NEWSWatch 'So You Think You Can Dance' Winner Melanie Moore's Big Crowning Moment!
Aug. 12 2011, Published 4:30 a.m. ET
Season 8 of So You Think You Can Dance came to an end last night, and it was all about the ladies! Female finalists Melanie Moore, 19 , and Sasha Mallory, 23, waited to hear their fate from host Cat Deeley — and it was Melanie who was crowned "America's Favorite Dancer."
Melanie was a frontrunner this entire season, constantly being praised by the judges.
"Melanie, I don't believe we've ever had a better girl dancer than you," Nigel Lythgoe told the audience this season.
Director/guest judge Kenny Ortega liked her so much he threw out the idea of offering her a role in in his remake of Dirty Dancing!
And when Lady Gaga served as guest judge this season, she offered Mel a spot on her tour.
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“My hat’s off to you, baby,” Gaga told Melanie after her effortless contemporary performance. “I would hire you tomorrow to dance on my tour all around the world. There is something so athletic and so passionate and so beautiful, and you’re such a star.”
So it's no surprise that Melanie set records for the hit Fox dancing competition, picking up 47 percent of viewer votes, according to Cat!
"Winning means the world to me," Melanie said right after her winning moment as confetti fell around her and she choked back tears of happiness. "It is such a major stepping stone, and I have learned so much through this experience. I have so much more to learn, and I have decided that I want to go back to school for dance."
Watch Melanie's crowning moment in the clip, via TV Squad, below!
