I don't know about anyone else but I was absolutely bedazzled on last night's show by the pop & locker named Robert, the one who withdrew in Las Vegas because he felt he couldn't pick up the contemporary choreography. The man was like a rubber band. I've never seen anyone that elastic before. He really blew me away. But it makes perfect sense that someone like that, who's spent so much time practicing one specific dance form, wouldn't fit easily into another, completely different style.
Same with the tap dancers. Bianca and Liz were both booted, though they were some of the finest tap dancers, with speed, rhythm, clarity, and personality, I've seen. And they were eliminated for shady reasons: Bianca because she was supposedly selfish for being the only contestant to dance tap during a group routine, and Liz for "talking too much" during the judges' criticism of her, even after her admirable job in the contemporary. Is this show about dancing or talking? I think the judges eliminated the two because they had no place for tap dancers on the show and felt they couldn't compete with the rest. It's curious to me why they even allowed contestants in those styles to try out then.
One contestant, Kelly, said when leaving, "I just want to thank you for making a show like this where we finally get to showcase what we do." But does this show actually do that? So You Think You Can Dance is based on American Idol, but vocal technique can transfer much more easily to different styles of song than can dance. Proper dance technique varies widely with each dance form and a dancer trained well and highly proficient in a specific style is likely going to have a very difficult time with a form that uses completely different muscle groups and body parts, that has a wholly different aesthetic. It's too bad that there can't be a dance show that celebrates the diversity of dance rather than requiring everyone to do well in a range of styles, which tends to produce conformity rather than originality and creativity.
So far, the only dancer of the top 20 who caught my eye was Mark Kanemura. Of course it's very early and we haven't seen much of the final contestants yet, but Mark seemed in auditions to be a true original with a sense of humor and charm that are uniquely his. We'll see how much he can keep that throughout the show.
The judges on these talent shows are getting more boring and tiresome, its too much judging and too little talent shown.
to have to "reevaluate" a contestant because she simply answered honestly to the question "would you come back next year?" was beyond the pale. from their patent leather tower on high, these judges could have no way of knowing what was going on in that girl's life and this was no time for her to go into the reasons why she would not take another full year of her life to audition for what is in effect a reality show. didn't mean she would give up dancing - all it meant was her quick answer to "will you come back next year" was "no."
of course, she could have been a phony and put on a big fat glossy smile and chirped "why YES you bet!" even if she actually meant "no" and both mia and nigel would have lapped it up.
instead she gave her honest, shy answer and they landed on her like two annoyed parents. they baited this young woman and then made a spectacle out of her. that they actually considered not keeping her on because of her honest answer was not only disingenuous but almost sadistic.
One of the strongest things about SYTYCD is that it showcases professional, well trained, serious dancers who are willing to put forth the effort it takes to succeed in the dance world. They are so far above the "Idol" type contestants that there's really no comparison. I wouldn't waste my precious time watching anything else.
As for the tapper who got voted off because she tapped during a group dance, you should have paid closer attention. That wasn't why she was booted off. That was supposed to be a group routine, showcasing every dancer equally. Every other group did just that. Her bit singled her out, put her above and in front of all the other dancers, which was unfair, since all the dancers in that group were being judged on that routine, not just her.
That means that the winner has to 1. Be versatile enough to handle any type of dance routine, not just poppin' and jivin' like "a rubber band," and 2. Be able to take criticism and instructions.
If they can't learn a structured routine, or they have to yap back when they are being critiqued, they will have a VERY hard time LEARNING to do the job well enough to perform on a big stage.
It's not rocket science, and the rules are pretty clearly explained, even to those of us who make Ellen DeGeneres look like Fred Astaire...
Try to be a bit less myopic about a topic when you complain. SYTYCD is not some "Star Search" to show off one's talent, it is an intense competition, involving the ability to entertain as a professional, not just some popper on a street corner.
I know it's disappointing, but I don't think it's a weakness of the show, it's the stated premise of the show, and that's OK. I'm hopeful that perhaps the abundance of the dance reality shows and resurgence of interest in the art form might bring back a good old variety show. Remember those? The Tony Bennett special a year and a half ago was absolutely wonderful, I hope someone gives that type of show a try on a more permanent basis.
A SYTYCD S4 real disappointment, not a Pasha, Anya, Dimitry, Faina, Stanislav, Artem or Snow in the bunch. ::sniffle::
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So true! Sadly, Karl Popper died in 1994, I believe. And I hope Jake Tapper finally finds his niche somewhere, because it would seem that his dancing days are done.