| WB man makes top 20 on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’
By Eric Czarnik WEST BLOOMFIELD — Evan Kasprzak of West Bloomfield isn’t singin’ in the rain, but he brought his Gene Kelly steps to national television on the fifth season of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance.” In a June 4 episode of the dance contest show, Kasprzak, 21, was revealed as a top 20 contender who will compete for viewers’ telephone votes starting June 10. Throughout the summer, the dancers will perform as pairs while voters and a panel of judges decide who leaves or stays. In previous seasons, the show’s top 10 dancers have embarked on a nationwide tour, and the contest’s winner has been called “America’s Favorite Dancer.” Kasprzak’s mother, Barb, said her son tried out for the show last year but didn’t make it to the voting rounds. Now that he’s made it to the top 20, his next goal is to make the top 10 and join the national tour. “It’s a dancer’s dream to be on there,” she said. “He was in the top 40 last time, so he knew he was really, really close last time, so he had a good chance.” This season, both Evan and his older brother Ryan auditioned in Memphis and impressed the judges with their quirky moves. Evan performed a jazzy number, and Ryan tap-danced with the aid of a whoopee cushion. For their success, the brothers were sent to Las Vegas for more auditions. But after wrapping up the Vegas auditions, the show created TV suspense by presenting both Kasprzak brothers — and announcing that only one would advance to the Top 20’s final open slot. Evan made the cut; Ryan did not. Ryan said his association with the show isn’t over, as he planned to audition again for its sixth season in Los Angeles June 12. He expressed no regrets about his decision to choreograph Evan’s steps. “If I had to do it all over again, I would’ve made the same decisions,” Ryan said. “I still have a lot invested in (Evan) on the show. It wouldn’t have been quite the same if it were reversed.” When the TV cameras were off, Ryan said, his brother was the one who kept the duo calm and relaxed. “Evan is like the family cucumber in the sense that he is always so cool and always laid-back,” Ryan said. Born to danceAccording to his mother, Evan has lived in West Bloomfield since age 4, and he started dancing at 6. He later honed his technique while taking summer training at the Broadway Theatre Project at the University of South Florida. He has since graduated from Groves High School and has been attending Illinois Wesleyan University for musical theater. Juliana Pirpinelli, studio owner of Juliana’s Academy of Dance in Madison Heights, said she used to teach Evan jazz, tap and contemporary dance. She called him a competitive dancer who was also a joy. “What you see on TV is exactly what he is in person,” Pirpinelli said. “I don’t think I'll ever have another Evan, who always kept everyone laughing and kept everyone motivated.” Although fans have taken to Evan’s Broadway style, Pirpinelli said he could do many styles, including hip-hop. She added that the dance academy planned to pass out fliers during a recital encouraging people to vote for him. “What we’re doing is we’re trying to get the message out for everybody,” she said. Evan’s mother mentioned her son’s Facebook fan base and called the public reaction wonderful, intense and a little overwhelming. “Certainly the people that know about it are supporting him,” he said. “I think it’s so new that I don’t think a lot of people know about it yet.” “So You Think You Can Dance” airs Wednesday and Thursday nights on Fox. For more show information, visit http://www.fox.com/dance. You can reach Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1058.
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