Grad Dances into National TV Spotlight
Talent, Hard Work Land Former Student in Popular Television Dance Contest
July 8, 2008
Many UT Dallas students and alumni are known for using their heads, but one recent graduate is gaining recognition for using her feet, too.
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| Chelsea Traille dances with partner Thayne Jasperson. |
The Flower Mound native, who graduated in December with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, immediately impressed the judges at a Dallas audition in January. She was then sent to Las Vegas where the judges narrowed the pool to 10 male and 10 female dancers. This elite group, which included Traille, would compete for the title, “America's Favorite Dancer” and a cash prize of $250,000.
“An experience like this is 90 percent mental and emotional power,” Traille said.
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Traille in a solo performance. |
“There was a three hour rehearsal every Saturday. On Sunday we did an on-set dress rehearsal, we taped the show on Monday night, and it aired on Wednesday,” she explained. “It was a crazy, exhausting, fun experience.”
While at UT Dallas, Traille focused on academics and taught at Top Hat Dance Centre in Lewisville. She also was a Dallas Mavericks Dancer during the 2006-2007 NBA season.
Although Traille was recently eliminated from the competition, she is enjoying her newfound fame and plans to use her experience on the show, along with her UT Dallas education, to build her career.
“I hear people saying my name, and it’s stunning,” she said.
Media contact: Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, newscenter@utdallas.edu
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UT Dallas grad Chelsea Traille out performed thousands of dancers to earn a top 20 spot on the hit TV show So You Think You Can Dance. "An experience like this is 90 percent mental and emotional power," she said.
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