I’m on vacation until July 21. If you have any breaking news about TV and radio, contact my colleague and “Buzz” champ Jennifer Brett at jbrett@ajc.com. In the meantime, here’s something I wrote before I left:

Tonight, you’ll get to watch the 20 dancers live in coupled form for the first time.

I spoke with the three local Atlantans earlier this month. Here are some highlights from each talk:

Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer

Age: 22

Residence: Atlanta

Style: Popper/robotics

His challenge: “Right now, I’m stretching and learning techniques from other contestants on the show. My girlfriend does ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap. She’s teaching me technique while I have this time at home.”

Prep time: “Six, seven hours a day. I wake up, stretch, do two hours of my style, then six hours learning other techniques, stretch more. I’m putting my work in. I feel I’m going to be as ready as I can get.”

How he got his nickname: “I think it was 2008. I was just dancing so much, people were saying, ‘You look like you’re glitching. I’m like, ‘Yah! I like that!’ Glitch, that’s thick! I just ran with it.”

On doing a dance with “Twitch” (his rhyming namesake from season four): “He’s so good. He’s ridiculous at choreography. I’m not that good at choreography.”

His goal (besides winning): “I just want to present positive energy. I want to inspire people to go out and obtain more knowledge. Don’t just settle for one style. I feel the more styles you have, the better your style will be. You’ll be able to incorporate what you learn to create so much more.”

On his audition: “It was totally improvised. We call it being in the ‘mo. I feel like if you choreograph something, sometimes, you take away form the feeling and emotion and passion for that moment.” (It’ll be interesting to see how he has to deal with partners and choreography live.)

Amber Jackson

Age: 21

Residence: Atlanta

Expertise: Contemporary

Third time’s a charm: “First time, season six, I made it to the Green Mile. Season seven, I got cut in group rounds. I took a year off and came back for season nine, made it to the top 20. Earlier, I don’t think I was ready mentally. I don’t think I was mature enough. I needed to dance with more personality. I was extremely shy. I’m more open and out there now. I have a different mindset.”

Small world: “George [Lawrence II] and I went to the same private elementary school. We also ran track. We went to the same high school. [Dekalb School of the Arts.] It’s crazy! Now we’re on the same show. We’ve been shadowing each other and didn’t even know it. He’s younger than me and was friends with my brother. We’re like brother and sister. We just connect in a crazy way.”

Background: “I went to ballet school all my life. I went to this dance school Dance Makers where I learned everything. I have studied every genre of dance. I feel prepared.”

Hair today, changed tomorrow: “I have a new hair style every two weeks. I don’t think I have a lot of edge but my short blonde hair, it gives me some edge.”

Biggest strength: “My biggest strength is my focus. Stay in the game. This is a tiring show. You get no rest. Work work work!”

George Lawrence II

Age: 19

Residence: Atlanta

Expertise: Contemporary

His dad: “Our relationship has gotten so much better. This is very exciting. It’s bringing my mom and dad together to see me dance.”

In Vegas: “It was more emotionally draining mentally and physically than I expected. I had a little breakdown. The rehearsals were very intense.”

Feeling better: “I’m feeling more emotionally stable now that I have one of the top 20 spots.”

Local cred: “The Dekalb School of the Arts really focused on technique. They make sure you’re prepared for the real world. I then went to the State University of Purchase [New York] as a dance major in the conservatory. I was surprised by how much better I got. It was amazing to see the difference between a solo I did last summer and one I did recently.”

On Amber: “I ended up going to the same studio she was at. She ended up choreographing my solo. We just became the best of friends.”

TV preview
“So You Think You Can Dance”
8 p.m., Wednesdays, Fox

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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk