So You Think You Can Dance (season 2) Finalists - Musa Cooper

Musa Cooper

Cooper is a dancer and fitness model who has had several television appearances and songs by him including both seasons of So You Think You Can Dance. He was born February 26, 1978, and raised in Camden, New Jersey. A dancer from a young age, Cooper specialized in hip-hop and b-boying styles, moving onto more rhythmic dances when he reached his early teens. He was a track star in the 1990s, and also known for exuberant gymnastic dancing moves, such as doing back-flips at pep rallies.

Cooper was a performer for Beyoncé Knowles at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, and has made cameo appearances on other television programs, such as Sex in the City. In 2005, he appeared in the short film It's Fun to Help Poor People, and was one of the first to audition for the first season of So You Think You Can Dance. He was prominently featured in initial episodes, and though judges were impressed with his dance style, he was eliminated. In 2006, he tried again at the New York auditions, and had improved so much that he was passed through to the Las Vegas auditions and eventually to the finals. He proceeded to the top 12, but was eliminated on July 13, 2006.

His assigned dance partner had been Natalie Fotopoulos who went on to become one of the top six finalists before herself being eliminated.

Dances performed

Mambo-"Nina" Joe Cuba Sextet-Performed with Natalie Fotopoulos

Contemporary-"Closer" Goapele-Performed with Natalie Fotopoulos

Quickstep-"Zoot Suit Riot" Cherry Poppin' Daddies-Performed with Natalie Fotopoulos

Disco-"Hot Stuff" Donna Summer-Performed with Natalie Fotopoulos

Hip-hop-"Promiscuous" Nelly Furtado (ft. Timbaland)-Performed with Natalie Fotopoulos (Musa eliminated)