A 13-year-old dancing sensation from Calgary says she’s just grateful for the opportunity to perform on the popular reality TV program So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation. Tate McRae advanced further in the U.S. competition than any other Canadian has in the past when she made it to the finale, which aired on Sept. 12.
The show’s finale featured performances from the remaining four young dancers, including Leon “Kida” Burns, who was crowned the winner on Monday night.
McRae told CTV News Channel from Los Angeles on Wednesday that she can’t believe the competition, which began in May, is already over.
“I never expected to get this far in the competition,” she said. “I’m so proud of Kida because he deserved it. In the end, it was America’s favourite dancer.”
Although McRae was favoured to win early on in the competition, she said the ultimate decision was in the hands of the American viewers because Canadians were unable to vote for their favourite dancer.
“It was definitely hard because none of my friends and family could vote and they were all behind me, supporting me 100 per cent,” McRae said.
McRae said the hardest part of the whole experience was saying goodbye to her fellow contestants every week when they were eliminated because they had all become such fast friends.
As for the future, McRae said she’s not sure what she will be doing, but she will continue her dance training and maybe try her hand at acting.
“Hopefully new doors will open from this experience and more opportunities will come,” she said.
