Did Kennesaw's Zack Everhart Jr. win 'So You Think You Can Dance'?

He finished in the bottom six during the top 18 and the bottom four during the top 14 but escaped elimination. Since then, he has cruised through with voters keeping him in the running.

"My whole strategy going in was to show everybody my versatility," said Everhart yesterday during a break in rehearsals for the finale Wednesday day, Sept. 3. He is now part of the final four and could pocket $250,000 and guarantee a role in the Broadway revival of "Our Town." "I"m proficient in most styles."

UPDATE 9/3/14 10:24 p.m.: Zack ended up in fourth place, followed by Jessica, then Valerie. The winner was early favorite Ricky Ubeda.

He teaches hip hop at his parent's dance studio the Great Gig Dance Company in Kennesaw and after almost making it on the show two years ago, he worked hard to learn other styles of dance. Ultimately, he said the only style he struggled with was the foxtrot, the only time the judges were less than super enthusiastic.

"I had a blast learning it," he said. "I took it as a learning experience. I had never done the foxtrot so it took time for me to learn the actual mechanics of the dance. It's a different way of moving and thinking than tap, contemporary or hip hop."

He is thrilled fans have kept him going, especially with social media voting becoming more crucial. "I'm really bad with social media," he said. "I do read all the comments. It means a lot to me."

As a former Chili's employee, he said the Chili's in Kennesaw is holding a viewing party tonight. His two sisters will be, including 19-year-old Victoria, who works there now. (His parents will be in Los Angeles along with his grandmother and great aunt and uncle.) The restaurant, which helped push its fans to vote for Zack on its Twitter feed, will donate 10 percent of the profits from the viewing party to Everhart.

He admires his competitors Jessica Richens, fellow tapper Valerie Rockey and early favorite Ricky Ubeda. "I still don't see myself winning," he said. "I'm praying. I think throughout the whole season Ricky has been the favorite. Now closer to the end, I've seen more of a split among all four of us in social media."

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Everhart is psyched to go on tour. So far, there are 76 cities, including a stop at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Dec. 6. (You can buy tickets for $37-$62 here)

He said his goal originally was just to make the top 10 so he could tour. Getting this far, he said, is just a bonus.  "The show has taught me the value of hard work," he said. "I've talked to past contestants and they say we'll never do anything this hard, the 10 hour rehearsals every day with one day off a week. After this, everything is just a little bit easier."

And Everhart said he's in tip-top shape. "Honestly, my body is not even sort, I'm so conditioned," he said. "But I do need some sleep." Once he gets back to Kennesaw later this week, he expects to spend a lot of time in bed, though his family helps out with Taste of Kennesaw and he'll likely perform there this Saturday.

If he doesn't win, he plans to move to L.A. "I think I made a good impression on the choreographers this season," he said. "There's been a lot of talk about me. I think I'm going to get work. I've made good connections." (And based on how well other SYTYCD dancers do after the show, he is not being pie in the sky at all here.)

Everhart's father Michael said he has seen Zack change before his very eyes on the show. "He has just matured big time," Michael said, "specifically with his dance. And he's become much more confident in front of the camera. He's got that fire right now."

"Regardless of what happens," he added, "his career has gotten a shot in the arm."

TV preview

"So You Think You Can Dance," 8 p.m. Wednesday, season 11 finale, Fox