"How can I put this into words? It is one of the most stressful situations you're ever in — the lights and the music and the audience just makes everything magnified tenfold," Dorame said. "It's like you're kind of waiting to have them choose the fate of your life."

"We hate Thursdays," Manoukian said. "Nobody knows how America votes, so you can do really good and still be in the bottom three."

Last week, for example, the judges lavished praise on Dorame and his partner and yet they ended up facing elimination with two other couples.

Judge/executive producer/director Nigel Lythgoe has been particularly hard on both Jasperson and Dorame.

"Sometimes it is hard when you get kind of slammed for things," Jasperson said. "But you've got to roll with the punches, I guess."

And Dorame has been praised for his dancing but criticized for his personality. Which is perplexing.

"I know I have some personality," he said. "I guess I'm still trying to figure out what piece of my personality they want to see."

The partner dancing is a gift to Hightower "because (ballroom dancers) know how to make that chemistry happen and you know how to work with a partner a little bit better."

But it's a whole new world for a break dancer like Manoukian.

"I've danced with a partner, like, once before," he said. "I'm starting to get used to it. And my partner's really cute, so that helps.

"I'm kind of surprised I'm still here. I'm more confident every week, but the first few weeks I was really intimidated by everybody."

Still, the field has been reduced to 14, and all those with Utah ties remain.

"How cool is it that all of us Utah people are still here? I think it's awesome," Jasperson said. "And it's great for Utah because we get to show that Utah has a lot of great talent."

"I think all four of us are pretty strong competitors," Hightower said.

"At first, we were like, 'Oh, gosh. They're going to start voting us off because they don't want four Utah people,"' Dorame said. "But for some reason, they seem to keep us and they like us."

Manoukian and Hightower were rooting for Dorame and Jasperson when those two were in the bottom three.

"Chelsie and I were, like, 'Oh, please. Please keep them in,"' Manoukian said. "And when we found out they were safe, we were very relieved."

'So You Think You Can Dance'

You can watch Utah's four dancers at 7 tonight on KSTU Ch. 13.

---

E-mail: pierce@desnews.com