What’s going on with you, So You Think You Can Dance? I’m willing to put up with you, and your eight billion weeks of auditions, and your strange scheduling (a showcase followed by two shows in one? What is this tomfoolery?), and your flat (if well-done) dances, but this is only because I love you. If I didn’t love you, I would not be dealing with your shenanigans.
It seems to me So You Think You Can Dance can only handle one big spectacular per week, and when they stretch themselves too thin, the quality severely suffers. I understand the difficulty involved in scheduling around the World Series, but this is just ridiculously confusing. If I had my way, I think that they should have done the introductory show (having that was a good idea, and a way to catch up everyone like me who couldn’t bear to sit through two months of auditions) and waited until after the World Series to resume regular scheduling instead of having this nonsense where the judges decide for us. What was even the point of that? Aren’t we supposed to have a say? Color me confused and unimpressed by these stunts.
I think the best part of this week was the introductory show for not only the previously stated reasons, but because the dancing then was far superior to the dancing in the actual elimination show. I loved the Wade Robson sexy-jazzy opener, the hip-hop was absolutely sick (or, as Lil’ C would say, buck), and the ballroom was amazing fun. And can I say how in love I am with the fact that they have tap dancers this season? My best friend and sister are both huge tap nuts, so it’s inevitable that some of that love would rub off on me, along with the rage of tap dancers being maligned by this show for so long. Because of this, my sister and I could tell that it was a seriously difficult routine, but the average Joe who hasn’t grown up thinking that Savion Glover is a minor deity might have missed that. (Which, probably, explains the lack of recognition tap gets.) So plebes, let me assure you — that was hardcore. There were some slower bits — contemporary as always is pretty much a technically perfect yawn, and I never like Sonya or Mandy Moore’s choreography.
I’m not sure what happened between Monday’s show and Tuesday’s, but somehow we lost a dancer to serious illness, and another busted her knee, and all the performances were lukewarm and just… nice. As a writer, you’re never supposed to use the word “nice”, but that’s really what they were. Bland. Enjoyable. Nice. There were a few more fun moments — Adam’s impression of Lil’ C was flat-out hilarious. I was exceedingly impressed by Russell the krumper (from Boston, too, which makes him one of my early favorites) holding his own in a foxtrot against a professional (and was pissed when he was in the bottom). I loved Cat Deeley’s vintage Shanghai-inspired get-up. And I thought that Legacy and Kathryn’s hip-hop was the best of the night.
But the rest was a snoozefest of dances that blended together into an indistinguishable blur that was interrupted briefly by the utter fail of the “Push It” routine (though everything after the version the Glee kids did is automatically sub-par). I couldn’t even muster up emotion when the judges eliminated someone.
Hopefully, this ennui regarding So You Think You Can Dance will disappear when I really get into this season, but that’s only if they start stepping it up. And maybe stop breaking their dancers.
Clacked by Julia Hass 
on Oct 28, 2009 @ 14:17 EST5EDT
They should have never ever have this as a fall show, it just doesn’t fit. I don’t understand why we had 2 months of trials and BS. Now we have all of it shoved in one. Here’s a hint, Billy is gone most likely because of swine flu (It fits) and the girl destroyed her knee, by the looks of it. They didn’t need to kick off anyone this week! There would have been 18 dancers anyways. Instead they kick off a guy who was there for 2 days and a girl who actually danced verses one that didn’t?
It was such a joke, they are really stretching this show thin. I used to love this show, but this season’s BS scheduling, this episode, the horrible lights on stage so you can’t see the dancing, it’s a mess.
Agreed! The camera work is downright awful at times– what were they thinking when they filmed the tap routine? You hardly got to see any ACTUAL tapping! And I really hate the stage, I feel so disconnected from the dancers– I miss the intimate feel of the old stage.
And poor Brandon… it was pretty obvious they chose Russell to be the other male dance for your life solo, because they already decided Brandon was out and they wanted to see the most exciting solo (as well as finally let the audience see a Russell solo– I still haven’t recovered from his head turn bit– INSANE!).
Not too keen on this being a fall show but it’s still a treat and a privilege to see great dancing like this any time of year. I don’t think any of the dancing was bland, and for all the griping here, you have to give it up for Jakob. Simply amazing.
The introductory show on Monday night was fantastic and something they should consider doing every season. It was great to see the hip-hoppers all together to really get a sense of their tremendous talent. I love Mandy Moore and hope to see lots more of her this season with the Mia Michaels leaving the show. Jakob and Billy Bell were breathtaking and it’s so unfortunate that Billy can’t proceed with the season.
As for Tues night, it could have been done better, but given all the unexpected trials they had to deal with, I didn’t think it was that bad. I think Jakob/Ashleigh will be a force to be reckoned with and Ryan/Ellenore were also spectacular. This season has tons of promise and I’m thrilled their back for a fall season and more of Cat Deeley is always a good thing.