Fourth time’s a charm for ‘SYTYCD’ finalist Ashley Valerio
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It appears the fourth time’s a charm for 22-year-old North Hollywood resident Ashley Valerio. Valerio, an Arizona native, auditioned for ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ the last three seasons before making it to the Top 20. The dance instructor is a little nervous about the TV spotlight but is also to ready to get back to performing and ready for the show to, hopefully, propel her career.
Q: Your specialty is listed as contemporary. What kind of dance work do you do in L.A.? AV: Lately I’ve just been doing a lot of teaching. I’ll fly back to Arizona a lot and I’ll do a lot of choreography, and then I was just basically teaching out in L.A. and taking classes. I wasn’t really auditioning or anything, and then the audition came up for the show and it just kind of took off.
Q: Was this your first time auditioning? AV: No, actually this was my fourth time.
Q: How does it feel to make it through this time? Do you feel you were able to gain so more experience in the time between?
AV: The first time, I didn’t make it past the screening. The second time I auditioned, I made it to the green mile and didn’t make it. The next year, I got cut after ballroom in Vegas, and then this time I made it. I would say I’m a little more experienced.
Q: Do you watch the show? AV: I love the show. I have lot of friends and close people that have auditioned and made it on the show and gone really far. I think it’s just a really neat opportunity for dancers.
Q: What do you think the show will do for your career? AV: Considering my career is kind of stale and not really going anywhere as far as doing things with corporations, I think it’s a great stepping stone for me. I think that will open doors to new opportunities, and I’m really, really excited.
Q: What studios do you teach at and take classes at in Los Angeles? AV: I take classes at the Edge [Performing Arts Center] and Millenium [Dance Complex], and I teach at this studio called Dance in Motion in Woodland Hills, and I also teach at Dance Connection Too in Arizona.
Q: It sounds like you’re a little frustrated with primarily teaching. How long have you been teaching? AV: I’ve been teaching for the past three years. I just kind of stopped performing and stopped dancing, and I focused more on teaching and choreography. I feel like I’m still young and I still have so much time, and I’d rather be on stage than teach. I can still teach, but I want to do that more professionally when I get a little older.
Q: Is there any new genre you’re a little nervous to learn, maybe one you’re not as familiar with? AV: It definitely has to be ballroom. Anything ballroom or Latin, because it’s so foreign to me. I’ve never done it in my life. It’s basically like taking a basketball player and throwing him in a football game and expecting him to be superb and professional. It’s going to be a little difficult.
Q: Are there any choreographers from years past that you’re particularly excited to work with? AV: I really want to get taught by Nigel. I’ve never seen his stuff or anything, but I’ve always been like, ‘I want to see Nigel do some choreography.’ But besides him, because I don’t think he does anything for the show as far as choreography, I would like Mia, of course. I think she’s brilliant. There’s something about Mia. Everything she touches turns to gold. Wade Robson, I would love to work with Wade.
Q: Are you nervous about being on television or about that immediate feedback from the judges, or are you just excited about the experience?
AV: It’s a Catch-22 because I haven’t danced on stage in forever and I’m so excited to finally do that again because I loved it when I was doing it. At the same time, it is really difficult because they are judging and they are being really critical, and it’s a TV show. I’m a pretty private person, so when I made the show it was pretty exciting, but if you mess up or do something wrong, everyone sees it, and it’s not just a couple of people that hear about. It’s going to be difficult. You just kind of have to pray and hope that you do your best.
— Kate Stanhope