So You Think You Can Dance Canada top 20 revealed

From a media release:

CTV’s SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA Top 20 Revealed

• Top 20 take to the stage for Canada’s votes during the first  Performance Episode Tuesday, August 25 at 8 p.m. ET
• Result shows air Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. ET on CTV
• The Top 20 reveal episode re-airs Sunday, August 30 on MuchMusic
• Official Top 20 Viewing Guide available in Metro newspapers across the country Tuesday, August 25

Following a five-city audition tour that  traveled to Vancouver, Edmonton, Saint John, Toronto and Montreal, and after a grueling finals week in Toronto, CTV tonight revealed the 10 guys and 10 girls  from across the country who will dance for the nation’s votes on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA. Specializing in everything from hip-hop, contemporary, ballroom and tap, the Top 20 were announced during tonight’s special one-hour reveal episode. The dancers represent the country from Vancouver to Halifax, with two competitors from British Columbia, four from Alberta, eight from Ontario, five from Quebec and one from Nova Scotia. The Top 20 take to the  stage to be judged by Jean Marc Genereux, Tré Armstrong, Luther Brown and Blake McGrath on Tuesday, August 25 at 8 p.m. ET on CTV (visit ctv.ca to confirm local broadcast times). Making an appearance in the episode is last year’s winner, Nico Archambault.

Viewers can also learn more about the competitors before they take to the stage for the first Performance show with the Official Top 20 SO You Think You Can Dance Canada Viewing Guide. The four-page spread is available for free in Metro newspapers across the country on Tuesday, August 25, the date of the first performance episode (see “About the Top 20,” below).

The dancers will be paired into 10 couples who will work with some of the country’s top choreographers – including Stacey Tookey, Mia Michaels, Sean Cheesman and Melissa Williams – and will learn a new dance routine each week from a wide variety of genres. The fate of these 20 finalists – one of whom will be named Canada’s Favourite Dancer later this fall – will be left up to viewer votes, which can be cast for free via land line telephones.

Beginning this coming Tuesday (August 25) and for the next nine weeks, the country begins voting for their choice of Canada’s Favourite Dancer. Voting will occur following the conclusion of Tuesday’s “performance shows” and is restricted to one, two-hour voting window in each region of broadcast (detailed voting information can be found at dance.ctv.ca).

On the first live results show, airing Wednesday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET on CTV (visit ctv.ca to confirm local broadcast times), the three couples with the fewest number of votes will be announced. Each dancer in those three couples will then have one last chance to impress the judges and “dance for their life” with a solo routine of his or her choosing. After all six dancers have performed, the judges will make the ultimate decision of who stays and who goes home.

For anyone who missed tonight’s Top 20 reveal episode, an encore will air on MuchMusic Sunday, August 30 beginning at 5 p.m. ET, and will be followed by the first Performance and Results episodes. Encores of the weekly Performance and Results move to their regular time slot of Sundays at 6 p.m. ET beginning September 6 on MuchMusic (visit muchmusic.com to confirm local broadcast times).

About the Top 20
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Ranging in age from 18 to 28, the Top 20 dancers vying for the coveted title of Canada’s Favourite Dancer are (in alphabetical order):

• AMY Gardner (21) is a Contemporary dancer from Calgary, AB. Amy, who is also formally trained in jazz, tap, hip-hop, ballet, street jazz and musical theatre, has traveled around the world performing, including Spain, Australia and parts of Africa. Amy has also participated in a variety of competitions throughout North America.
• ANTHONY Grafton (24) is a Ballroom dancer from Calgary, AB. Anthony has participated in competitions around the world, including in England and throughout the United States. Formally trained only in ballroom, Anthony is looking forward to trying out new styles of dance on the show.
• AUSTIN Di lulio (19) is a Contemporary dancer from Mississauga, ON. Dancing from a young age, Austin appeared in the feature film Hairspray and has also worked with choreographers Marty Kudelka, Adam Shankman and Tyce Diorio.
• CODY Bonnell (19) is a Hip-Hop dancer from Unionville, ON who is also trained in ballet, jazz and tap. Cody’s former dance teachers, friends and especially his family have been his biggest support and unlike any other experience in his life, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA has been life changing.
• CORYNNE Barron (18) is a Classical Contemporary dancer from Edmonton, AB. At the age of 15, Corynne trained at both the prestigious Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and the Edmonton School of Ballet before leaving Canada for England to further continue her studies with Kate Simmons Dance Ltd. Corynne is trained in contemporary, ballet and jazz.
• DANIEL Dory (23) is a Hip-Hop/House dancer from Montreal, QC. Born in Haiti, Daniel is also trained in contemporary, and has performed in cities across North America, including New York and Los Angeles. Daniel also had the opportunity to perform as part of the opening act for Celine Dion’s 2009 concert in Montreal.
• DANNY Lawn (21) is a Contemporary dancer from Brockville, ON who is also trained in hip-hop, jazz, ballet and acro. An adventure-seeker, Danny spends his time off the dance floor cliff jumping and has also performed with pop stars Katy Perry and Kreesha Turner.
• EMANUEL Sandhu (28) is a Contemporary and Ballet dancer from Vancouver, BC. Emanuel, who is also a Canadian national champion figure skater, trained at the National Ballet School of Canada, as well as with notable choreographers including Menaka Thakkar and Roberto Campanella.
• EVERETT Smith (25) is a Tap dancer from Glen Morris, ON. As the first-ever tap dancer to make it into the Top 20, Everett has taken his tap shoes around the globe and competed at the World Tap
  Championships in Berlin, Germany. Everett also performed in the feature film Hairspray and is trained in various styles of dance including jazz, ballet and hip-hop.
• JAYME RAE Dailey (21) is a Contemporary dancer from Montreal, QC. Also trained in hip-hop, house, classical ballet, jazz and jazz funk, Jayme Rae auditioned with her twin sister who’s a big source of support in her life.
• JENNA LYNN Higgins (18) is a Jazz and Lyrical dancer from Toronto, ON who cites her mom and dance teacher as her biggest supporter. Also trained in ballet, Jenna Lynn is looking forward to perfecting new dance styles.
• KIM Gingras (23) is a Hip-Hop dancer from Montreal, QC. A member of the Montreal-based Blueprint Dance Company, Kim believes her professionalism, passion and performance are the three key elements that helped her get into the Season 2 Top 20.
• MELANIE Buttarazzi (22) is a Latin Ballroom dancer from Woodbridge, ON who is currently enrolled in York University’s Dance program. A musician as well, Melanie learned to play guitar at the age of eight and is also trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, hip-hop and flamenco.
• MELANIE Mah (19) is a Contemporary dancer from Richmond Hill, ON. Melanie performed across North America in a variety of dance competitions and is also trained in ballet, jazz/lyrical, hip-hop and tap.
• NATALIE Lyons (23) is a Hip-Hop/Krump dancer from Halifax, NS. Natalie has had the opportunity to perform live with artists including Nelly Furtado, Keshia Chante, Timbaland and Flo Rida. When not on the dance floor, Natalie spends her time cooking, hiking and playing volleyball.
• NICOLAS Bégin (24) is a B-Boy/Hip-Hop dancer from Quebec City, QC who has specialized in hip-hop and break dancing for almost 16 years. Nicolas has performed with the Quebec-based B-Boy crew Q.C. Roc as well as at an array of events including the 400th Anniversary of Québec City in 2008 and the 2006 JUNO AWARDS.
• TARA-JEAN Popowich (20) is a Contemporary dancer from Lethbridge, AB. Given the opportunity, Tara-Jean would most like to work with choreographers Mia Michaels or choreographer and fellow Albertan, Stacey Tookey and cites her mom as her greatest source of inspiration.
• TATIANA Parker (21) is a Hip-Hop dancer from Toronto, ON. Tatiana, who has performed as part of the Massari World Tour, is greatly supported by her family and friends – especially her brother Noah.
• TAYLOR James (22) is a Contemporary dancer from Vancouver, BC who is also trained in jazz and hip-hop. Taylor has traveled all over Canada and the U.S. as an instructor and performer and spends his spare time taking photographs.
• VINCENT Desjardins (20) is a Ballroom dancer from Trois-Rivieres, QC. Vincent originally began dancing because of his sister, and has been performing in Ballroom competitions in major cities around the world ever since. Vincent has performed in New York, Toronto and Blackpool, England.

Viewers can also learn more about the Top 20 at dance.CTV.ca, the official online portal for the series and the source for everything SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA. Watch highlights from The Finals episodes and the Top 20 reveal on demand on the CTV Video Player at dance.CTV.ca, which also includes behind-the-scenes video, exclusive footage and clips. Fans can get up
close and personal with their favourite dancers, judges and choreographers by browsing the image galleries, videos, forums, blogs and more.