Even though two finalists were hospitalized over the weekend after collapsing during rehearsals, it’s time for the four remaining contestants to prove they can move like a champ on So You Think You Can Dance, which kicks off the two-part season finale Wednesday. Before the drama, PEOPLE spoke with Stephen ‘Twitch’ Boss, Courtney Galiano, Joshua Allen and Katee Shean about how they’re holding up, their advice for future contestants and exactly how loud Mary Murphy can get. – Jed Dreben
STEPHEN ‘TWITCH’ BOSS
How are you holding up with the training? Any injuries?
My entire body is mad at me right now. So, it’s just a matter of fighting past that and toughing it out for one more week when we can actually get some rest, because my body is not having it at the moment.
Which celebrities would you like to work with when this is all over?
I would love to work with Will Smith. He’s a hero of mine. I just really look up to [him]. He’s a man. He’s really handling his business, you know, from how he came up to the way he handles his family life, his marriage, his business. It’s very inspiring — and I think he’s very talented.
Do you have any advice for future SYTYCD contestants?
Yes, I have advice for future contestants: Get ready. And by get ready that means never stop getting ready because they will pull tricks out of the bag to try and kill you guys. So, get ready for war.
KATEE SHEAN
Which SYTYCD choreographer has inspired you the most?
I’ve gotten to know Tyce Diorio better than other choreographers only because I’ve gotten to work with him for more than one week. He is just such a positive person. He knows how tired we all are and he’s always saying that it’s not about winning and it’s about taking what you learn from this experience.
Do you have a favorite performance that you’ve done on the show?
I’ll always remember doing “No Air” because that was the first time we got to be on that stage and it was such an amazing feeling. And I’m grateful Josh [Allen] and I got to do the first Bollywood routine … that was really cool.
How loud is judge Mary Murphy when you’re out there?
Dude, I love Mary Murphy’s scream! And it’s funny because you watch it on TV and you think, “Oh, wow.” Everybody gets so excited to hear her yell and then when you’re here you’re like, “I just want to hear her yell again.” You want her to do that for you after you’ve done your routine.
COURTNEY GALIANO
Did you learn to love a style of dance on the show that you previously hadn’t done?
I would love be a ballroom dancer. It’s so impressive and being on this show, it’s made me have this newfound appreciation for ballroom. They’re absolutely incredible and the time that it takes and the technique that goes into it, I would love to learn more about that definitely.
Which celebrity would you like to work with?
I would love to learn to dance like Chris Brown because I definitely can’t. But that would be awesome. Madonna, Justin Timberlake — they’re all amazing artists. I would love that.
How has your boyfriend handled being away from you while you’re on the show?
It’s hard, but he’s so supportive. He’s 21 and his name is Brett. He is going to law school so he’s very far from the dance world. In the beginning it’s hard because [he thinks,] “I’m a million miles away, I have to turn on national television and see you dancing with another guy — Oh, that’s great.” But he understands that it is a competition and that we’re all in it for the same reason. He’s a great guy and I’m lucky that I have a rock like that when all of this is so stressful and crazy.
JOSHUA ALLEN
Do you have a favorite dance that you performed on the show?
I liked the two hip-hop numbers that I did with “No Air” and the Frankenstein piece. And then I also loved the samba and the paso doble and other contemporary [pieces] with [choreographers] Mia Michaels and Tyce Diorio.
Do you have a favorite sign or nickname you’ve seen in the crowd?
A lot of people know me back home as Batman. It’s crazy because Twitch, you know, he’s like a Superman character. But everybody knows me back home as Batman, so we joke about Batman versus Superman.
What advice do you have for future SYTYCD contestants?
Just step it up. If you’re coming here to tryout, it’s not just about a great dancer. It’s not “America’s Best Dancer,” it’s “America’s Favorite Dancer.” That’s what we keep trying to tell everybody because we know there are a lot of people out there that are probably better than us, but it’s more about your personality. You have to have more than just being a great dancer — so much more than that.
Joe Viles/FOX (4)
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