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So You Think You Can Dance 3

'So You Think' judge Nigel Lythgoe: The best dancer didn't win

By Christopher Rocchio, 08/17/2007

Although home viewers crowned her "America's Favorite Dancer," So You Think You Can Dance judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe still doesn't consider newly-crowned third-season winner Sabra Johnson to be "America's Best Dancer."

"I think Sabra winning is good for America," Lythgoe told People after last night's live broadcast of the Fox reality show's finale. "[But] in my opinion [runner-up] Danny [Tidwell] was far and away the best."

"Sabra, with only dancing for four years is so inspirational to kids that want to begin dancing," Lythgoe continued. "Sabra just showed she can win a major competition like this after only four years!"

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Johnson, a 20-year-old contemporary dancer from Roy, UT, was revealed to be So You Think You Can Dance's third-season winner after a "record breaking" 16 million viewer votes were cast following Wednesday night's performance episode, eliminating Tidwell and fellow Top 4 finalists Lacey Schwimmer and Neil Haskell.

"I feel ridiculous," Johnson told People after her victory. "It's so overwhelming and so surreal just to think that, first of all, I'm a girl, and, second of all, I'm from this little, tiny town in the middle of nowhere and I didn't know anything coming into this, honestly... it's amazing."

While Lythgoe may not be Johnson's biggest fan, one finale audience member who knows a thing or two about dancing did gush about the new So You Think You Can Dance champ.

"I'm thrilled that Sabra won," American Idol judge Paula Abdul told People after the finale. "She's a little firecracker. No matter what, she gave her all. It didn't matter what she's performing, something came over her and she became that."

(Photo credit Fox)

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