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There are days Mariyah Hawkins wakes up and misses the big sky and mountains of New Mexico.

鈥淚 grew up knowing those views,鈥� Hawkins says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 get too many opportunities to go see my sa国际传媒官网网页入口 people anymore.鈥�

Since March 4, millions of viewers have been able to witness Hawkins compete on the 18th season of Fox鈥檚 鈥淪o You Think You Can Dance.鈥�

Last week, the former sa国际传媒官网网页入口 resident was eliminated from the show, just missing out on the top four.

The May 6 episode of the reality dance competition had the top five contestants learn choreography to be backup dancers for Grammy Award winner T-Pain.

Judge and professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy told Hawkins he was a fan of hers.

鈥淭here was a stand-out moment with T-Pain,鈥� Chmerkovskiy told Hawkins. 鈥淎fter that, I felt like you were a half-count behind. 鈥� You have it all in there to be great.鈥�

Hawkins found herself in the bottom three, where she had to dance for her life.

鈥淚鈥檓 really grateful for the experience,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e shown my artistry throughout the entire show.鈥�

Hawkins is now based in Dallas, where she is part of the faculty at the Joffrey Ballet School.

Growing up in sa国际传媒官网网页入口, she lived with her mother and grandparents and spent the majority of her formative years in a dance studio.

She trained at Triple Threat Performing Arts, which closed down during the pandemic, as well as VIIIZON Academy.

Take a look some moments with Mariyah Hawkins on 'So You Think You Can Dance'

Hawkins grew up watching the dance competition show, where she auditioned for the children鈥檚 version when she was a teenager.

鈥淚 auditioned and I was promptly cut,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淚t was devastating. I told myself when I turned 18, I would audition for the regular version. During the audition for this season, I wasn鈥檛 trying to deliver what I thought they wanted from me or what the judges would respond to. I went in and performed and showed the artistry I鈥檝e been working on my entire life.鈥�

Hawkins鈥� credits her foundation in dance to the studios in sa国际传媒官网网页入口.

鈥淚 really had to explore for myself,鈥� she says of dancing. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 really dancing with people who look like me or people that I resonated with when I was growing up.鈥�

Hawkins credits Cindy Sikelianos at Triple Threat Performing Arts for being an influential force in her life.

鈥淪he provided me with so many training opportunities as possible,鈥� she says. 鈥淪he was a big proponent of me being myself. She was in the audience the night I got eliminated. Having her present in the live episode felt like a full-circle moment.鈥�

Hawkings also has profound respect for Trey Pickett and Vanessa Mathis of VIIZON Academy.

鈥淭hey both care so much about arts and the history of arts,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey helped lay down the foundation for me and helped propel me within their space.鈥�

While Mathis is grateful for the experience, she would have liked there to be more shown during the series.

There were pieces of unaired interviews that she wishes an audience could have seen.

鈥淚n this particular experience, I felt like I accomplished a lot,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 still finding my place in life. My mother and grandmother would drive out to Atlanta each week to watch the show live and support me. Nothing really feels at home lately. I鈥檓 really indebted to my family. Any chance I could spotlight those bonds, I do. I can鈥檛 wait to see what鈥檚 next.鈥�

The season finale will be broadcast on May 20, when a winner will be named.