Joshua Allen wins Season 4 Finale of "So you think you can Dance"

Joshua Allen took home $250,000 and the title of America’s Favorite Dancer on Thursday night during the Season 4 finale of the reality show competition So You Think You Can Dance. He will also be a part of an upcoming movie and go on tour this fall on Sept 20th in Tacoma Washington. The tour will hit the metroplex on October 10th at Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas. Joshua, who performed consistently well in different types of dance, seemed overwhelmed to hear that he had won. With tears in his eyes, he said: "Never let anybody tell You you can’t . You can always go for it. The sky is the limit." . . do anything”. Let’s take a look back on the road, which lead him to victory. Joshua and his mother Lisa Allen travel to the auditions. The self-proclaimed hip-hop dancer caught the eye of Debbie Allen at local auditions for Pepito’s Story when he was in elementary school (he was a frog in the 1998 Bass Hall production). For So You Think You Can Dance, Joshua auditioned in Dallas, made it to the semifinals in Las Vegas and was chosen as one of the 20 finalists who would appear on the TV show. He started street dancing as a child, taking over the sidelines during pee wee league football games, showcasing his Michael Jackson moves to the crowds. He paid for dance lessons by earning scholarships to intensive workshops and from the Fort Worth Ballet, and by doing chores around the studio. He taught classes for free at Bedford’s Rhythm Nation Studio in exchange for other classes. Joshua was selected and the entire Allen Family was celebrating Joshua’s performance from the audition when a tragedy occurs in Burleson. Joshua’s cousin Danny “Bucket” Allen was killed over an iPod at a friend’s home. “Bucket “was Joshua’s biggest fan along with their grandparents Margie and Lorenza Allen, who live in the Stop Six area of Fort Worth. The family attended Golden Gate Church of God in Christ where his father serves as an Elder and his mother is a Missionary & Sunday School teacher. Danny Sr. and Eva Allen were very proud of “Bucket” and knew that God had blessed them with a great son. They also knew that Joshua had to make an important decision on his career. He had participated in various dance events in the DFW area, including Holiday in the Park, an event held at Six Flags over Texas. However, this show was going to take him to another level. Joshua had decided to cancel his trip Hollywood and attend the funeral with family. But the Allen Family knew that if “Bucket” were alive he would say, “Go Joshua Go Joshua”. So Joshua wrote a poem about his cousin that was shared at the homegoing celebration. Joshua said that he would dedicate his performance in memory of “Bucket”. Each week Joshua consistently wowed the judges— and the audience — with his ability to move easily between styles and remain graceful even with his athletic body structure. He garnered nearly universal positive praise. Audrey Allen Crawford says “The entire family is very excited about Joshua’s win on the reality show, So You Think You Can Dance. All of his hard work has paid off and he will be a great success. We will miss him greatly but we know he is doing something that he really loves. Looking at him perform as a child and all the courage that he exhibit while performing, we as a family knew then that he would make it big one day. Hard work and endurance does pay off”. Crawford continues, “With the tragic death of my nephew prior to the beginning of this show brought a great cloud over the family. We really did not know how we would make it. With the help of God we are still struggling with it. I really believe that Danny (Bucket) is rejoicing at Joshua’s win because he loved to see him dance and did the rest of the family. In a letter to Bucket, Joshua wrote letting him know that he would be dancing for him as well as the rest of the world. Joshua’s win has brought a great deal of sunshine to the Allen Family and I know God had it in his plan for us because of the sorrow that we were experiencing”. A parade in Joshua’s honor will be held on Saturday August 23, 2008 at 10:00 am. The parade will begin at the 9200 block of W Cleburne Rd. Corner of W Cleburne Rd and N Crowley Cleburne, in Crowley, which is the Southeast area of Fort Worth. It will proceed to the high school where Joshua graduated, North Crowley High School. In closing I would like to commend Lisa Allen (Joshua mother) for the great job she has done, in raising her sons. The Allen Family are truly a blessed family. In today’s world, where violence dominates the headlines on the news reports. This family was able to bond together as one. May God continue to bless you and Thanks Joshua for making a difference and not giving up on what you love to do DANCE. Cedric Bailey "National Radio Host" Rejoice Musical Soul Food" www.musicalsoulfood.com 1pm to 6pm