Comments on: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Top 20 Showcase

By: seeleybaby

seeleybaby — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:27:34 +0000

***taking a risk to comment in the presence of terrific fans***
It’s my first SYTYCD season, so I can’t speak on the stage or camera work.
I didn’t know that the showcase dealio was new too, but I thought it was a great idea. Showing us them dancing and LOVING every second of it made me love all of them!
Right now, I am rooting for Channing, Ellenore(and did I miss it or did she not get a shout out after the jazz dance) and my BF is def Peter the tapper. Ooh lala! Whatta smile!

By: Patty

Patty — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:29:12 +0000

I loved the idea of a showcase before they partnered up. It’s a chance for everyone to have a moment of greatness even if it’s on a giant freaking stage with crappy cameramen.

Maybe they want the bigger stage so the cameramen can roll around on it while the dancers dance and maybe they can actually get a shot? That’s what I like to think be after last night, I am thinking no.

I can’t wait to see who gets who and what dance tonight. And what is this I hear about one of the girls getting injured and being out?

By: Lisa (aka lmr)

Lisa (aka lmr) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:13:36 +0000

Glad to see you back, GMMR. I echo everyone’s sentiments on the new venue, ugh. I just learned about Billy this morning and am very sad! Loved the show and the idea of it, not loving Mollie or Asheigh – they can both go away, and am all about Russell from hometown here in BOS.

By: strunkette

strunkette — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:47:47 +0000

Love the showcase episode. Sometimes we don’t get to see a top 20 dancer until they tell them they’re in. Not exactly nice on a show with voting. Also in seasons past (even last year with Jeanine being the prime example…I didn’t like her until she shed Philip) some dancers never get their genre and so they look like terrible dancers. It is a way to get to know the top 20.

I HATE the stage. Hate it, hate it , hate it! I didn’t like it finally night last season and I don’t like it now. The far away shots are so far away. So much of dance is in the expression of the dancer. I feel like that is sorely missed. I fear we will have even worse camera work than seasons past.

I’m super excited for this crop of dancers. They are all so talented and it looks like there are some great personalities too!

A little FYI Kath, I think the new guys name is spelled Dumlao, you have it ola.

Glad you’re back in time for SYTYCD!!

By: Sara V

Sara V — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:18:41 +0000

Thanks, Kimber, for that link. That was awesome. And I totally agree. It is not that difficult to teach and incorporate some tap steps into certain routines, especially given that that is the point of the show. I mean, I taught tap to my speech class my sophomore year in h.s. for our “demonstration speech” and I even had my 60 year old teacher doing some shuffle ball changing. And yes, I am a dork. But hey, I got an A.

By: Give Me My Remote

Give Me My Remote — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:48 +0000

So with you all about the stage. The bigger stage really took away from last season’s finale and I was so disappointed when we saw it again this week.

The stage really lacks intimacy. And since the SYTYCD cameramen are the worst in reality TV, we the viewers at home can’t get an accurate sense of the entirety of the routine when the cameras have to do so much extra work. I’m not sure they TV tested the new stage. BIgger isn’t always better.

By: Kimber

Kimber — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:46:42 +0000

This was a really neat idea, to showcase the Top 20 dancers in their own styles, before pairing them up, and tackling new styles. re: The Tappers … I liked the routine, but then I have years of tap experience, and know what I’m looking for. I’ll agree that the camera work on it wasn’t the best, and I don’t know that it highlighted the tappers skills, but it was still a thrill to watch.

I love that there are THREE tappers in the Top 20 this year, and I’ll argue the point that Nigel made that dancers can’t pick up tap in a week, so we won’t be seeing any of it. One of my favourite dancers on SYTYCDC was a tapper, and he made it to the Top 4. He and his partner, who had never taken tap before, learned and performanced a fantastic tap routine for the show(YouTube link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBlsQGSs6jU), and she ended up being crowned Canada’s Favourite Dancer! So there, Nigel!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:33:51 +0000

Sara V, so glad someone mentioned the camera work. I can’t believe it is going to be even worse this season than before. I think the problem may be the new venue (bigger) so the cameras are placed too far away. They go from overhead shots that are so far away you can’t see the detail in the dancing to shots that are so close all you see is one dancer. Ugh. Don’t like the new stage, too many lights and flashing crap that detracts from the dancing. It’s almost like the show runners don’t believe that people tune in to watch dancing. I liked having this episode where you get to see the dancers doing their own style, too bad you couldn’t really see the routines very well.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:38:35 +0000

Ugh. I really dislike the new venue. I was hoping that was just going to be for this episode, but apparently not. The stage is too big and there are no levels which means less organic use of the stage and more stupid props. I’m already ready to cut lots of people, so I don’t know what the judges are talking about. I like the Krumper, the three tappers (Bianca’s my favorite), the three Jazz girls (Ellenore best), Karen, Jacob, Nathan, and Billy.
I’m ready to cut Legacy, Kevin, Victor, Channing, married couple, & Noelle.

I’m not feeling this season as much as prior seasons. I just don’t have as much time to get invested with my regular fall shows being back.

By: sorano916

sorano916 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:24:43 +0000

Sara V, I totally agree with you on the camera work for the tap (and other parts of the show). Especially during the solos. You couldn’t even see what Philip was doing until he was already on the next sequence with the other two.

By: Sara V

Sara V — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:52:16 +0000

This was such an amazing episode. What a great idea! Glad they finally thought of it! I already love this cast more than last season’s (Sorry, Season 5). I saw Korbi’s interview with Nigel, and I totally agree with him that although Season 5 had major talent, Season 4 was all about the personality. Let’s hope Season 6 blows them both out of the water. No pressure.

As a former tap dancer (strictly amateur and majorly mediocre), I was so psyched to see that this season we finally have tappers (3!). Yet after this week I’m way worried. The tap did not translate to the screen at all, and I think this is yet another failure of the filming/direction of the show. You need to see the tappers feet and legs while dancing. Showing a dance that is almost 1/2 shot in close-up or at least upper half only is not going to work. Why oh why is the filming on this show still so grr?!!! It’s not like there’s never been tap dance on film (or any dance for that matter). Also, the show is not live, there’s gotta be time to figure out best angles. And most recently we saw ABDC do great with a bunch of cloggers not to mention the rest of the performances. Sorry, this just really bugged me.

Wasn’t feeling the jazz piece either. Sonya’s pieces are usually love (the Garden) or meh for me (can’t think of examples–case in point).

The rest, however, was amazing.

Anyway, prattled on long enough. To season 6!!!

By: sorano916

sorano916 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:49:02 +0000

Re: Tap… I wished that if they were going to do the tap dance that either the music be not as loud or they had actual mics near the floor. That being said, the three did a fantastic job. I took tap for 10 years and the sequences are done very good. Peter had the technically harder solo in the piece with the toe stand shuffles. The one-legged wings are very good, too.

By: lise

lise — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:25:57 +0000

so I just rewatched the jazz and I think the leading with the hair by mollee was more disconcerting then the tutus. She wasn’t the only one with long hair, but it seemed to have a life of its own

By: lise

lise — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:22:33 +0000

I was really bummed that Billy Bell had to leave, I think he was one of my favorites coming into the top 20. I really liked the idea of seeing them all in a routine of their style before the competition starts… I was just oddly disappointed by the jazz