I watch So You Think You Can Dance. Every week. And if I miss a show, I try to catch up on YouTube. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it's great dancing and choreography on a prime time network TV show. Awesome. On the other hand, it's teeming with reality show obnoxiousness. If I could watch all the dances on YouTube, then I certainly would do that instead of enduring the applause, the drawn out eliminations, wonky camera work, and the judges blathering and self-congratulating.
I started watching the show on season one. There were only 4 really good dancers in it, and I predicted that by season two more dancers would realize they could have done well and audition. I was right, the dancers on this season are in-cre-di-ble.
It's nice that they show a wide variety of dance styles. Various ballroom (samba, paso doble, swing, waltz) are countered with contemporary (their term for lyrical dance), hip hop, and pop. I only wish they were a bit more distinct: actual ballet, actual fosse (none of this fake stuff), and lyrical by someone other than Mia Michaels or Brian Friedman (who at least changes his palatte more than Mia). But even so, this show goes beyond my expectations for an american idol rip-off.
Here are some of my favorite pieces so far:
(Bummer, there were a few more I wanted to link, but Dick Clark Productions has shut them down. Gotta get them while they're fresh. I think it's inane that the official site doesn't even show clips each week. )
Hip Hop with Ivan and Martha
Contemporary with Travis and Allison (with bonus Mia + Celine ;-)
"Jazz" (More modern in my opinion) with Nathalie and Benji (the "it" boy R.M. with the mormon fanbase - gets more votes than he's worth)
Group Jazz dance to Technologic
Samba with Blake and Ashley from Season One (My favorite dance so far: mix of great performance and perfect, crisp choreography.)
Group modern dance (updated link with higher quality video)
*new* Group swing dance
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