So You Think You Can Dance 2 (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
The second season of So You Think You Can Dance premiered May 25, 2006, with new host Cat Deeley.
On August 16, Benji Schwimmer was announced as the winner of season 2 and received the grand prize of $100,000, a new hybrid SUV, and a one year contract with Celine Dion's Las Vegas show, A New Day....
Auditions
Auditions were held in New York City; Los Angeles, California; Chicago; and Charleston, South Carolina.
Vegas week
One hundred and sixteen dancers were invited for a week of training to the Aladdin hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. This training included hip-hop choreography, samba choreography taught by Mary Murphy with assistance from season 1 contestant Artem Chigvinsev, a lyrical routine taught by Mia Michaels, and choreography from Brian Friedman. The original group of dancers was eventually whittled down to 41, from which the judges chose their top 20.
Finals
Elimination chart
Contestants are in reverse chronological order of elimination.
The song played after each female elimination was "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall, whilst that played after each male elimination was "It's the End of the Road" by Matt Goss.
* Starting this week, individuals, rather than couples, were placed in a bottom group and the public vote decided which male and which female left the competition.
Group dance: "Ramalama (Bang Bang)""Róisín Murphy (Choreographer: Wade Robson)
Musical guest: "Gimme That""Chris Brown
Solos:
Martha Nichols: "What You Waiting For?""Gwen Stefani
Ryan Rankine: "Canned Heat""Jamiroquai
Natalie Fotopoulos: "Lamentation""Leah Andreone
Dmitry Chaplin: "Pump It""Black Eyed Peas
Eliminated:
Martha Nichols
Dmitry Chaplin
Week 7 (July 27, 2006)
Group dance: "Cell Block Tango" from Chicago (musical) (Choreographer: Tyce DiOrio)
Musical guest: A medley of "Touch It", "I Love My Chick", and "In the Ghetto""Busta Rhymes
Solos:
Natalie Fotopoulos: "Veins""Charlotte Martin
Ryan Rankine: "Just Fine""Chris Brown
Allison Holker: "Feeling Good""Michael Buble
Travis Wall: "Gotta Get Thru This (acoustic version)""Daniel Bedingfield
Eliminated:
Allison Holker
Ryan Rankine
Week 8 (August 3, 2006)
Group dance: "Hide and Seek""Imogen Heap (Choreographer: Mia Michaels)
Musical Guest: "Entourage""Omarion
Solos:
Natalie Fotopoulos: "I Would Die for You""Jann Arden
"Cell Block Tango" from Chicago (Choreographer: Tyce DiOrio)
Dancers' choice: (each of the final four chose to reprise their favorite routine)
Benji Schwimmer: Mambo with Heidi ("Black Mambo""Angel and the Mambokats)
Heidi Groskreutz: Contemporary with Travis ("Calling You""Celine Dion)
Donyelle Jones: Broadway with Benji ("You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray)
Travis Wall: Paso doble with Heidi ("The Plaza of Execution" from The Mask of Zorro)
Judges' choice: (four of the judges picked their favorite routine)
Mary Murphy: Samba with Dmitry and Natalie ("Magalenha""Sergio Mendes)
Mia Michaels: Contemporary with Allison and Ivan ("Why""Annie Lennox)
Brian Friedman: Broadway with Travis and Martha ("Steam Heat""The Pointer Sisters)
Dan Karaty: Hip-hop with Travis and Benji ("Gyrate""Da Muzicianz (ft. Mr. Collipark))
Solos:
Heidi Groskreutz: "I Love Rock 'n' Roll""Joan Jett
Donyelle Jones: "I'm Free""Amber
Benji Schwimmer: "Never Knew""The Rocket Summer
Travis Wall: "Wonderful""Annie Lennox
Elimination order:
Heidi Groskreutz
Donyelle Jones
Travis Wall
Winner:
Benji Schwimmer
Live tour
In 2006, the top 10 contestants went on a performance tour across the United States and Canada. Tickets went on sale August 12, and were virtually sold out within a few days. The following were the tour dates and locations:
Sep 12, Seattle, WA, Paramount Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 13, Portland, OR, Arlene Schnitzner Hall- Tour Review
Sep 15, Oakland, CA, Paramount Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 16, Universal City, CA, Gibson Amphitheatre - Tour Review
Sep 17, Phoenix, AZ, Dodge Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 19, Denver, CO, Lecture Hall
Sep 21, St. Louis, MO, Fabulous Fox Theatre - Tour Review (sold out)
Sep 22, Chicago, Rosemont Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 23, Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee Theatre
Sep 24, Minneapolis, MN, The Historic Orpheum Theatre
Sep 26, Detroit, MI, Masonic Temple Theatre
Sep 27, Cincinnati, OH, Proctor & Gamble Hall at the Aronoff Center
Sep 29, Cleveland, OH, State Theatre at the Playhouse Square Center
Sep 30, Buffalo, NY, Shea's Performing Arts Center - Tour Review
Oct 1, Ledyard, CT, Foxwoods Resort Casino
Oct 3, Newark, NJ, New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Oct 4, New York City, The Theater at Madison Square Garden (sold out within 11 minutes)
Oct 6, Philadelphia, PA, Academy of Music - Tour Review
Oct 7, Boston, MA, The Wang Center for the Performing Arts - Tour Review
Oct 8, Albany, NY, Palace Theatre
Oct 10, Washington, DC, DAR Constitution Hall
Oct 11, Charlotte, North Carolina, Ovens Auditorium
Oct 12, Duluth, GA, Arena at Gwinnett Center
Oct 14, Miami, FL, Jackie Gleason Theater
Oct 15 and 16, Tampa, FL, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
Oct 18, Greenville, SC, Timmons Arena
Oct 19, Greensboro, NC, War Memorial Auditorium
Oct 21, Norfolk, VA, Chrysler Hall
Oct 23, Baltimore, MD, Lyric Opera House
Oct 25, Toronto, ON, The Hummingbird Centre
Oct 27, Syracuse, NY, Landmark Theatre
Oct 29, Providence, RI, Providence Performing Arts Center