From left: Rei Abe, 2 1/2, with cousins Alyssa Abe, 11, who will be a sixth-grader at Bullis Charter School in Los Altos, and Ryan Abe, 5 1/2, who will attend kindergarten at Bullis Charter School. Photo by Keith Abe

by J.K. YAMAMOTO
Hokubei Mainichi

She may not be as famous as Kristi Yamaguchi, but Katee Taira Shean, a finalist on the Fox reality show “So You Think You Can Dance,” is a household name for millions of fans who have been following her progress for the past few weeks.

Like “Dancing With the Stars,” the ABC show that Yamaguchi and partner Mark Ballas dominated earlier this year, the contestants on “So You Think You Can Dance” are evaluated by a panel of judges as well as viewers, who vote via the Internet.

But “SYTYCD” also has something in common with another hit Fox show, “American Idol” — in the end, there will be only one winner.

The show will air Wednesday, July 30, at 8 p.m. and Thursday, July 31, at 9 p.m. on Channel 2 in the Bay Area. The two-part season finale will follow on Wednesday, Aug. 6, and Thursday, Aug. 7, at 8 p.m.

Shean, 20, a San Jose native, graduated from Pioneer High School in San Jose and majors in dance and leadership/organizational studies at Chapman University in Orange. She is the daughter of Dennis and Gayle Shean. A contemporary dancer, she has had to perform a wide variety of styles, from hip-hop to samba to Broadway, many of them with partner and fellow finalist Joshua Allen.

She made the top 20 and then the top 10. Last week the number was narrowed down to six, and this week only four will survive. With each elimination round, the remaining dancers change partners.

Posters urging people to vote for Shean were put up all over San Jose, including Japantown, where many people saw them during the Obon Festival on July 12 and 13. During the Mountain View Obon Festival on July 19 and 20, many participants wore badges bearing Shean’s picture.

“We will also be going to Palo Alto’s Obon (Aug. 2-3) to spread the news about Katee there as well,” said Shean’s mother, who has a dance background in hula. “I have many relatives who are very active in the (Buddhist) church there.”

The posters, badges and T-shirts were created by another local supporter, Carol Yuki.

The other finalists include Shean’s partner from last week, Stephen “Twitch” Boss, who also attended Chapman University and taught with her at a dance school in Orange County.

Also making the cut was Mark Kenneth Ioane Kanemura, who was born and raised in Honolulu. His partners have included Chelsie Hightower, who is still in the running, and Comfort Fedoke, who has been eliminated.

The top 10 dancers will be reunited when they go on tour. Shean will appear before a hometown crowd on Sept. 25 at HP Pavilion.

“What an opportunity and experience of a lifetime to see the United States and dance in front of thousands cheering fans,” said Gayle Shean.

Of course, she is still rallying the troops to make sure her daughter wins. “I hear stories daily about people seeing and posting flyers all over Santa Clara County, spreading the word to church groups, radio stations, news media, their friends and families,” she said. "Every week we're building a bigger fan base. It's wonderful."