PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
A ballet dancer with ties to the Portland metro area is making a run at the So You Think You Can Dance crown.
On this week's episode, the judges picked 24-year-old Daniel Baker to compete in the show's top 20.
Baker is a contemporary ballet dance from Australia who considers the Portland area his second home.
WATCH: Daniel Baker sits down with FOX 12's Kimberly Maus
"My relatives live here in Tualatin. I moved up here with a few suitcases. My aunt is like my second mother. We joke she's my 'dance mom.' She's one of my biggest fans," Baker said.
After Baker moved to the U.S. as a teen, he danced all over the country, including the Miami City Ballet. But Baker said that doesn't compare to dancing for the So You Think You Can Dance judges and millions who were watching around the country.
"You're hoping you won't make a fool of yourself," he said. "You're hoping you won't drop your girl or you won't fall over. When it's all over, you feel such a relief and a sense of accomplishment. There has been no greater high for me so far."
Already, Baker said, the show has been an amazing experience. He said people don't realize how much hard work is involved.
"I've been learning and growing every day. We've been working with the most amazing choreographers," he said. "It's just a once in a lifetime opportunity."
The next "So You Think You Can Dance" is July 11 at 8 p.m. on FOX 12.
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