TV dance shows

[AmericanEagle]

^ There is only one card in the hat.

[Haunted]

^ you're joking!

[AmericanEagle]

^ Picking a partner or dance(s) from the hat is just for show. The producers have already arranged who is dancing what, and with whom. I believe that a Season 2 dancer confirmed this.

It makes sense if you think about it. S5 Melissa (a ballerina) "draws" a classical pas de deux. S5 Phillip (a hip hopper) "draws" hip hop twice before the Top 10. S5 Randi "draws" a routine choreographed by Joey Dowling, someone that she's worked with before.

How convenient for Kayla to get Evan as a partner for the Top 10 week. Nigel wanted some of Evan's popularity to rub off on Kayla.

How convenient for S4 Will (the guy whom the judges deemed to be too good for his current partner) to get Katee (the strongest female dancer) as a partner for the Top 10 week. How convenient also that Will and Katee "draw" a contemporary pas de deux. They were the only dancers who had enough training to pull off that dance.

How convenient for Karla and Vitolio to "draw" a quickstep, the dance known as the kiss of death. Nigel clearly wanted them gone that week.

How convenient that Neil and Lauren "draw" a routine choreographed by Wade for the Top 14 week, who is one of the most popular choreographers. They had just fallen into the Bottom 3 during the Top 16 week, and Nigel couldn't let his precious Lauren fall into the bottom again.

How convenient that Kupono and Kayla "draw" a routine choreographed by Mia the week after they fall into the Bottom 3. Nigel knows that Mia will create a fantastic routine, and so his precious Kayla will be spared for at least one more week.

S5 Karla even said in an interview that it was disheartening to see all the other dancers get dances in their comfort zone, while she and Vitolio, who were marked for elimination, get the dreaded quickstep. Even the dancers are aware of the machinations.

[AmericanEagle]

I just watched ABDC, and I thought that the crews did okay, but there were no standout performances.

The challenge for the crews next week is to pay tribute to the most memorable performances of the MTV Video Music Awards. The host specifically mentioned Madonna, Britney Spears, and Michael Jackson.

I remember that Britney danced with a snake during one of her performances, and I remember the Christina-Madonna-Britney kiss. Would these count as memorable performances? I can't think of anymore off the top of my head.

[Haunted]

^ I sure hope no one has to dance with a snake, that's gross. But maybe not as gross as that kiss *sick bag please* As for MJ, he had so much they can draw from. It'd be an interesting show.

[AmericanEagle]

^ Did Britney have any other memorable moments? The only thing else I can think of is when she took off her black suit to reveal a skin-coloured bodysuit. I feel bad for the crew that has to pay tribute to Britney's VMA performances.

[Haunted]

^ the redeeming value of Britney is that she's a natural dancer. So is Michael Jackson. So I can see why the show picks them.

You must have an impeccable memory to remember all the dancer partnering in SYTYCD! I'm sure they pair dancers in such a way they compliment one another and get good ratings. That said, nothing is really random, but I'm just wondering though, how did they get the people to vote for the outcome they wanted.

[AmericanEagle]

^ the redeeming value of Britney is that she's a natural dancer. So is Michael Jackson. So I can see why the show picks them.

I admit that I was a Britney fan pre-KFed. I do think that she's a good dancer, and last season, ABDC did a challenge that paid tribute to Britney's songs and dance moves. Quest Crew danced to "Toxic", which was an amazing performance; the blindfolded sequence was so creative and well executed.

but I'm just wondering though, how did they get the people to vote for the outcome they wanted.

I didn't watch S1, so I can't comment on it.

During S2, the judges were pushing for Travis to win, but Benji's large fanbase ruined their plans. The judges kept touting Travis as the one with technique, while Benji was the performer. This angered many Benji fans because while Travis had the stronger contemporary technique, Benji had the stronger Latin/ballroom technique. For example, there is no way that Travis could have danced that mambo with Heidi. When die-hard fans get riled up, they vote en masse.

During S3, the judges were pushing for a girl to win. I think that Nigel wanted Lauren to win. It was quite nauseating to see the judges prop up Lauren, even after her horrendous performances. I still remember her awful K-Fed solo, and I was shocked that she didn't get eliminated after that. Consequently, America didn't like her, and so Nigel threw his support to Sabra, whom America seemed to love.

During S4, Nigel stacked the deck in favour of hip hop, with four hip hop specialists in the Top 20. He was pushing for an "untrained" dancer, namely Joshua. He paired Joshua with the strongest female dancer, Katee. Nigel ignored the fact that Joshua had minor ballet training, and continued to tout him as the "untrained dancer who can do all styles." Katee was a good partner for Joshua, and this helped him establish a large fanbase, and thus win the competition. It also helped that Joshua was extremely humble and likeable. This was one time that Nigel and America equally loved a contestant.

During S5, Nigel was pushing for Kayla to win, praising her at the expense of her partners. Voters don't like it when the judges shove a contestant down their throats, which is why Kayla fell into the bottom several times. Voters also didn't like Kayla's personality and lack of emotional connection to her dances. Jeanine, on the other hand, had a great personality, great emotional connection to her dances, and was more humble and gracious than Kayla. Thus, Jeanine was more appealing to the voters. I'm sure that Nigel became aware of this, and so he predicted either Jeanine or Brandon as the winners, rather than his precious Kayla.

[AmericanEagle]

You must have an impeccable memory to remember all the dancer partnering in SYTYCD!

Nigel tweeted this on July 22 at 9:38 PM:

I'm thinking of doing a compilation show of our best routines ever, over the 5 Seasons of SYTYCD ? Do you have a favorite?

He then tweeted this 12 minutes later, at 9:50 PM:

Wow. You've all got such great memory's. Anything from Season 1. Melody, Nick, Blake?

I guess I'm not the only fan with an impeccable memory

[Haunted]

^ I have to say your memory probably ranks #1. When Nigel said the disco in S5 is the best, he failed to recall Knock on Wood

[Haunted]

I'm digging bollywood today, found my fave S5 duet on YT. Also saw the other bollywood group dances. I think for group dances I like the CAN version with the veils in the beginning, but the arms in S5 is quite a sight.

My mind keeps going back to the mega stage production at the end of the movie Moulin Rouge. It's an Eastern dance with sharp straight lines and crisp jazz movements. I do wonder if that's the first bollywood ever danced but so new that no one has yet given it a name.

[AmericanEagle]

I'm digging bollywood today, found my fave S5 duet on YT. Also saw the other bollywood group dances. I think for group dances I like the CAN version with the veils in the beginning, but the arms in S5 is quite a sight.

I wish that the show would feature more ethnic dances. In the Canadian auditions, there was a Native hoop dancer, a Native powwow dancer, and a girl who did an ethnic Mongolian dance.

Bollywood made its debut in S4, with Katee and Joshua doing a duet in the Top 12 week. The judges were so self-congratulatory about it, saying things like: "We brought Bollywood to the world stage; we are so awesome!"

[Haunted]

^ Interesting idea but I imagine ethnic dances would be difficult for dancers who are not trained in that genre and may not have wide appeal. My taste is more mainstream and I appreciate the artistic rendition of a theme more than ethnicity in a dance.

[AmericanEagle]

Here is the schedule for SYTYCD6:

Wednesday, September 9: Audition episode: 8-9PM
Wednesday, September 16: Audition episode: 8-9PM
Wednesday, September 23: Audition episode: 8-9PM
Tuesday, September 29: Audition episode: 9-10PM
Wednesday, September 30: Audition episode: 8-9PM
Tuesday, October 6: Audition episode: 9-10PM
Wednesday, October 7: Vegas episode: 8-9PM
Wednesday, October 14: Vegas episode: 8-9PM
Wednesday, October 21: Vegas episode: 8-9PM; Top 20 chosen; performance shows start next week
Tuesdays: performance show: 7-9PM
Wednesdays: results show: 7-8PM

[Haunted]

cool thanks!