After nine weeks of competition, and more than 1.5 million votes cast on Wednesday night, CTV congratulates DENYS Drozdyuk on becoming Canada’s Favourite Dancer during the third season finale of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA. Host Leah Miller announced live that DENYS Drozdyuk, 25, a ballroom dancer from Toronto, ON has become Canada’s Favourite Dancer, also claiming the grand prize of $100,000 as well as the keys to a brand new 2011 Mazda2 Sport.
AMANDA Cleghorn, 19, a contemporary dancer from Mississauga, ON, was declared the runner-up, also receiving the keys to their very own 2011 Mazda2 Sport. Before the winner and runner-up were announced, JEFF Mortensen, 22, a contemporary dancer from Edmonton, AB and JANICK Arseneau, 20, a contemporary dancer from Bathurst, NB, along with their fellow Top 17 Finalists, all took to the stage during the two-hour live extravaganza which featured almost 20 performances – including a special routine choreographed by Emmy Award-winner Mia Michaels for the Top 4.
After his jaw-dropping audition in Montreal, DENYS, who came to the show after graduating from the world renowned The Julliard School in New York City, quickly became a stand out in the competition. Perfecting everything from house to salsa to contemporary, this ballroom master was a true chameleon on the stage. Best known for his commitment, passion and strength, DENYS has been praised by the judges and critics for his dedication to his craft and showmanship. During the Top 10 performance show, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA guest judge and National Ballet of Canada Artistic Director Karen Kain told DENYS “You have a very special talent,” also alluding to his likeness to the ballet great Rudolph Nureyev.
Since its premiere on August 15, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA has averaged 1.11 million viewers, and with a fourth season already announced, the show will again be travelling to five cities across Canada with auditions in Saint John on November 6, Toronto on November 20, Montreal on November 27, Edmonton on December 4 and Vancouver on December 11. Registration begins at 9 a.m. in each city. Visit dance.ctv.ca for details.
For those who want to relive the two-hour SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA finale, an encore broadcast will air Tuesday, October 26 at 9 p.m. ET on MuchMusic (go to muchmusic.com to confirm local broadcast times). Highlights from the weekly SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA episodes, including performances, and behind-the-scenes interviews will be available on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca. For up-to-date information, visit the series’ official website, dance.ctv.ca which gets fans up close and personal with their favourite dancers, judges and choreographers through exclusive photo galleries and blogs, while also providing news, episode recaps, a music guide, quizzes, forums and more.
Viewers can also find out more information about SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA on the show’s official Twitter account at twitter.com/SYTYCDCanada, and on the show’s Facebook page at facebook.com/SYTYCDCanada.
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA was created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, and is produced in association with CTV by Danse TV Productions. Sandra Faire and Trisa Dayot are Executive Producers. Susanne Boyce is President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.
