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Season 5 Dance Steps with Host Cat Deeley of So You Think You Can Dance
by Troy Rogers
 It's
hard to believe that four seasons have already
gone by on Fox's hit talent series So You Think
You Can Dance hosted by Cat Deeley. After holding
new auditions for the show in New York, Miami, Los
Angeles, Denver, Memphis, and Seattle to find
the next up and coming stars in the dancing world,
So You Think You Can Dance returns to the Fox
airwaves for a fifth season on Thursday, May 21
with a two-hour premiere from 8-10:00pm.
Hosted by lovely Brit personality Cat Deeley, also featuring judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, So You Think You Can Dance continues to give TV viewers and budding dancers seasonal inspiration in a variety of styles that range from Hip-Hop to Krumping, Popping to Salsa and Jookin’ to Jive, as the one time audition room dancers compete for the top TV dancing prize. Interestingly, by the end of Season 5 of So You Think You Can Dance, fans will get to see a Season 2 special guest return as part of the winner's prize at the Grand Finale.
With the fifth season of So You Think You Can Dance just about to put on its network dancing shoes, we caught up with show host Cat Deeley to get the dancing goods on the upcoming season, if she noticed any stand-out performers and cities during the audition process, what Deeley loves about hosting the show, and how Cat rates her own dancing skills as compared to those who think they can dance.
THE DEADBOLT: During the audition process, did you notice that one city produces better dancers overall?
 CAT
DEELEY: You know what? It’s not that they
produced better dancers, but definitely some
cities produced more dancers. It’s more of the
numbers, really, and it tends to always be on
the east coast and on the west coast, because
naturally that’s where dancers are that are
professionally trained. They always kind of
gravitate to those areas because that’s where
they go for work and for jobs and Broadway,
and all those kinds of things. So we always
tend to pick up quite a few people in New York
or around there and also L.A.. But the other
cities that we visit, it’s amazing when you
just get this real kind of gem that just shines
from out of everybody else. In places like Utah,
in Salt Lake City, they really produce some
great dancers, too. So I would say the only
real difference is the numbers.
THE DEADBOLT: As the host, what’s the best part of the show for you?
DEELEY: The best part of the show for
me is seeing the grace and being involved in
it in a very kind of organic way. If the kids
are lining up on the street when it’s 7:30 in
the morning and the snow’s coming down in New
York, it’s really interesting to follow their
journey and see how they grow, and see [how]
they do transition into these kind of stars
that are incredibly professional and know what
they’re doing. It’s a real growth, and to be
part of that is actually really, really mesmerizing
to watch.
 THE
DEADBOLT: Would you every consider being
a judge?
DEELEY: [Laughs] Oh God, no. I have
absolutely no kind of technical training whatsoever.
I mean, I can see people’s star potential, you
know? You can’t describe that, and you can’t
describe what makes somebody a star. But it’s
that certain special quality, that certain "je
ne sais quoi," that X factor that you can’t
quite put your finger, and quite often I can
identify that. I can see somebody walk onto
the stage, and you don’t know why but you just
can’t take your eyes off them. I can definitely
tell that.
Also, if there’s a particular dance or a particular
piece of choreography that moves me, I can appreciate
it. I can’t tell you the technicalities of it.
I can’t tell you [if that] was that done exactly,
I can’t tell you any of that. But I can tell
you that some of the routines that we’ve had
on the show, choreographed by the likes of Mia
Michaels or Wade Robson, literally give me chills.
I mean, the hairs on my arms stand on end. So
I can tell when something’s magical and wonderful,
but I can’t tell you why. So, absolutely not.
I’m definitely not the person to make comments.
THE DEADBOLT: I’ve noticed in Season 2 that the prizes keep getting bigger and bigger, and bigger. For Season 5, what does the winner receive in addition to the money?
 DEELEY:
You know what? We haven’t confirmed that yet,
actually. We really haven’t confirmed that.
I think that of course there is always the cash
prize, and of course there are other things
that come with it, too, but I think the most
important thing - and this is what the dancers
love about the show - is it kind of elevates
them to that position, makes the public aware
of them. They then become up for tours and conventions
and Broadway and movies, and all that kind of
stuff. So I think, yes, the cash prize and any
other prizes that we give them are important.
But I think that the thing that money can’t
buy is the positioning that we give them across
the entire United States.
THE DEADBOLT: I don’t mean to put you
on the spot, but how would you rate your dancing
skills?
DEELEY: Terrible! Did you notice how I didn’t even hesitate? Literally, if I started dancing most people would bleed from their eyes, I think.
THE DEADBOLT: I assumed you would have picked up a few things along the way.
DEELEY: [laughs] Oh, don’t assume anything. Don’t assume anything! No, absolutely not. Listen, what I lack in talent I make up for in enthusiasm if I’m on a night out. Don’t get me wrong, I love to have a dance. Can I actually do it and am I actually impressive? Absolutely not.
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