So You Think You Can Dance's Jaimie Makes Big Plans

Even though 19-year-old Jaimie Goodwin was the first dancer eliminated by fan voting rather than by the judges, she's more concerned with the doors the show has opened for her than the ones that have closed. The contemporary dancer and BFF of Season 2's Travis Wall opened up to TVGuide.com about the best and worst things about her experience on the show and what's next for her.

TVGuide.com: Do you think you deserved to go home?
Jaimie Goodwin: I did my best, so I can't really say that I deserved to go home, but I'm not upset about it. Everyone there deserves to be there, and if someone has to go, then I'm completely OK with it. I actually said to my dance teacher and my friends, “Do you guys want to come to the show on Thursday? Because I think I'm going home.” I think I'm psychic.

TVGuide.com: Do you think you're in shock about it, or that it might hit you later?
Jaimie: I don't think so. My main goal was to be in the top 10, and now that I've done that, I'm all set. I just love everyone on the show, and it was harder to watch someone like Shauna, Jesus or Hok leave than it was for me to go.

TVGuide.com: Was it any different knowing you were the first to go home because of the viewers instead of the judges?
Jaimie: I don't know if it was any different for me. I know the people vote according to their opinion and their tastes, and I can't really blame it on anyone. I have a lot of great people who are supporting me. Last night the first thing I did was look at my e-mails, and someone had written me and said that her family always fights, but they watched the show together and agreed I was their favorite. She wanted to thank me for being on the show because it inspired her and made her family better. That was the first thing I saw after being eliminated and it was a huge inspiration for me.

TVGuide.com: So, you knew Travis Wall and Danny growing up?
Jaimie: Yeah, I've known Travis for a very long time. He was my dance partner for five years, and he's my best friend. Danny I wasn't as close to, but since they're brothers, I grew up with him as well. Travis wanted me to do the show with him last year but I was too young, so I went with Danny this year, and we were excited because we'd never danced together. So when Mia Michaels choreographed the group number, she put us together as partners and it ended up being the last thing we did.

TVGuide.com: Did Travis give you any good advice when you were coming on the show?
Jaimie: Travis' main advice to me was always, "Don't read the [message] boards," because you can have one negative thing and a thousand positive things, and the only thing you'll really hear is the negative. People can love and hate you for the same things, and you can never satisfy everyone — it just ends up tearing you down.

TVGuide.com: What were your experiences dancing with Hok versus dancing with Dominic?
Jaimie: Actually, they were very similar. They're both breakers, they both have an amazing work ethic, and they're both great performers. I think they pushed me to work harder because they work so hard themselves. I feel lucky to have danced with them.

TVGuide.com: The show played up your chemistry and your relationship with Hok. How much of that was true?
Jaimie: [Laughs] Hok and I don't really have that relationship at all. We were always trying to strengthen our chemistry because we thought that if we were so comfortable with each other outside the dance studio, we would be just as comfortable on stage. But I have a boyfriend, and [Hok] likes someone else on the show. So that was always just a joke between us, and it was a big shock when they asked us about that in our interviews.

TVGuide.com: So who does Hok like?
Jaimie: I don't know if I can say because it's none of my business. They're really into each other, but we're not supposed to have relationships on the show.

TVGuide.com: Did you have a favorite dance on the show?
Jaimie: My favorite dance by far was Wade Robson's piece, the butterfly and hummingbird. It was awesome. I think all his pieces are something every dancer looks forward to because they know that his vision is just crazy. Hok was the perfect hummingbird.

TVGuide.com: What a compliment. Do you have a favorite memory from the show?
Jaimie: The Hairspray premiere was a huge ordeal for us, and Nigel's birthday party was a lot of fun, but ultimately my favorite moments were just hanging out backstage. We had a lot of fun in the hair-and-makeup room, in the studios and in the apartments — I think that's where we all really bonded. And every Wednesday we'd get together and watch the show.

TVGuide.com: What was the hardest thing for you on the show in terms of dancing?
Jaimie: Oh, probably the waltz, because the first time I did it [with Hok], it was just hard, neither of us knew the waltz. And when I got it the second time [with Dominic], there was more pressure on us.

TVGuide.com: So who do you think will win?
Jaimie: Rough question. It's hard because everyone is so different and all of them are good at what they do in terms of dancing. I just think it's really going to be a big surprise to everyone this year.

TVGuide.com: Who do you want to see win?
Jaimie: I could have picked out someone a while [back], but now that I know everyone and have seen their accomplishments, I couldn't pick out anybody.

TVGuide.com: What will you do tomorrow, now that you're off the show?
Jaimie: I'm trying to do normal things because for the past three months I really haven't done anything normal. I haven't really even gotten my own food in the last four months! I'm going to find a flight home because I want to see my family, but I have to be back here in a week to rehearse for the finale.

TVGuide.com: And what will be next for you?
Jaimie: I have a lot I want to do, inside and outside of dance. I want to be in a contemporary company one day; I want to work more in commercials and TV — I know more dance spots are opening up for that and I would love to jump in. Also, my family and I are opening up a breast-cancer fund in my mom's name. Writing is another one of my other hobbies and I want to write a book about my mom's journey, and there are people I'm collaborating with to set that up. Dancing is always my first priority, so I want to be able to juggle it all at the same time. The show's exposure has really meant a lot. — Additional reporting by Dani Dornfeld

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