From the moment contemporary dancer Jordan Clark stepped onto the stage at the Toronto audition, everyone watching knew there was something extraordinary about her.

“She’s a star,” judge Luther Brown says. “She has a personality, she’s got skill, she’s got a look. You want to dance like her, you want to be friends with her, you want to date her and you want to laugh with her. That’s called the ‘it factor.’”

When I find Jordan backstage, just minutes after she won the highly coveted title of Canada’s Favourite Dancer, she’s still screaming.

“I still think it’s a dream. I still don’t really know what’s going on,” she says, clearly stunned and speechless.
 
It’s a pretty great dream, to have won the hearts of Canadians, the $100,000 prize and a brand new Chevrolet Cruze.

And what’s even better, is that she was true to herself throughout the entire competition. “I was goofy and silly and fun – I was just me the whole time and I’m so happy Canada liked me for who I am, and that they liked my dancing!”

Throughout the season the judges all agreed on Jordan’s incredible stage presence. “You have so much passion,” said guest judge Mary Murphy. Fellow guest judge Stacey Tookey agreed: “You are absolutely captivating.”

It’s hard for Jordan to pick out just one onstage highlight from the whole season. “There were so many amazing moments, but one was definitely my first time dancing on the stage with Joey (Arrigo). We did the duet again tonight and it was so nice to be able to do it again!

“And obviously, winning! I still can’t believe it!”

She has no idea what she’s going to do with the $100,000 prize. “I didn’t think I was going to win, to be honest with you, so I really haven’t thought about what I might do with the money,” she says. “I’ll probably pay my parents back and then just keep going with my career.”

She sits up straight. “I have a car,” she reminds herself, wide-eyed. “That’s awesome!”

Before winning this brand new Chevrolet Cruze, she drove a minivan, she admits – her mom’s minivan. “I’m a little more swagged out now,” she laughs.

The first thing Jordan wants to do after a day of interviews and media events is go to the Chris Brown concert with fellow SYTYCDC dancers. And after that, she is going to head home to Tottenham, Ont.

“I really want to thank everybody there,” she says. “They’ve been so supportive. They had a big gathering to watch the finale at the community centre. It’s so great to know you have so many people behind you!”

After extending thank yous to family, friends and neighbours, Jordan just wants to keep dancing.

“I want to keep growing as a performer,” she says. “I can only keep setting my goals higher.

“I can see myself dancing for someone like Janet (Jackson) or Britney (Spears) or any other really hype singer that has really hype dancers.”

No matter where she ends up, Jordan’s extraordinary dancing and incredible stage presence will clearly take her wherever she wants to go.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but I do know that this has been a journey of a lifetime,” she gushes, tears of joy shining in her eyes.