‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Winner Gets Ready for Lisner

Contemporary dancer Ricky Ubeda prepares to perform in D.C. for the first time at GW.

November 8, 2014

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Fox’s Emmy Award-winning dance competition “So You Think You Can Dance” (SYTYCD) has enchanted audiences since 2005—and now the George Washington University community can watch the best of season 11 right on campus.

This year’s multitalented top 10 contemporary, tap, ballet and hip hop dancers will perform at Lisner Auditorium at 7 p.m. Sunday  as part of the show’s 2014 tour. Tickets are still available, but going quickly.

Amid his packed schedule filled with almost 80 performances, this season’s winner Ricky Ubeda made time to talk to George Washington Today reporter Julyssa Lopez about being part of SYTYCD’s longest tour in history, what GW audiences can look forward to during Sunday’s show at Lisner and how excited he is to visit the nation’s capital for the first time.

Q: This is the longest tour SYTYCD has ever done. How has it been going so far?
A: The tour’s been amazing—it’s definitely exhausting. We’re going to about 77 cities, which means we have a show nearly every night with just a couple days off. It’s rigorous, but by the same token, traveling and seeing all these places has made us a small family. We’ve become like brothers and sisters doing shows every night, so it’s really fun.

Q: Within that family, are there any cast members you’ve grown closer to whom you didn’t know as well when you were on the show?
A: I was friendly with everyone on the show, but I’ve gotten close to Teddy and Emily on tour. We’re the ones who are nocturnal on the bus and who stay up really late.

Q: How does touring compare to being on TV?
A: I learned a lot on the show but it was more stressful. On the show, you’re dancing for votes. If something went wrong, it had a lot more of an effect on you. On the tour, you’re dancing for the people who love and support you.

Q: Since the tour started this fall, what’s become your favorite routine to perform live?
A: I have a handful, but I love doing the Top 7 guys’ dance that Travis Wall choreographed. “Bang Bang,” the neon cowboy one, is fun also. The Top 4 dance is my all-time favorite. Not only is it amazing in terms of the movement, but it has such a strong message that I love: We’re all equal. I dance with Zach a lot in the piece, and Valerie and Jessica dance together, and then we switch off. I think it’s cool to spread that message across all the cities we’re going to.

Q: The tour comes to Washington on Sunday. Have you been to D.C. before? What are you plans once you get here?
A: No! I’ve never been to D.C., but Lisner is near the National Mall, right? I really want to go check it out. We get the mornings to ourselves until we have to go in for warm-ups, so Washington is one of those cities where we’re definitely going to wake up early and go exploring.

Q: Are there any surprises in the tour that the D.C. audience can expect?
A: It’s exciting to see what dances got picked from the show. It’s a little different, too, because the All Stars don’t get to go on the tour, so the contestants have to fill in those roles. There are also some new pieces!