Hok Says Sayonara on So You Think You Can Dance

Hokuto "Hok" Konishi was one of my favorite contestants on FOX's hit show, So You Think You Can Dance, and I was sorry to see him leave last week. He has such a great spirit, hopefully this exposure will be a fantastic launching pad for him. He sat down to dish with the folks at TV Guide about the whole experience, and what's in store for him now. But the real unanswered question ... is there anything going on between him and Jaimie?

TVGuide.com: Do you think you deserved to go home?
Hok Konishi: That's a hard question, but I think that whatever the judges say, their decision is right. At this point in the show, anyone can go home, so it was meant to be.

TVGuide.com: For the last few weeks, the judges have been criticizing your performances while complimenting your partner Jaimie's. What was that like for you?
Hok: It was hard. I think it's my own fault — if I was a better dancer, that would have never happened. The judges were right, and it just pushes me to work even harder.

TVGuide.com: How do you feel about being kicked off while Jaimie continues with the show?
Hok: I'm actually really glad that she's still on the show because I would have felt guilty — well, I did feel guilty for even putting her in the bottom three two weeks in a row. I just hope she does the best with the competition.

TVGuide.com: How much work went into preparing for your solo?
Hok: Actually, I wasn't feeling it for some reason for the past couple of days, so it wasn't that good. The day before the results show, when I started practicing I twisted my back muscle really bad and after that I couldn't practice at all. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to dance when it came down to the solo, so I'm glad that at least I was able to dance those 30 seconds.

TVGuide.com: If you hadn't gotten kicked off, would your back have been a problem going into the next week of the competition?
Hok: Well, it's feeling better already and when you're put in that position, you have to keep on going no matter what.

TVGuide.com: What were your rehearsals like with Jaimie?
Hok: It was fun. She's a great partner to work with and she's an amazing dancer. We worked together really well.

TVGuide.com: How was your chemistry?
Hok: It was good. I got to know her in Vegas so we didn't have to start from zero when we were put together as partners. We knew a little bit about each other, and that helped.

TVGuide.com: What was your favorite dance you did on the show?
Hok: It has to be Wade Robson's "Hummingbird and Flower" piece by far. It's actually funny because right before I went up on stage, instead of thinking and going over the steps again, I was just really picturing myself as a hummingbird and going into the garden. If you don't believe that you are the bird, then that can't come across in your dancing. And if you worry about the steps, that's going to show. Wade's amazing, not just as a dancer and a choreographer but also as an artist. The way he thinks really inspires me.

TVGuide.com: Because of the relationship you developed with Wade, was it difficult hearing criticism from him about your last duet with Jaimie?
Hok: It was, but I'm happy that he gave me criticism — it made sense. If he just said it was good, I would have been happy, but I wouldn't have learned anything. I loved the fact that he was hard and on point and that I was able to actually learn something from the critique.

TVGuide.com: Which style was the most difficult for you?
Hok: The waltz was a big challenge for me because the nature of my movements is completely opposite from everything they told me to do. With some choreography that I was used to, I could kind of guess what was coming up next, but with a completely new style, you have to learn all the specifics and you have to be focused on that, yet you can't show that in your face. It was definitely a challenge, but I had so much fun learning it.

TVGuide.com: What's your favorite memory from SYTYCD?
Hok: Everything. Just being around everyone and all of us going through it together, living together and learning new stuff every day. The experience of being with all the contestants was such a blessing for me and I'm just so sad that I can't continue on with that journey.

TVGuide.com: Do you think you will stay in touch with everyone?
Hok: Definitely. This is something that's going to last a lifetime.

TVGuide.com: What's next for you?
Hok: I think I'll rest for a couple of days and then start my training again, just become a better dancer. If possible, I would like to use this exposure to be able to travel to different places around the world and show my dancing to people and hopefully inspire them.

TVGuide.com: Who do you think will win?
Hok: I really don't know. This show could go either way, but what I can say is that everyone on the show is just truly amazing. They're blessed with talent and they have great personalities. I just think they're different colors on a palette, so it just comes down to what America likes.

Photo from TV Guide.