‘So You Think You Can Dance?’ Crowns its Season Five Winner

By Germain Lussier on August 7th, 2009

Four dancers took the stage at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, California Wednesday night ready to leap, spin and cut a rug competing for $250,000 and the cover of Dance Spirit Magazine as the winner of Fox’s hit show “So You Think You Can Dance?”

The finale was a competition between Jeanine Mason, Evan Kasprzak, Brandon Bryant and Kayla Radomski. They would be judged by regulars Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy as well as a whopping FIVE choreographers: Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio, Mia Michaels, Lil’ C and Adam Shankman.

So at the end of the night, who was triumphant? Well, it’s probably obvious from the photo on the right that 18-year-old Jeanine Mason took home the crown, besting Brandon Bryant in the final two.

The dancers were at the behest of the judges and choreographers who chose their favorite routines from the whole of this fifth season of the show. Host Cat Deeley helped steer the ship, which first eliminated Kayla, then Evan, leaving only the 20 year old Bryant and Mason, a contemporary dancer from Florida.

“I’ve spent my whole life looking up to amazing dancers and amazing people, and I always wanted to be a role model, “said Mason after she was victorious. “I never thought I would be giving an acceptance speech in the Kodak, but thank you Academy!”