The show that will, starting tomorrow, consume and define the next 3 months of my life.

May 20 2009.

So You Think You Can Dance.

My #1 summer show. The show that will, starting tomorrow, consume and define the next 3 months of my life. Okay maybe that’s a bit dramatic but it’s very important for me to stress how much of my time, energy, and emotion goes towards this show each summer.

This show is responsible for the two fansites that I created and painstakingly (well maybe not painstakingly, again being a bit dramatic here) maintain – even after the show/season is long over. This show introduced me to, in my opinion, two of the most talented and inspiring dancers, well, ever. Travis Wall (Season 2) and Mark Kanemura (Season 4).

Travis Wall, Season 2.

Travis Wall, Season 2.

I don’t dance. I mean, I have taken a few dance classes and I really wish I could be a better dancer, a good dancer, but while I don’t label myself as a dancer, I strongly insist that I am in love with dance and that I am in love with dancers. I love it. I love them. I love watching them. I’m moved, inspired, and impressed by dancers. By dance. I think what I absolutely love the most about So You Think You Can Dance, is that the dancers are just regular people. They’re just normal, regular people, trying to make it as a dancer. And this show is a wonderful platform for that, and for incredible pieces, art, movement to be brought to a national stage, weekly.

Mark Kanemura, Season 4.

Mark Kanemura. Season 4.

It brings these regular people who are so passionate about what they do, into the living rooms of you and I. And they spark something in us, in me, in the thousands of viewers each week. To watch them grow, to watch them become even better each week. To watch them become household names and see them pushed hard, performing their hearts out. This show, the dancers, and the love I felt for it and them, made me find ways to vote for my favourite dancers each week despite the fact that I’m from Canada and it’s an American show that Canadians technically should not be allowed to participate in. (Is that cheating?) I was dedicated. I was obsessed. It was time consuming, but I loved it. I love it.

I’m what you would call the above-average SYTYCD viewer. There’s actually a lot of us. We are the ones that watch the show, go online, discuss, examine, theorize, search for video clips and pictures from the show, background information on the dancers, create graphics and fan-made montage videos dedicated to the dancers, defend the dancers, critique the choreography, the judges, look for signs of results-rigging and agenda-planning by the producers (it’s not paranoia, no reality television show is without interference from administration). And all of this takes us to the next week’s episode. We cry, we laugh, we get into bitter arguments and cry out exasperatedly about what should have or shouldn’t have happened in the past week’s episode. You know those Youtube clips that ‘infringe’ and get taken off the site all the time? We’re probably the ones who are putting them up. Providing videos of dances that others like ourselves, go online to try and find after seeing it performed on TV, because we NEED to see it again and again and again. That’s us. That’s me. Oh, and then you get the real crazies who even go as far as making fansites for the dancers. ;)

People always ask how me how I have the time to invest in this show. People actually often ask how I have the time to do a lot of the stuff I do online. And my response is always the same. I make the time for it. I find the time for it because it’s important to me. <3

Anyway, as I've said. The show starts again tomorrow. Season 5. I was really disappointed with the winner last season (and a lot of obvious rigging and favouritism by the judges last season, but I won't get into that now..), but I have high hopes for this one!

And as for fansites for dancers like the ones I have for Travis and Mark, TW-O & MK-O, I’ve decided those 2 are it for me. The more I make, the less special the ones I already have are, you know? And I don’t want those two to be any less special in my eyes because they truly are incredible.

Also, I’m going to see if I can try to use this season to hone my entertainment/reality-TV writing. I’m thinking weekly blogs? :) I’m always totally jealous of the The Edmonton Sun’s Lindsey Ward for her sweet gig writing about reality shows each week!

Now I leave you with FOX’s official Season 5 preview:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BijLt1oWIVs&hl=en&fs=1]
( Mark is shown several times in the preview. ;) )

2 Comments

  • Kim says:

    I’m so excited — it’s a wonderful birthday present!!! I’m not the kind of viewer you are, but I do critique things and discuss with my friends.

    On another note, SYTYCD season 6 will be in the fall — this makes two SYTYCD seasons in one year!!!

  • Joanna says:

    I really enjoyed your coverage/comments/creativity last season, so I’ll definitely be watching for your posts on the show. I don’t know if there will be a contestant that inspires me as much as Mark did, but you never know!

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