TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — When University of Arizona sophomore Avery Gay auditioned for Season 18 of Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance," she stuck with her signature, unique style of dance.
Gay performed a routine that mixed classical en pointe ballet with contemporary modern movement, impressing the judges enough to move past the audition round.
After being told she was too contemporary for ballet and yet, too ballet for contemporary, Gay combined the two.
“I finally feel like this is so me," she said. "And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized it’s authentic to who I am and this is where I fit in."
One of her dance teachers at the UA, Liz George, noticed Gay's growth with the style.
"Avery is beginning to find her voice," she said. "She’s moving from an authentic and confident place. She's finding her choreographic voice and a way of moving that supports where she feels like she’s at as an artist.”
Gay auditioned for "So You Think You Can Dance" with two other University of Arizona dancers, but she was the only one who passed the audition round to make it to the main show.
She'll be competing in the next episode Monday, March 25.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
