In his pre-teen days in Hawaii, Kupono Aweau learned two lessons: Life isn't always fair, but it can be changed.

That was when different classrooms combined for a 5th-grade play.
“We had the crappiest scene in the play,” Aweau, who was eliminated Thursday from TV's “So You Think You Can Dance,” said today by phone. “The other classroom had all the coolest kids. There was this one girl who did a dance solo. I had never seen one before, but I thought that was so cool.”
He would practice dance and started studying at a studio when he was 15. He reached the “Dance” finals, again learning that life isn't fair:
– The best parts: He and Kayla Radomski did two duets from master choreographers, drawing waves of praise. One was a Viennese Waltz by Jean-Marc Generaux, the other an addiction piece by Mia Michaels, bringing personal impact. “My father and sister were … crystal-meth addicts,” Aweau said. “It was a rough time for our family, but they fought their way through it … This was like therapy to me.”
– The worst: Partners were shuffled this week and he did a Spanish-style ballroom number with Randi Evans. “Kupono's a great guy and we had a lot of fun togther,” Evans said today by phone. “It just wasn't the best of the night.”
Judges disliked many things about the number, including her wig. (“That wasn't my choice,” she said.) Viewers apparently agreed and they had the lowest male and female totals.
Both were eliminated, with the field trimmed to eight. The key thing, Aweau said, is that they'll both be in the show's tour. “Being in the top 10 just lifts this weight from you.”
The two eliminated dancers, both 23, sounded extraordinarily cheerful today. Aweau said he's looking forward to visiting Hawaii and celebrating with his family; Evans will “rest my body” briefly in Utah.
That's where she and her husband like to go four-wheeling (“I'm an outdoor junkie”), but not dancing. “My husband couldn't be more on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's like he can't even keep a beat.”