Lynnwood’s Askew in top 6 on ‘Dance’

Lynnwood’s own Casey Askew survived yet another round of elimination Wednesday on the sixth week of this summer’s Fox TV show “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Askew, 19, a graduate of Meadowdale High School, is now among the top six dancers in the competition, down from this season’s original 20, and is one of the top three men.

After the fan votes were tallied following the Aug. 6 show, Askew was, for the third time, in the bottom group. But he pulled through, much to the thrill of the studio audience, which always cheers wildly for Askew.

His parents Lisa and Dale Askew, along with many other friends and family members, have been in Los Angeles to watch the show being taped.

Askew’s performance Wednesday was with professional dancer Comfort Fedoke in a hip-hop piece choreographed by Christopher “Pharside” Jennings and Krystal “Phoenix” Meraz to the song “Xscape” by Michael Jackson.

Askew has admitted that while he started with hip hop when he was a boy, it’s not his forte.

Askew began dancing at age 8, studying first at the former Camille’s Dance Edge studio in Lynnwood. By the time he was in high school, Askew was flying to Los Angeles each weekend to study ballet, jazz, contemporary and lyrical dance.

In the spring, Askew finished his freshman year at Chapman University in Orange County, California, where he is a dance student in Chapman’s College of Performing Arts.

As a member of the top 10 dancers, Askew will participate in the “So You Think You Can Dance” national tour this fall. However, only the winning dancer gets the prize of $250,000.

Askew received some of his best comments from the judges Christina Applegate, Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on July 30 when he and fellow contestant Jessica Richens performed a contemporary dance choreographed by Travis Wall to the song “Like Real People Do” by Hozier.

Follow Askew

“So You Think You Can Dance” airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays on KCPQ-TV, Channel 13.

Watch clips of Casey Askew at www.fox.com/dance/.