S18.E02: Auditions: Day Two

[DanaK]

Quote

THE INTENSE AUDITIONS ROUND CONTINUE ON AN ALL-NEW EPISODE OF SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE MONDAY, MARCH 11, ON FOX

 

Edited March 14 by DanaK
Fixed title

[DanaK]

Regarding Kaylee(sp?), what Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehlers–Danlos_syndrome

I’m skeptical that she’ll be able to handle the pace and maybe some of the dances, but I like her passion

[Andiethewestie]

I'm not sure of the format having to be commercial ready. It seems like all that fun of learning is lost. 

[BlackberryJam]

I’d like to see more dancers and less talk. I can’t wait for the choreography round.

[Quickbeam]

I’m team “more dancers” too. I don’t care if you were sick as a kid. Just dance. I loved the one from Arizona who got yes votes, I loved the pointe work. Still too much freestyle jazz/contemporary for my taste. 

[BlackberryJam]

Too much jazz/bone breaking/contemporary/ballroom/swing/belly dance fusion. They get 30 seconds to dance and 4 minutes to talk. 

[DanaK]

1 hour ago, Andiethewestie said:

I'm not sure of the format having to be commercial ready. It seems like all that fun of learning is lost. 

Yeah, I heard that too. Why would they invite non-professionals to audition then?

[Mason]

Men in skirts and heels? Nigel has left the building 🙂

There must be a reason why the producers want to go in the direction of "commercial ready." One thing it may do is attract older contestants, as they would be more seasoned. But to quote Maks, this is the time of TikTok, where audiences likely aren't looking for full-on routines. And, to be fair, it will give the kids a chance to see what options are out there and how difficult it can be, even with a leg up.

 

[Andiethewestie]

I think Commercial dancing is great it's these kids' bread and butter when they leave So You Think...but my personal enjoyment is their auditions and how far they can go in the show. Finding Top 10 out of personal sob stories isn't an audition it's just another crappy reality show.  I want the auditions to stand on their own.

When SYTYCD opened their show this season they referenced  Ariana De Bose. It makes me side eye the entire production because of all the great dancers from this show she's beyond being a back up dancer she's the only real  bonafide A Lister an Academy Award winner, whose outstanding dancing was the catalyst and her super power for the win. She is the first from this show to really elevate the artform and command the big money that commercial dancers only dream about. She's also a Tony Award nominee and 2 time host of the show. It's gotta make her so  proud that it was her Dancing that pushed beyond backup. But as a competitor who only got to Top 20 and didn't have a sob story she wouldn't even be seen given this format.

. 

Edited March 12 by Andiethewestie

[Maximona]

I hate everything about this new format.

[Soapy Goddess]

8 hours ago, Andiethewestie said:

I think Commercial dancing is great it's these kids' bread and butter when they leave So You Think...but my personal enjoyment is their auditions and how far they can go in the show. Finding Top 10 out of personal sob stories isn't an audition it's just another crappy reality show.  I want the auditions to stand on their own.

Completely agree. And not for anything, but the girl who danced in her wheelchair is a prime example. One one hand the judges are saying they want "ready to be hired" contestants, and on the other hand they are singling out 'different' dancers who may or may not be "ready to hire". 

Another example is the girl who Allison brought back in (the girl who mentioned Lizzo). ALL 3 judges agreed she needed to hone her craft, and then out of the blue, Allison has a change of heart. And unless I missed it, there was no re-judging or full discussion before Allison (or producers) decided to go after the Lizzo fan and all of a sudden it's a full-on YES! 

Talk about manipulation and sob stories. I'm starting to think that maybe it's a good thing they're bringing JoJo in to replace Comfort. At least JoJo (hopefully) will tell it like it is! And I say that not as her biggest fan.

[rlc]

I will continue to record and fast forward through the episodes until we get to actual dancing. I loathe the sob stories. If the direction the show really wants to take is to feature commercial dancers who are ready to be hired today, they need to quit with the sob stories and back stories in the audition rounds. Sure- it is a reality competition show, so as the show progresses, tell us more about the dancers. What we are being shown now is useless drivel. There have been a couple of stand outs, but I haven't seen many dancers yet that looked any better than the dancers I've seen recently at my daughter's comps. The real tell will be when they get to choreography. The ability to pick up choreo quickly in multiple genres will separate the wheat from the chaff. 

[Andiethewestie]

11 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Completely agree. And not for anything, but the girl who danced in her wheelchair is a prime example. One one hand the judges are saying they want "ready to be hired" contestants, and on the other hand they are singling out 'different' dancers who may or may not be "ready to hire". 

Another example is the girl who Allison brought back in (the girl who mentioned Lizzo). ALL 3 judges agreed she needed to hone her craft, and then out of the blue, Allison has a change of heart. And unless I missed it, there was no re-judging or full discussion before Allison (or producers) decided to go after the Lizzo fan and all of a sudden it's a full-on YES! 

Talk about manipulation and sob stories. I'm starting to think that maybe it's a good thing they're bringing JoJo in to replace Comfort. At least JoJo (hopefully) will tell it like it is! And I say that not as her biggest fan.

I agree to almost everything but bringing back Siwa. She's far too over the top and for me did not offer solid critiques last time she was on the judges' panel. I was hopeful for Comfort Unfortunately the judges seem really scripted and are pushing the show's format in a way that is artificial instead of organic.

[DanaMB]

13 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

Another example is the girl who Allison brought back in (the girl who mentioned Lizzo). ALL 3 judges agreed she needed to hone her craft, and then out of the blue, Allison has a change of heart. And unless I missed it, there was no re-judging or full discussion before Allison (or producers) decided to go after the Lizzo fan and all of a sudden it's a full-on YES! 

That was so fake and scripted. I rolled my eyes hard. I don’t like these (obvious)scripted moments. 

[nx74defiant]

Way too much "reality show" - not enough actual dancing.

[AllAboutMBTV]

I forgot the episode the second I turned it off. Reading the above comments reminded me who performed. I then remembered the two-stepping couple and wished they'd made it through (although in the end I agreed with the judges that they weren't quite there yet). I used to two-step a LOT. It's fun, practically everyone can learn the basics, and there are some fantastic choreographers out there. Oh, well...Two-stepping might be a nice change-of-pace genre to try in the regular competiton. Is it Choreography Week yet or do we have more canned, over-processed auditions to get through?

[Soapy Goddess]

12 hours ago, Andiethewestie said:

I agree to almost everything but bringing back Siwa. She's far too over the top and for me did not offer solid critiques last time she was on the judges' panel. I was hopeful for Comfort Unfortunately the judges seem really scripted and are pushing the show's format in a way that is artificial instead of organic.

Totally agree. I only half-heartedly said that about Siwa last night because I was disappointed that both Max and Comfort caved to Allison's whim. It makes zero sense for everyone to turn on a dime a few minutes after all made a 'no' decision. 

It seems like we all agree that this reality/sob story bullshit is a total waste of time. I hope this show isn't about to jump the shark because I really enjoy the dancing.

Just saw this on the media thread: So You Think You Can Dance (1.2 mil/0.1) added some eyeballs but slipped to a new all-time demo low.  

 

Edited March 14 by Soapy Goddess
Add verbiage to support my statement about possibly jumping the shark.

[Maximona]

The reason I used to like this show is because the dancers started the season as half-formed dancers & emerged from it as real dancers.

That process was fascinating to me.

There are plenty of places I can watch real dancers dance.

But not many where I can watch people turning into real dancers.

I don't want to watch accomplished dancers go through all the BS & ass-kissing that this show will impose on them.  So, I think SYTYCD is off my watch list.

 

[peachmangosteen]

13 hours ago, AllAboutMBTV said:

Is it Choreography Week yet or do we have more canned, over-processed auditions to get through?

I believe the promo said that next week is the final audition episode.

[Quickbeam]

If I wanted Queen for a Day (old game show where people traded their sob stories for a washing machine), I’d watch American Idol. The woman with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome…I’m just not seeing it. There are some disabilities which require pragmatic choices. Depending on what type of EDS she has, it’s just pandering to think she’s got a shot. Maybe harsh but I spent 40 years as a rehab nurse.

I don’t care whose grandfather died or whose mom has breast cancer. Please just dance.

[realdancemom]

I think the "reality" part is going to get worse. It's already scripted. I just don't see how showing the finalists living in the same house is not going to show more scripted drama.

I'm still watching since this was once my favorite show. From the auditions though, I didn't see any hip hop dancers go through and only one ballroom guy. We need variety.

I think Avery, the pointe dancer from the three friends, tried out for SYTYCD Jr. She was technically the best from that group. I liked the first contemporary guy from this episode. I don't see how the girl with the wheel chair can partner with somebody without changing the choreography. I don't see her making the cut. I think it was fine to show her audition for awareness like Bryan Gaynor. Nigel was clear though that he couldn't see Bryan partnering with anybody.

Edited March 14 by realdancemom

[Haleth]

On 3/13/2024 at 5:45 PM, DanaMB said:

That was so fake and scripted. I rolled my eyes hard. I don’t like these (obvious)scripted moments. 

Yeah, I’m calling bullshit that this wasn’t planned to bring some drama.  Also calling bullshit on only promoting dancers who are commercially ready to work.

Fast forwarding thru the background stories  

You can do better, show. 

[crowceilidh]

JoJo can and will read a script too. 

The thing I used to like about the show was the different effects when they switched partners at 10 -- it gave them a real chance to learn how to partner with someone and then use the skill. Given the huge success of that format, I don't understand why they abandoned it.  I think there was something they didn't like about the power couples, but as a viewer, I can't understand what.

I liked the judges/choreographers saying what they actually thought and not what the writers thought would make a good story (they are so often so wrong -- I have been exposed to so many reality shows that I have no empathy for sob stories).  The scripting makes for a canned vibe to the whole show.  The show has been increasingly scripted since about season 4/5 and it's an increasingly bad look.  I am on the verge of not caring at all what the show does.

 

[Electruck]

I agree: too much talk, not enough dance.

I really enjoyed “J-Flow” style. The whirling skirt was mesmerizing and he was so graceful.

[Calistffmard]

I'm uncertain about the necessity for the format to be commercially ready. It feels like the joy of learning is being compromised.