Here. We. Go.
The Top 20 of So You Think You Can Dance's season four have been chosen. I got to meet them a little early and here's the dish on some of the dancers, a couple of exclusive tidbits about what's to come, and a secret about one of your old faves...
• According to lyrical-contemporary cutie Marquis Cunningham, "They have forewarned us that there are going to be several new genres in the hat that they haven't shown the past three seasons." Mmmm...Polka? Bhangra? Quadrille? What do you suspect is going to be hiding in that hat?
• A little birdie told me the top 20's first group dance will be choreographed by legend-in-the-making Wade Robson. That's good news for many of these kids, several of whom confided that Wade is the So You Think choreographer they'd most like to work with.
• Jamie Bayard is a scion of the Schwimmer dance dynasty. He's not biologically related, but he was Lacey Schwimmer's dance partner for four years, and they won two U.S. Swing Dance championships together, and you know it's all in the family.
• It's a small world, and the dance world is even smaller than that: Chelsie Hightower went to high school with season-two star Allison Holker; Katee Shean grew up in the same town as season-one finalists Nick Lazzarini and Melody Lacayanga; and Matt Dorame and Thayne Jasperson study at the same studio.
• Three of the top 10 girls are former NBA cheerleaders: Susie Garcia danced for the Miami Heat for six years; Courtney Galliano (she's the one who came to audition with her grandparents in tow) dances for the New York Knicks; and Chelsea Traille is a self-professed "class junkie" who decided to try out the Dallas Mavericks' brand of "commercial hip-hop" when she learned the gig came with free dance lessons.
• While I was chatting up the season-four kids, I found out that a season-two standout—who I thought was perhaps the lady of her season least likely to get knocked up—has just had a baby with her fiancé. They grow up so fast! Any theories on the identity of the new mom? Post your guesses in the comments.
Now, do you have any early faves from amongst the chosen ones? Share your picks!
—Reporting by Jennifer Godwin