A Penn State student found out firsthand this spring that if you think you can dance, you need perseverance and talent to make it big.

Casie Goshow (junior-recreation, park and tourism management) used her dance abilities to earn her a place at the Las Vegas auditions for the FOX reality show So You Think You Can Dance.

The show, which will bring its arena tour to the Bryce Jordan Center at 8:30 p.m. Friday, was casting its third season when Goshow tried out.

After passing a New York audition, including two trials in front of judges, she was flown to Las Vegas for a second round of weeklong auditions.

Goshow said she felt honored just to be chosen for the finals."It was pretty cool that out of the thousands of people to audition, I was one of the 150 finalists," she said.

After a full day of rigorous activities to promote the television show and begin the audition, Goshow was cut, but she wasn't completely discouraged."I felt really confident the first day," she said. "I was floored."

She said she was glad to make it as far as she did and will try out again for the next season.
"I was going for the experience. When I got to Vegas, I wasn't expecting anything, I was just enjoying my time there," she said. "I just switched my flight and got to stay in Vegas for a week."

After a combination of public voting and input from the judges on the show, 19-year-old Sabra Johnson, of Utah, was chosen as the third season's winner. She will be featured when she and the nine other So You Think You Can Dance finalists stop at the BJC.

Goshow, who saw the touring show last week in Atlantic City, said the TV show doesn't compare to seeing the dancers live.

"When you see it live and it's right in front of you, it's totally different," she said, "The lighting, the stage and everything is awesome. It's totally entertaining the entire time."

Bernie Punt, director of public relations at the BJC, said this is the first production at the center solely featuring dance.

"We've had events where dance is included and a lot of theatrical productions," he said. "This is the first time we've had a reality-based show."

Punt said the performance was pushed back an hour to account for the university's 2007 Homecoming parade and other events this weekend. Members of the dance community at Penn State are interested in the performance, including the dance minor's director, Elisha Clark.
"It's nice to see something in the mainstream promoting dance," she said.

Clark said the dance style taught within the School of Theatre is slightly different than what is presented on the show.

"It's just not in line artistically or stylistically with what we do," she said."What we teach is a more artistic concert style."

Clark said the show focuses more on entertainment, but choreographer Mia Michaels' "modern" style helps bridge the artistic and competitive worlds.

"She is a wonderful choreographer and probably closest to what we do," Clark said.

Clark said she is glad the show is generating interest in the art.

"Hopefully, some of those people watching will go see local companies or performances," she said.