What Happened To My Favorite Show?
So here’s the thing; everyone knows I am a huge fan of “So You Think You Can Dance”, and I absolutely love the dancers and choreographers on the show. But what the *#%! happened this season?
I was sure from the beginning it was going to be bigger and better than ever, with amazing auditions and the usual exciting week in Vegas. And all looked great even as the top 20 hit the stage back in Hollywood with what I thought was the first of many “3rd” judges, Adam Shankman, sitting on the panel. But then it happened - Adam appeared the next week and the next week and the next, and we finally realized he was there to stay and the refreshing viewpoints of the many fabulous experts we had grown to love were now delegated to only having the roles of creating dance routines for the contestants.
I thought I could live with that until I kept waiting and Waiting and WAITING for my favorite choreographer, Mia Michaels, to give one of her enormously inspirational dance routines to one of the lucky couples. Every kid on that show remarks that nobody else can make them grow as Mia. And then the next news broke - she had quit the show - and I for one would like to know exactly why! I pray she is healthy and there is nothing impeding her amazing life and career.
Week after week of the same three judges, without Mia, Debbie Allen and so many of the others we had known to love to hear from, and it was only truly the dancers and a few of the choreographers like Sonya that made me keep tuning in.
The final blow for me was the finale which, in former seasons, was held at the Kodak theater to sold out crowds. Not this time! Same venue and same three judges on the competition night and all done in one hour which didn’t even allow the dancers to do solo performances in their own style as they rushed through 3 dances and didn’t even use some of our favorite choreographers. That being said, they did dance great, and I was excited and hopeful that the “Results Show” would be better.
And it was, for the most part. The guest performances were all terrific, but I would have rather seen them the night before and all again at the Kodak Theater, especially for such big stars. In the end, they called the names out exactly as I predicted, though I had hoped for Jacob to win on merit. Russell had been a huge inspiration though so I was almost as happy for him. Mostly, I was just let down by the lack of production value and seemingly “bottom line” priority which SYTYCD gave me the feeling came at the head of the list this season.
Will I watch next season? Absolutely! But I hope that enough fans write in and tell them, like me, to bring back the old format and Mia along with it!
Cheers!
RD
Julie — December 18, 2009 @ 12:44 am
Wow - I totally agree. I LOVE Adam - he is fun, but I, too, missed the other judges. I also didn’t like the dancers going straight into their dances without the back story of the dance. I hope they don’t keep changing everything and ruin a great show. We went to see the top 10 from last season and it was the BEST show I had seen - amazing dancers in amazing choreography - amd even quit clever and funny.
Cathy — December 21, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
Robert, I am with you 110%. Mia was the very best choreographer on the show and each season she has brought so much emotion to her dances that I still remember them seasons later. This season I can only say there has been one real moment where I was totally enraptured and that was that table dance with Legacy and Eleanor. Aside from that, Mia critiques were also not on the ball but also constructive.
However I don’t really agree with your comment on Adam Shankman. I liked him. He was fun, different and comical but yet inspirational as well. I have always like his twists on the critiques. My only real complaint is when Mary Murphy feels the need to scream. That I can do without.
I too felt that Jacob should have won. I was sorely disappointed with Russell’s winning moment. What was with the tearing off of the shirt? Then he didn’t even compose himself enough to thank anyone or everyone as he was more concerned with calling up his buddy onstage. HELLO!! We voted him off for a reason, don’t call him up. That last moment made me want to rethink my vote.
Either way I am a diehard fan of the dancers and will continue to watch this next season with hopes that Travis and the other cooreographers will continue to grow and strive to fill Mia’s place. Otherwise maybe they can coerce her back as that void will be a tough one to fill.
Cathy
lita dove — December 22, 2009 @ 10:29 am
I think Mia left the show only because she (and Nigel as exec producer) are putting together NEW shows in which she will be even more of the diva/star we have come to love and hate,LOL.
Yes, Jakob is easily one of the most technically proficient dancers that this show or any other will ever see. For sure the offers are just pouring in for him. He has wonderful quality.
But my man Russell wowed me from the first time the camera turned to him and they instantly bonded!
He has IT. He is a star. And he backs it up with performance and improvement and enough technique and ambition that it was a satisfying win for me.
Here’s hoping they re-think the show and what made us love it before it truly jumps the shark.
thank you Robert for this BB!
lita dove — January 27, 2010 @ 7:49 pm
HAPPYDANCE HAPPYDANCE
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