Harold van Buuren, head judge of SABC1's
So You Think You Can Dance, lambasted the South African public on Tuesday night for forcing them to eject one of the most talented dancers from the show.
Megan Erasmus (29), the contemporary and jazz dance specialist from Cape Town and former backing dancer for Lebo Mathosa, was told by Harold that she had danced for the final time during last night's results show, amidst boos from the audience and tears from Megan herself.
Just before informing Megan that she would leave Harold addressed the cameras, saying:
"South Africa ...
[dramatic, painful pause as we shifted uncomfortably on our couches, knowing before he said it how guilty we were] ... you have disappointed me.
"These two ladies do not deserve to be in the bottom two. I am devastated. Ladies, we salute you for your dancing and for taking it to another level, but the rules are the rules and one of you has to go."
Although insufficient votes from the public had seen
Elizma Wildschutte in the bottom two following Saturday night's live show she was spared by the judges and now makes it into the final eight on So You Think You Can Dance.
Her Saturday night partner, however, joined Megan in being the first to leave the Top 10:
Taekwondo Seabi was told by Harold that he has "an amazing and unique style but it does limit you" before the Joburg-based dancer returned to his baby boy, Botlhale and wife, Dineo.
Megan’s partner
Bathembu was also spared the cut and joins Elizma,
Marise,
Thabiso,
Lee,
Darren,
Kim and
Ash as So You Think You Can Dance heads to the end of its search to find the most popular dancer in the country.
Megan’s dream of being crowned the So You Think You Can Dance winner has now vanished – just weeks before the second anniversary of the death of her best friend, Lebo Mathosa.
Over the past few weeks So You Think You Can Dance has seen several upsets, including
Blaze having to leave the Top 20 following illness, the unexpected elimination of
Nqaba a few weeks ago and now the loss of Megan.
This means that anything is possible in the remaining four weeks of the competition as the dancers again choose a new partner and have to dance two different dance styles for Saturday night’s live show.
The dancers, their partners, choreographers and two dance styles for Saturday 18 October's show are as follows:
Marise and Bathembu will dance Hip Hop Fast and the Paso Doble
Elizma and Thabiso will dance Afro Fusion Slow and Jazz
Lee and Darren will dance the Samba and Contemporary Fast
Kim and Ash will dance the Tango and Broadway