Mom’s persistence pays
SheKnows: Would you ever skip out on dance class or fake illnesses?
Jeanine Mason: Oh, my God, yes (laughs). I remember this one time, I had been out of school and I was supposed to go straight to ballet and I just really didn’t want
to. I was not in the mood and I didn’t want to get yelled at and reprimanded, so I faked sleeping in the car and I was like, “Mom, I’m so tired, I had homework so late last
night.” I faked sleep and I slept in the car and she drove me home and we got home and I was like, wow, it worked. I woke up and she’s like, “I know you were faking it.
You’re going to regret missing this class.” And I was like, oh man, she caught me.
SheKnows: Now back to the Kodak Theatre…when Cat read your name, what went through your mind before and after?
Jeanine Mason: I tried to, before we got out there, to stay positive and convince myself that it was a possibility. But, once you’re standing there and that ominous, horrible
music plays that will always haunt me, I just didn’t think it could happen. Brandon is such an amazing dancer. He is such a powerful and beautiful dancer and I admire him so much that I
definitely thought he had it. So I was just ready to give him a hug and to step back and let him have his moment. So hearing Cat say my name was so surreal. It was amazing.
Bonding with Brandon
SheKnows: Did you have a chance to talk to Brandon afterwards?
Jeanine Mason: Yes, Brandon and I have been friends for a real long time, we’re both from Miami, so I’ve known him for a couple years now and he’s such a nice guy
on top of being one of the strongest dancers, which is obviously very evident in his muscles. He was so supportive and he’s so happy for me. Either way, right before she announced, they were
like, well either way it’s a win for Miami. So we were excited that Miami would get some victory and he was just so supportive. He was so proud of me. And I would have been just as proud of
him and I am proud of him. He’s just so amazing and I know he’s going to have this incredible career. All of them, well, the whole top 20 does such amazing things, I’m excited to
see what everyone does.
SheKnows: That’s awesome. It was a really Miami-heavy year on So You Think You Can Dance. What would you say to future dancers coming out of Miami, or anywhere for
that matter?
Jeanine Mason: It would definitely be never to give up. I doubted myself way too many times and I doubted myself when I first started dancing and I wasn’t a promising dancer,
so I thought I couldn’t do it and my mom was the one that told me, “You’re going to do it.” Then I doubted myself when the auditions rolled around and I didn’t want to
audition for the show, I thought I couldn’t do it and I was embarrassed to fall apart on national television. My family again told me, “No, you just give it a chance, just go for
it.” And, because they did that I’m here right now. So I need to stop doubting myself and it took this for me to realize that but I will never doubt myself again and I just hope people
realize that, that it’s so worth taking a chance. If I wouldn’t have gone for that first audition, I would just be at home right now getting ready to go to college. Instead I’m
getting ready to do a photo shoot for the cover of Dance Spirit.
SheKnows: Would you consider acting, such as movies like Fame or Hairspray?
Jeanine Mason: I’ve always done theatre since middle school, but towards my junior year of high school I fell in love with film and that’s one of the main reasons that
I applied to LA schools and I decided I was moving out here is because there’s such an amazing…incredible film industry. So I hope to do films and I would love to do movie musicals because
it incorporates so much dancing. I’m such a big fan of Chicago and Hairspray and all those amazing MGM films — that would be so amazing. I would love to work in a film
that would incorporate dancing and acting, that would just be my dream.
SheKnows: If any television show called you and asked you to guest star, in your wildest dream, which one is ringing the phone?
Jeanine Mason: I would love to guest-star on Glee. But my favorite show, at the moment, or one of my favorite shows, is Gossip Girl. So, if I was in the
background, I’d be happy.
Read on for more So You Think You Can Dance
Cat Deeley dishesSo You Think You Can Dance
Reality TV Magazine takes us behind the scenes
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