages people to never give up and put their “best foot forward. You can bring your own special quality to it [what you dance].”
On Their Dance For Your Life Segments
Ashley and Chris both agree that when you dance, you have to give it your all. You cannot let the pressure affect you. “Anytime you’re on that stage, it’s a blessing. You never know when it’s going to end,” Chris mentions. They feel they gave it their all and are pleased with what happened thus far. Ashley tackles the 30 seconds by wanting to “show my heart. Hopefully they can see while I’m dancing. I always want to make sure someone is touched while I dance.”
On The “Couples Curse” Conspiracy
Neither Ashley nor Chris believe there is a couples conspiracy this season. “The judges know best; they know who they want in the competition.”
On Greatest Thing You Learned From Being On The Show
Chris: “How much more I have to offer. [This show] is a tough journey.” Chris didn’t realize how much he could put out. “I feel that I realize there is so much more that I have. I feel like I could do anything as long as I keep pushing forward.”
Ashley: “I’m more confidence as a dancer, not nervous to try anything new.”
On Who They Want To Win
Both dancers took the diplomatic approach here. They will be happy for whoever makes it to the end, as they “love them all.”
On Degree of Difficulty in Judging
Pulling a new style out of a hat week after week presents dancers with new challenges. Chris and Ashley believe the judges “realize you may not be professional, realizing the technical end won’t necessarily be absolutely perfect. When you get your own style, they step it up and judge harder.” They both did not seem to have any hard feelings towards the reactions to their salsa on Wednesday night.
On Styles They Want To Learn More
Chris really wanted to do contemporary on the show. “Some of those dances gave me chills.” Ashley, on the other hand, wants to dabble more into ballroom, especially after having fun on the salsa routine.
On Choreographer They Wanted To Work With Most
Chris: NappyTabs
Ashley: Mandy Moore
On The Close-Knit SYTYCD Family
Both Ashley and Chris believe that the close-knit feeling is “something that happens when you’re in this situation. You’re forced to be close, support each other,” Chris goes on to say. This show has been a blessing for them both and they have enjoyed the opportunity to lift each other out and get to know the other dancers as people. Chris went on to tell us that they have already been in contact with those eliminated before them and plan staying in contact with everyone on the show.
Have questions for the eliminated couples of SYTYCD? Submit them to the Yak and we just might ask yours next week! Thanks to Ashley and Chris for their time. It was fun talking to them and we wish them the best of luck in their future aspirations.
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