Thursday, August 31, 2006
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Travis Wall Duet 2004 New York
Travis Wall Dances with Merilee Glazier Travis Wall Dances with Merilee Glazier at Waldorf Astoria
Travis Wall Dances with Merilee Glazier Travis Wall Dances with Merilee Glazier at Waldorf Astoria
Times Dispatch Travis interview
Here's the latest Travis article published August 24th by TimesDispatch.com.
WHATEVER COLUMN: The turning point
A sleepy Travis Wall is ready for his close-up . . .
CYNTHIA MCMULLEN
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST
Virginia's latest reality star is a really good dancer and funny, to boot.
But 18-year-old Travis Wall sure could use a nap.
He was excited to talk about what happened after last week's "So You Think You Can Dance" finale . . . but his conversation was yawn-punctuated.
Can't blame the guy. Like all TV stars -- even a wire-haired kid from Virginia Beach who just won second place on a top-rated reality show -- Wall has been put through the wringer.
He was originally scheduled to spend a few days in Virginia Beach after appearing on Sunday night's "Teen Choice Awards."
The prospect of lots of sleep, food and sunlight was appealing.
But an agent who saw him perform Sunday called. Wall now has signed with McDonald/Selznick Associates Inc., a Hollywood-based talent agency that specializes in dancers and choreographers.
Now Wall is on his way to the Caribbean to award scholarships to participants in DanceBermuda, the International Summer Dance Institute. Catherine Zeta-Jones, who funds the scholarships, wasn't available this year.
And rehearsals start Sunday for the SYTYCD tour, which opens Sept. 12 in Seattle. . . . after which, he'll officially move to Los Angeles with fellow contestant Ivan Koumaev.
Wall is happy to dish about his experience
So you're named runner-up congrats, by the way -- and then what happens?
Benji [who won first place] and I talked a little onstage. Then I ran by him and he was like, "Hey, dude, you totally deserved it."
And I was like, "I knew this would happen."
He owes me $500. We had a bet. I hope I get that soon!
I was totally fine with not winning. We all knew from day one that Benji would win. That fact that I made the top two, I was freaking out.
We got thrown right to the press for an hour. I saw my mom for a hot second, then we went to a production wrap party.
My friends had organized a huge, huge, huge party for me at the Beverly Hills Hilton penthouse, the "Travis Should Have Won" party.
It was mostly the Top 20 [contestants on the show] and friends that came out from home.
What about the rest of the final four?
Donyelle was there. Benji had to leave for New York to do "Regis and Kelly," and Heidi went to bed!
And then . . . ?
We got an hour's sleep before another interview.
Then we had to move out of the apartment [furnished by Fox for the duration of the show]. I came here with not much stuff but I'm leaving with a lot of stuff. More clothes, more shoes.
What's your dream job?
There's so many dream jobs: TV show, movies, endorsements, touring with an artist. I want to do it all, but I want to do it big. Dance needs to be pushed more, especially contemporary dance.
People don't like to watch ballet. . . . They think it's just men in tights, stupid and bland. I'm basically doing ballet moves but wearing normal clothes, dancing to Top 40 music, making contemporary dance a whole new phase.
I got a phone call from a casting director who [said], "I think you've made it different for the American audience to watch." I can't wait to do that in TV and movies.
I love this stuff. I love the attention.
What will you be doing on the tour? (Details on fox.com/dance.)
I have an idea we'll be doing most of the stuff we did on the show. For me, the pasodoble, the contemporary, hip-hop with Benji, Broadway with Martha and something with Allison. I'll be doing a minute solo, not just 30 seconds.
And how much will you make?
[I can't say, but] it's really well-paid. We're getting paid more than Janet, Justin and Madonna's dancers.
WHATEVER COLUMN: The turning point
A sleepy Travis Wall is ready for his close-up . . .
CYNTHIA MCMULLEN
TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST
Virginia's latest reality star is a really good dancer and funny, to boot.
But 18-year-old Travis Wall sure could use a nap.
He was excited to talk about what happened after last week's "So You Think You Can Dance" finale . . . but his conversation was yawn-punctuated.
Can't blame the guy. Like all TV stars -- even a wire-haired kid from Virginia Beach who just won second place on a top-rated reality show -- Wall has been put through the wringer.
He was originally scheduled to spend a few days in Virginia Beach after appearing on Sunday night's "Teen Choice Awards."
The prospect of lots of sleep, food and sunlight was appealing.
But an agent who saw him perform Sunday called. Wall now has signed with McDonald/Selznick Associates Inc., a Hollywood-based talent agency that specializes in dancers and choreographers.
Now Wall is on his way to the Caribbean to award scholarships to participants in DanceBermuda, the International Summer Dance Institute. Catherine Zeta-Jones, who funds the scholarships, wasn't available this year.
And rehearsals start Sunday for the SYTYCD tour, which opens Sept. 12 in Seattle. . . . after which, he'll officially move to Los Angeles with fellow contestant Ivan Koumaev.
Wall is happy to dish about his experience
So you're named runner-up congrats, by the way -- and then what happens?
Benji [who won first place] and I talked a little onstage. Then I ran by him and he was like, "Hey, dude, you totally deserved it."
And I was like, "I knew this would happen."
He owes me $500. We had a bet. I hope I get that soon!
I was totally fine with not winning. We all knew from day one that Benji would win. That fact that I made the top two, I was freaking out.
We got thrown right to the press for an hour. I saw my mom for a hot second, then we went to a production wrap party.
My friends had organized a huge, huge, huge party for me at the Beverly Hills Hilton penthouse, the "Travis Should Have Won" party.
It was mostly the Top 20 [contestants on the show] and friends that came out from home.
What about the rest of the final four?
Donyelle was there. Benji had to leave for New York to do "Regis and Kelly," and Heidi went to bed!
And then . . . ?
We got an hour's sleep before another interview.
Then we had to move out of the apartment [furnished by Fox for the duration of the show]. I came here with not much stuff but I'm leaving with a lot of stuff. More clothes, more shoes.
What's your dream job?
There's so many dream jobs: TV show, movies, endorsements, touring with an artist. I want to do it all, but I want to do it big. Dance needs to be pushed more, especially contemporary dance.
People don't like to watch ballet. . . . They think it's just men in tights, stupid and bland. I'm basically doing ballet moves but wearing normal clothes, dancing to Top 40 music, making contemporary dance a whole new phase.
I got a phone call from a casting director who [said], "I think you've made it different for the American audience to watch." I can't wait to do that in TV and movies.
I love this stuff. I love the attention.
What will you be doing on the tour? (Details on fox.com/dance.)
I have an idea we'll be doing most of the stuff we did on the show. For me, the pasodoble, the contemporary, hip-hop with Benji, Broadway with Martha and something with Allison. I'll be doing a minute solo, not just 30 seconds.
And how much will you make?
[I can't say, but] it's really well-paid. We're getting paid more than Janet, Justin and Madonna's dancers.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
To Die For
Here are picture mosaics to some of my favourite dances on So You Think You Can Dance.
Afro Pop choreographed by Wade Robson. I loved the movement on this one. Every move was so appropriate to the theme and it was really synchronized to perfection. I love Wade's wry departure from the bland pop routines on the show. This one showcased a dance story as opposed to the music video boy meets girl cliche. Heidi was great and Travis rocked this number like no one else could.Mia Michael's Contemporary Routine. Totally fell in love with this number. It was beeeyoooteeful and so laced with emotion and feeling. This was the best routine on the show for me. I think Mary might have shed some tears on this one... Unfortunately we got some pretty weird judges on this show( Jean Marc Geneareux--cute as a button but seriously incomprehensibly wacky, and the HipHop twins--cute as buttons but incomprehensibly wacky, and pretty much sheep baa-ing after Shepard Nigel). Which leads me to wonder why there were so few lyrical performances on the show? Honestly I think the ratio of ballroom to lyrical was something like 8:1. Or something like that. Anyway, this is THE dance of the season!